A32—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 18,1983 Cumberland Valley Jersey Breeders plan sale on July 4 BY ROBIN PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent WAYNESBORO Enthusiasm plus... and more.... that’s the way you could describe the Jersey breeders m the south-central Pennsylvanian counties of Cum berland and Franklin. Organizing into a group just four years ago, and calling themselves the Cumberland Valley Jersey Breeders for the purpose of sponsoring classes at the local fairs, this ambitious group has decided to take on a larger project. On July 4, they will be hosting their first “Cumberland Valley Jersey Breeders Sale”. “We figured we’d make a social event out of it, on a holiday with a picnic and a sale,” Florence Robinson states. Florence Robinson is the current secretary of the Pennsylvania Jersey Cattle Club and one of the chief organizers of the upcoming 4th of July Sale. Florence and Dave Robinson own and operate Pme Mountain Jersey Farm, Rl, Waynesboro, the oldest Jersey farm in Franklin County. The other Jersey breeders mainly consist of Holstein dairymen switching over to the Jersey breed or dairymen milking half Jersey and half Holstein herds. “Up until eight years ago,” Dave Robinson explains, “there was probably less than a pick-up truck •load of Jerseys in the valley.” Then in 1974, Bill and Susan Dietrich, Rl, Newburg, moved their 60-cow Jersey herd into Cumberland County and the few Jersey breeders in the two ad joining counties of Franklin and Cumberland banded together. By selling Jersey calves to 4-H’ers and making quality stock available to local dairymen, many fanners in the Cumberland Valley began to is found on Pine Mountain Jersey Farm, oldest Jersey farm in Franklin County. ' x: :& * is*. * K *~ JjA ■ ■* *' v " y*': Mixed herds of Jerseys and Holsteins are becoming more and more common in Franklin County. see the various advantages of the Jersey cow. The current President of the Cumberland Valley Jersey Breeders, Paul Gsell, switched from his Holstein herd to his current all Jersey bovmes after buying two 4-H calves for his children from the Robinsons. When George Christman, a local DHIA tester, of Chambersburg, needed more cows, he discovered that it was cheaper to buy Jerseys. He consequently purchased two herds and now milks 67 registered Jerseys. One of the larger Jersey herds m Franklin County today belongs to Lester Martin, Rl, Chambersburg, who had also previously milked Holstems. This month he will be phasing out the last of his black and whites and going all Jersey. Several years ago, Lester Martin also needed more cows. After reading an ad in the paper for grade Jerseys for a good price, he purchased them and enrolled them on the Genetic Recovery program of the American Jersey Cattle Club. Today, with his registered herd of Jerseys, Martin remains a staunch supporter of the Genetic Recovery program within this breed and also admires the congeniality of all Jersey breeders in general. It was Martin’s idea, after attending many Jersey sales where there was a buffet lunch available free of charge to all prospective bidders, in addition to the fellowship among the Jersey breeders before and after the sale, to offer the same sort of things at their local sale-providing a picnic lunch to all attending, and making it “more than just a sale.” With an increasing number of dairymen looking for a way to decrease the surplus without decreasing their milk check, the demand for Jerseys in this area is very strong. The Cumberland : ■. :: . ■“ •*> Dave Robinson with his fancy bred heifer that is consigned to Cumberland Valley Jersey Sale. She is bred to Favorite Saint and due in Ar ist. Florence Ri with Les Martin. Valley Jersey Breeders realized this need and “the whole group worked to get consignments”, explains Florence Robinson. The sale features 37 cows and bred heifers from the leading herds across the state. Seventeen of the animals will be fresh within 60 days before the sale, 13 are due in July, and 9 are due in August. Three of the consignments can boast dams with over 14,000 pounds - -... ' : -3* v nson is co-chairman of Cumberland Valley Fourth of July Jersey Sale SA Bill and Susan Dietrich are with their sale consignment - Freya, who will be just fresh in time for the July 4 sale. of milk to their credit and 13 of the dams of consignments also test over 5.3% butterfat in addition to the four consignments with records over 12,000 pounds. The sale and picnic will be held at the Shippensburg Fair grounds located 3 miles from 1-81 on S. Fayette Street in Shippensburg. Co-chairmen of the sale are Lester Martin and Florence Robinson. The auctioneer will be Ralph Horst with Doug Reinhart reading pedigrees. -'I Working hard on the advertising and catalog preparations are Bill and Susan Dietrich, Rl, Newburg, **• rtpui i a- who seem to be glad that the catalogs are finished and are looking forward to the Jersey fellowship at the sale. In charge of caring for the sale animals is Doug Reinhard and Merle Shaeffer, who will also make trucking available to buyers. Accomodations for prospective buyers are available at the Best Western University Lodge, in Shippensburg, 717-532-7311, where a block of rooms has been set aside for anyone calling in reservations for the sale. (Turn to Page A 33) MB*
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