Cited for good business , management
Walter Wurster a city boy who wanted a dairy farm
OTTSVILLE - Growing up in
south Philadelphia, Walter B.
Wurster, Jr., of Ottsville, Rl, had a
goal in life that differed drastically
from other boys on his block. He
didn’t want to be a policeman or
fireman, but a dairy farmer.
The son of a candy maker,
Wurster, through schooling, ex
perience and unendmg desire to
achieve his goal, has not only
become a dairy farmer, but one of
the best in the state.
Today, his 60 Holstein cows
produce more than a half-million
quarts of milk annually and his
farm crops that provide feed for
these cows and herd replacements
yield well over the statewide
average.
“Needless to say, my ambition to
become a dairy farmer gave my
high school guidance counselors
fits. They wanted me to gear my ag
interests into other fields,” the new
Master Farmer said. “My parents
never pressured me into becoming
a candy maker, they were behind
my goal 100 percent.”
Following graduation from high
school, he enrolled at Penn State
with a major in dairy science. His
biggest handicap, however, was
the lack of farming experience.
Although unknown at the time, his
break came when he met his future
wife Nancy in a college chemistry
class.
“Her father ran a small dairy
farm in Bucks County and I spent
two summers there learning
farming from scratch,” he said.
“In the beginning Nancy could
plow better than me, but through
patient guidance, I learned how to
operate all farm machinery and
milk the cows.”
After college, Wurster sought
additional experience by working
BERLIN - Lewis Berkley, of
Berlin R 3, finds that it is much
easier and more profitable to feed
and milk only those cows that have
the genetic ability to be high milk
producers.
“Ten years ago, we had a grade
herd that was averaging 15,747
pounds of milk per cow annually,”
he said. “Our first instinct was to
bring m more cows so we could sell
more milk. But, instead, we
decided to sell all low-producing
cows and replace them with
animals that had the potential to
produce significantly more milk
than their predecessors.”
Today, his 60-cow herd annually
produces more than a half-million
quarts of milk. Through careful
buying and proper feeding
techniques, herd production has
improved by 25 percent since 1974
and with the same number of cows.
The 52-year-old dairyman grew
up on one of the farms he now
owns. Following graduation from
Berlm-Br others valley High
School, he enrolled at Juniata
College. He then transferred to
Penn State and majored in animal
husbandry. Schooling was in
terrupted by service in the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers. He then
returned to the family farm and
.worked in a partnership
agreement with his father until
1962 when he purchased the farms.
“My wife Barbara and I work at
the business together. She has as
much input as I do. We talk cattle,
we live cattle,” the new Master
Farmer emphasized.
More Master Farmer Stories on A 26
as a herdsman in Fayette and
Delaware counties. He and his wife
then had the opportunity to rent
her father’s farm. This provided
additional knowledge of farm
management without investing too
much capital.
In 1960, with very little money,
he purchased his present Bucks
County farm by having the owner
carry over part of the debt load. He
bought his dairy cattle from his
father-in-law for $3OO per head.
Through a Farmers Home Ad
ministrtion loan, he was able to
double his herd to 40 cows.
“If being in debt wasn’t enough,
we suffered through a drought for
the next five years and were forced
to buy feed for the cattle,” the
Master Farmer said. “At the same
time we were having trouble
finding a milk market with an
established base price. We got out
of this bind when a dairyman who
was selling out agreed to sell us his
base.”
Throughout the early years, the
herd’s milk production average
held steady at 13,000 pounds, then
quickly jumped to 16,000 pounds in
1971 when Wurster built a con
ventional tie-stall barn. He also
added a new milkhouse and silo
and expanded the herd to 60 cows.
Today, through improved
feeding management, his 60 cows
average 19,900 pounds of milk and
716 pounds of butterfat. Herd
replacements are raised on the
farm.
Acreage on Holly Hill Farm
totals 132. An additional 157 acres
are rented. Crops include 72 acres
of hay, 53 acres of com for silage,
27 acres of wheat, 42 acres of
shelled com, and another 28 acres
of soybeans and grass silage.
Shelled com yields 106 bushels per
acre, com silage averages 15 tons
Lewis Berkley , dairyman, follows
When the Berkleys made the
commitment to dramatically
improve the herd’s milk produc
tion, they kept 16 of their highest
producing cows and sold the rest.
They continued a thorough search
of pedigrees in order to find the
cow families that could provide the
genetic base to improve produc
tion, not only at the present time,
but throughout future generations
of animals.
“I generally study 12 to 15 in
dividual cows in depth before I
decide to get into a particular cow
family. If you want to make
genetic progress, you’ve also got to
take chances. In other words, you
have to get the odds in your favor
by using particular cow pedigrees
that have the potential to transmit
production and longevity,”
Berkley said.
Berkley not only raises cattle for
his herd, he uses his expertise in
selling high-producing cows. “The
export demand is for high
producers, so you must raise high
testing animals. It all gets back to
merchandising. The farmer must
raise the kind of cow that sells,” he
pointed out.
One of his heifers topped the 1984
Somerset County Fall Classic Sale
with a price of $5,300. At the same
time, they bought a calf, the
daughter of a 32,000-pound
producer.
“Building a strong genetic base,
however, isn't allthere is to
maintaining a high-producing
herd. You also must feed to the
genetic potential,” he said.
His feeding program centers on
alfalfa haylage, high-moisture
shelled corn, hay and soybeans, as
well as minerals. He feeds twice a
r ■ __
Walter Wurster of Ottsville R 1 was a city boy who grew up to follow
a dairy farmer.
per acre, and grass silage 10 tons
per acre. These yields are grown
on class 4 and 5 soils.
Since 1983, the farm has been in
partnership with Wurster’s oldest
son David a Penn State
agricultural economics graduate.
David is in charge of herdsman
duties and computerization.
“We have all our herd’s breeding
and health records and feed charts
on computer. Also, there is prin
tout capacity for the health
records,” the Master Farmer said.
The partnership is set up with
DavjH ownina ana-third interest in
aay in tne stanchion and trys to get
the cows to eat 50 to 55 pounds of
dry matter daily.
“We test all of our feeds and
work with a nutritionist to get a
balanced ration suitable for high
production. The main thing is
intake. You must have palatable
feed to start with. You have to
avoid overfeeding, yet feed all
they’ll eat,” he emphasized.
In addition to the 60 milk cows,
the Berkleys farm 850 acres. This
includes 360 acres of cropland, 170
acres of pasture, and 220 acres of
woodland.
Crops include 60 acres of alfalfa,
40 acres of clover, 40 acres of
mixed hay, 75 acres of shelled
corn, 30 acres of corn silage, 50
acres of soybeans and 65 acres of
oats.
“Lewis Berkley is interested in
improving agricultural programs
and educational services that help
farmers to improve income,” said
James Bochy, Somerset County
Extension director. Berkley is on
the executive committee of the
County Extension Association and
was president and state director of
the Dairy Herd Improvement
Association.”
He also is a member of the
Somerset County Farmers’
Association, Pennsylvania and
National Holstein Associations,
ir0.0.F., and Berlin Young
Farmers’ Association.
He currently serves as president
of the Berlin-Brothersvalley school
board.
He was recipient of the Out
standing Young Farmer Award
and the Pennsylvania Young
Farmers’ Community Service
Award.
the cattle and Walter the other two
thirds. The partnership rents its
real estate from the Master
Farmer and his wife. Walter is in
charge of maintenance,
bookkeeping, labor management
and crop decisions.
For the last 15 years, Wurster
served on the Pennridge District
school board. He’s been a director
of the Pennsylvania Holstein
Association for five years.
Richard Bailey, Bucks County
Extension director, pointed out
that the Master Farmer is ex
tremely interested in helping other
\genetic 9 principles
M
# >. y*r.
Lewis Berkley of Berlin R 3, Somerset County dairy far
mer, concentrates on the genetic ability of his cows to be high
milk producers.
earn of becoming
students gain experience in
agriculture. He serves as an
organizational and project leader
for his local 4-H club and regularly
takes agricultural students from
nearby Delaware Valley College
for summer and weekend help.
Wurster also is a member of the
Pennsylvania Farmers’
Association, Plumsteadville
Grange, Bucks County Dairy Herd
Improvement Association and St.
Luke’s Lutheran Church.
He was named an Outstanding
Young Farmer in 1967 by the
Pennridge Jaycees.
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