*2B—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, August 11,1984
Young Ayrshire breeder looks to future with herd
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BY BARBARA RADER
Staff Correspondent
LIGONIER Lewis K. Thomas,
a 26-year-old bachelor, doesn’t
really know why he started with
Ayrshires but is certainly en
thusiastic about his choice. “I
guess I just liked the looks of them,
and they’re something different,”
he explained.
Graduating from Ligonier
Valley High School in 1975, Lewis
chose not to follow his father’s
footsteps in contracting but to take
a stab at farming - dairy at that.
Attending the Ponfeigh Farm
Dispersal in Somerset County, he
purchased two senior heifer calves
which began the introduction of
Ayrhires in a predominate
Holstein county.
Wanting to add another open
heifer, Lewis traveled to Indiana
County to purchase an Ayrshire
from Gary Kwisneck. In the spring
of 1977, when all three of his heifers
freshened, he again had to make
another decision - should he stick
to heifers or launch into a milking
herd? He chose the latter.
Traveling to Carlisle to the
Firecracker Sale, Lewis pur
chased two bred heifers and later
six bred heifers at the Keystone
Classic Sale in Harrisburg. Having
support from his parents, George
and Anna, he began fanning the 70
acres at home and rented a barn
with 14 stanchions where he milked
his 11 orginal cows. Shipping milk
in September 1977 was only the
beginning, for in 1979 Lewis said,
“I was milking 24 Ayrshires here
and was out of room.”
Lewis’ parents, seeing then
son’s interest and the progress he
had made, sought help from the
Westmoreland County Extension
—.. ,ed by his
farm crew, from left, Ted Berkey, Scott Matson and Dale
Shawley.
With room to house 50 cows, Lewis Thomas' newly built
barn provides plenty of comfort.
Agent in seeking an economical
dairy barn and milking facilities.
After traveling to several dairy
farms within the county, Lewis, his
dad and the Clay dealer sat down
and drew up plans and came up
with a set up which Lewis’ dad
built. (There is an advantage to
having a dad as a contractor,
Lewis confided).
Of the bam, Lewis said, “It is not
a fancy bam - built for a nice set up
with the cheapest route without
cutting comers.”
The finished bam measures 44
by 120 feet, containing 50 free stalls
and a double-three Clay milking
parlor with a Delaval milking
system. Construction of the bam
began in 1980, and the herd was
moved to its new and permanent
home in October of that year. Now,
just four years later, the herd
totals 51, with 37 milking cows.
The morning milking is done by
Lewis, while one boy helps him
with the evening milking. He
employs three boys as his farm
crew and adds, “they’re really
good help.” Although not on test
now, the herd had a rolling herd
average of 11,000 pounds a year
ago. Due to difficulties in not
having a standard tester, Lewis
dropped the program but hopes to
be able to pick it up again in the
near future.
Besides the acreage at the home
farm, Lewis now rents another 100
acres for hay and pasture. He
helps a neighbor with spring
planting and for his work is given
enough ear com to feed his dry
cows and fields to make hay. He
buys from the local Agway a 16
percent ration pellet feed and milk
replacer which is fed to the calves
for six to 10 weeks, depending on
From the H-Bunk constructed in the center of his barn, Lewis Thomas looks over his
herd of Ayrshires.
the growth of each individual calf.
Lewis pastures his cows during
the night throughout the summer
months. During the winter, the
choice is up to the cows unless it is
too cold or if weather conditions
are not up-to-par. Sawdust is the
only means of bedding in the free
stalls, and the cows seem to keep
relatively clean with the
arrangement, Lewis said.
Housing all the dry cows at an
additional farm, with some at
another farm, leaves Lewis with
only the milking cows at home. A
contract agreement was
established with Ed Johnston, who
purchases the calves at two to
three months of age, raises them
until one month to six weeks before
freshening and then sells them
back to Lewis. All registration
papers are retained by Lewis.
All the Ayrshires are registered,
and Atlantic technicians do the
(Turn to Page A 29)
Pa. Ayrshire Breeders
hold annual field day
BY BARBARA RADER
Staff Correspondent
LIGONIER Just outside of
Ligonier, nestled in a quiet valley,
was the site of the Pa. Ayrshire
Field Day hosted by Lewis Thomas
and his parents, George and Anna
Thomas, on the Valley Furnace
Farm July 28.
A 26-year-old dairyman, Thomas
introduced Ayrshires on the
nondairy farm in 1975 and added
more to start shipping milk in 1977.
Now, eight years later, the
showcase farm provided an at
tractive setting for the breeders
who traveled across the state to
attend the Field Day.
Lewis said he had been ap
proached two years ago to host the
event, but decided to wait until he
was more adjusted to his new
facilities and until his herd was
more established, thus assuring a
worthwhile trip for the eastern
breeders.
Westmoreland County Extension
Agent Bill Kelly served as master
of ceremonies and stressed the
high accomplishments and
capabilities of the young Thomas,
who introduced a colored breed to
tthe area.
Indiana County Extension Agent
Eugene Schurman presented a
morning program on “Milking
Equipment Analysis,” explaining
that the milking equipment, from
the milker itself to the components
in the milk house, is most im
portant on the dairy farm but is
sometimes taken for granted. A
tour was then conducted
throughout the facilities con
structed by George Thomas, a
contractor, with the help of the
county agent.
The afternoon speaker was
Harry Roth from Atlantic
„ung dairy;. .. ~ ugo.
parents, Anna and George Thomas, for their hand in helping
him establish his farm.
Breeder’s Cooperative, Lancaster, progress of the Ayrshire bulls and
who gave an update on the Ayr- the breed,
shire Young Sire Program. Roth JNational area field represen
also briefed the group on the * (Turn to Page A 29)
Pa. Ayrshire Production Award winners attending the
annual Ayrshire Field Day are, from left, George Seidel Sr.,
Harold and Susan Kulp and Charles Gable.