DlO—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, September 10,1983
Small is 240 milking string
CHINO VALLEY, Cal. - In the
Chino Valley, Walt and Bill
Lekkerkerker, owners of Lekker
Holsteins are somewhat unusual.
For one thing, their herd is small -
it numbers just 290 cows with 240
milking. For another thing, the
cows are milked in a barn with
pipeline milkers, and for another
their raise their own herd
replacements.
Bill Lekkerkerker explained that
the family decided to have fewer
numbers and keep the quality of
their herd high. Indeed, in 1980 this
herd had the highest production in
the nation. In 1982 their record on
three times a day milking was
24,424 pounds of milk and 902
pounds of fat for 285 cows. The
milking herd of 235 cows averaged
27,404 pounds of milk and 1,012
pounds of fat.
The three times a day milking
began three years ago and
Lekkerkerker says, “The first
year we got a great response from
everybody. Now it is hander to
keep the body weight and harder to
maintain the production.”
Cows are fed in production
groups, with three high groups,
two middle groups and one low.
Concentrates are fed in the bam
three times daily and alfalfa hay is
feed outside five times daily.
Lekker Holsteins employes a
professional nutritionist, who
analyzes hay before it is pur
chased, and buys it only if it meets
herd requirements.
Cows are milked in an 80-cow,
Take Delivery NOW!
MARLIN W. SCHREFFLER CLAIR J. MYERS ARNETTS GARAGE
Main Rd., Pitman, PA Lake Road R 1 Rt. 9 Box 125
717-648-1120 Thomasville, PA Hagerstown, MO
717-259-0453 301-733-0515
BENNETT
MACHINE CO.
1601 S. Dupont Blvd
Milford, DE
302-422-4837
GEO. W. KINSMAN, INC.
516 Main Street
Honesdale, PA
717-253-3440
face-out flat barn with a two-inch
high-line milking system.
lekkerkerker says they have a
lot of embryo transplant work
done, flushing their own cows and
maintaining their own herd of
recipients.
Calf raising is done by Mrs. Walt
Lekkerkerker who sees that they
get colostrum within the first half
hour. They are then fed for 14 days
by bottle. Fresh grain is offered
twice daily along with fresh water.
Mrs. Lekkerkerker said the grain
troughs are cleaned regularly. It is
in this calf bam, where calves are
housed in individual pens, that a
“Drink Milk” sign is prominently
displayed, evidence of their
recognition for the need to ad
vertise.
The younger Lekkerkerker
observed that cows were dying in
the unusual humidity, though he
said, “We haven’t lost any yet.” He
added that the usual weather
consists of very high tem
peratures, but with dry heat and a
breeze, “Cows are really under
stress.”
A more traditional dairy by
Chino Valley Standards is Bos
Dairy at Mira Loma, owned and
operated by Tony Bos. The prefix
Bossir is well known in dairy
circles, and Bos has about 190
registered animals in his herd of
700 cows. A colorful brochure
advertises some of the top animals
in the herd.
The 590 milking animals are
milked three times daily in a fully
HILLER EMPMEHT CO.
Bechtelsville, PA 225 York Rd.
215-845-2911
717-249-5338
All Hay and Forage Equipment Has Interest Free Waiver Until April 1. 1984
Skid Steer Loaders and Mix-Alls Have Interest Free Waiver Until Pec. 10, 1983
automated double-10 herringbone
“pregnant” parlor. There is a 50
cow string of registered cows
milked in a flat bam. Bossir
Holsteins boasts 16 bulls in studs
across the country.
The 1982 production was 21,412
pounds of milk and 759 pounds of
fat for 650 cows. The milking herd
averaged 550 cows with 25,235
pounds of milk and 894 pounds of
fat.
Nutritionist Howard Heilman is
employed by Bos Dairy to ensure
that the feeding program is ef
fecting good production. Heilman
called the alfalfa grown locally
“the most outstanding hay in the
country because of the good drying
conditions.” It has 20-21 percent
protein and 18.5 -19 percent fiber
level. Hay is purcahsed mostly in
the springtime at an average price
of $125 - $132 per ton. Heilman
noted, “We make a special effort to
buy really good hay.”
Heilman pointed out that Bos is
“one of the few farmers in the area
who farms.” Bos raises Sudan and
barley on the acreage adjoining his
dairy.
Excelsior Dairy is not only a
commercial dairy, but it is also a
bull stud. Excelsior Breeders,
which served as one of the hosts of
the National Association of
Animals Breeders’ convention
with Carnation Genetics. Excelsior
Breeders has 8-10 proven sires and
about 15 young bulls in their
sampling program. It is the home
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PAUL W. HiSTAND CO., INC.
697 N. Main St.
Doyiestown, PA
215-248-9041
A.LHERR&BRO.
Quarryville, PA
717-786-3521
S. JOHNSON HURFF
Pole Tavern
Monroeville, NJ
609-358-2565 or
609-769-2565
LEBANON VALLEY
IMPLEMENT C 0 INC.
Richland, PA
717-866-7518
UMBEROER'S MILL
Rt. 4 Lebanon, PA
(Fontana)
717-867-5161
ECKROTH BROS.
FARM EQUIPMENT
RT 2 Box 24A
New Ringgold, PA 17960
717-943-2367
R.E. SMELTZER
EQUIPMENT CO.
RD 2, Box 2
Centre Hall, PA 16828
814-364-1419
BINKLEY & HURST BROS. ALLIS HOLLOW EQUIPMENT SALES INC
133 Rothsville Hwy. 467, Rt. 1 RT j g ox 619
Ration Road Rome PA 18837 stoneboro, PA 16153
LtotZiPA 717-247-2601 412-376-3390
717-626-4705 412-376-3740
Lekker Holsteins is different from most operations in the
Chino Valley in that the owners Walt and Bill Lekkerkerker
have chosen to remain small with top quality. “Small" means
that they milk just 235 cows, and the quality means that they
were the top producing herd in the country in 1980. That was
when they began three times a day milking. Lekkerkerker
says it is difficult to maintain that high production. Their dairy
is also one of the few that milks the cows in a face-out, 80-cow
flat barn with a pipeline milking system.
WERTZ GARAGE STAUFFER BROS. INC.
Lineboro, MD Chambersburg, PA
301-374-2672 717-263-8424
I
WEB SNYDER, INC.
RD#l
Watsontown, PA
717-538-5555
INCH EQUIPMENT CO.
Dalmatia, PA
717-758-3021
PEOPLE’S
SALES & SERVICE
Oakland Mills, PA
717-463-2735