VOL 28 No. 34
Participating in plaque presentation at national meeting of American Jersey Cattle
Club are, from the left, James Cavanaugh, executive secretary; John M. White, recipient
and featured speaker, head of Dairy Science Dept, VPI; and Charles McGinnis, pres.
Rare flu hits Lancaster flocks
BY DICK ANGLESTEIN
LANCASTER At least five
Lancaster County poultry flocks
have been hit in an Avian Influenza
outbreak, which has caused bird
mortality and prompted the
reinstatement of strict security
measures to prevent its further
spread.
The outbreak of the flu-like
virus, which now is quite rare and
hasn’t been diagnosed in the U.S in
chickens since 1976, has affected
five layer and broiler flocks in the
Manheim area and possibly a sixth
flock of pullets.
Some of the flocks were quite
large - 80,000 or 90,000 birds - and
Never too young
to promote milk
Eighteen-month-old Laur
en Oaubert, daughter of
Dean and Brenda Daubert,
of Pine Grove, won't go
anywhere without her
favorite bib that helps
promote milk. For more on
the Pa. Brown Swiss Picnic,
turn to Page C 2.
Four Sections
mortally rates, although not
necessarily in the larger flocks,
was 15 percent or so.
Jay Irwin, director of Lancaster
County Extension, has recom
mended that strict security
measures be reinstated, such as
were used during the LT outbreak
in 1978.
“This is the most serious out
break we’ve had in our poultry
operations since the LT in 1978,”
Irwin said.
“We’re asking poultry operators
to follow the same security
measures, along with good
cleanliness and control of rodents,
stray animals and birds.”
Recommended security
measures include the padlocking
of houses to strictly control access.
Clean coveralls, disposable caps
and rubber boots that are disin-
Co-op ads, flat tires & milk bath
Here are a few items of special
interest - unique and unusual -
that have come into the Dairy
Product Promotion Swap Shop in
recent days.
Only a few will be mentioned to
whet your appetite - for milk and
its promotion, naturally.
Other Swap Shop comments and
ideas can be found on Pages AlO
and 12.
First, Lebanon County Young
Farmers are taking the lead in
attempting a year-round radio
promotion of milk by cooperating
dairy farmers. Spearheaded by the
Northern Lebanon Chapter, the
program hopes to sign up 40 dairy
farmers on a $20.00 a month basis.
The money would buy 40 radio
spots a week promoting milk on
two Lebanon stations - WLBR and
WUFM. If more farmers are
signed up, the rate would be lower
and the spots, which would be
changed periodically, would
continue year-round.
Both the Northern Lebanon and
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 25,1983
fected should be used. Even out
side receptacles, if available, for
feed deliverymen to use for leaving
invoices are suggested.
While there is no transmission of
the flu virus in eggs or meat from
the flocks, it can be carried by
humans from flock to flock. Stray
cats or dogs and wild birds may
transmit it.
It is suspected that wild ducks
may be the carrier in the Lan
caster County outbreak.
While now quite rare in chickens
- *he last big outbreak in the U.S.
may have been in 1925 - it is more
commonly found in turkeys.
The first case was discovered
about the end of April, but con
firmation was not immediate since
veterinary personnel are not that
familiar with the flu because of its
rarity. (Turn to Page A 39)
This week 9 s
Shop
w
p 0
Cedar Crest YF Chapters are
signing up dairy fanner members
and more are hoped to be enrolled
from other Lebanon County
chapters.
The program would feature
about three promotional spots a
day on each of the AM and FM
stations.
And, over in Ephrata, Elvin
Hoover has found a great use for
milk - it fixes flat tires.
500 at National
Jersey meeting
BY ROBIN PHILLIPS
Staff Correspondent
WOOSTER, OHIO The annual
convention of the Jersey breeders
More ag
funds eyed
HARRISBURG - Increased
funding for agriculture has been
placed m front of the State
Legislature, but the extra monies
primarily for research are still a
long way from reality.
Rep. Samuel W. Morns, of
Chester County, chairman of the
House Ag and Rural Affairs
Committee, this week introduced
some three-quarters of a million
dollars worth of amendements for
agriculture in the Appropnations
Bill, which were adopted by the
membership. These amendements
will need to be considered again,
along with all other amendments
when the House votes on a final
appropriations bill. And then,
there will be the further Con
sideration in league with the State
Senate.
The amendments introduced by
Rep. Morris and passed by the
House include:
-1300,000 to fund a study of the
nutrient loading of the Chesapeake
Bay.
-$115,000 for the study of Johne's
Disease.
-$50,000 for the Department of
Agriculture for other research.
N -$60,000 for additional personnel
at the Diagnostic Lab.
-$235,000 for additional per
sonnel in Foods and Chemistry
Section.
-And, one additional calibration
truck for the Bureau of Weights
and Measures.
He recommends three parts of
milk and one part of vinegar. After
mixing, remove valve stem and
pour in the mixture.
His bicycle tire used to have a
slow leak and would be flat only a
half-day after it was inflated. But
10 days ago he discovered the milk
vinegar solution and no more flat
tire.
And, as a bonus, it doesn’t loosen
patches the way commercial stop
leaks do.
Speaking of unusual uses, there’s
the milk bath, too. Now, we’ve
heard of such baths for strictly
beauty sake. But, there’s a
practical milk bath in agriculture,
particularly in Lancaster County.
If you smoke and grow tobacco,
it’s best to wash off with milk
before going out into the fields. The
milk rinse helps prevent spreading
tobacco mosaic disease to your
plants.
Other Swap Shop tips - some a
bit more practical - can be found
on Pages AlO and 12. .
$7.50 per Year
of the American Jersey Cattle Club
was held at the Ohio Agricultural
Research and Development
Center, Wooster, this week and
was hosted by the Ohio Jersey
Breeders Association, whose state
club is celebrating its 100th year.
Among the 500-plus Jersey
breeders attending, the dominant
feeling was an overwhelming
sense of pride in the Jersey breed
organization, its leaders, and in
what the Jersey cow has come to
mean to dairymen across the
nation.
“As stress has started to affect
the dairy industry,” the AJCC
President, Charles McGinnis
stated, “the prices of our cattle are
affected less than any other
breed.” ( v
Remarking about the success of ■
the American Jersey Cattle Club in -
the past ten years, McGinnis
stated, “Ithas been a team effort,”
as he continued to complement the
past leadership, the dedicated
staff, and a membership who has
accepted advice and yet
challenged opinions towards even
higher goals. With this type of
support, McGinnis continued to
explain, the Jersey breed has
become progressive, innovative,
and competitive. He also stated
that, “no other breed organization
has such a large percentage of its
membership so knowledgeable and
involved in milk marketing,” and
proudly added that more and more
leadership positions throughout
the states are being filled by
Jersey breeders, “far from normal
according to our numbers.”
(Turn to Page A2O)
Lancaster crowns
dairy princess
Boni Gochenaur, 17-year
old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Gochenaur, 419 Penn
Grant Road, is the new
Lancaster County Dairy
Princess. Her story is on
Page 814 with much more
dairy royalty scattered
throughout that section.