COCHRANVILLE - Chester
County’s shepherds turned out fifty
strong to breakfast cm lamb
sausages and pancakes at the farm
of Warn and Annette Menhennett
near Cochranville and to then tour
the Menhennett flock and three
other sheep operations.
Following • the 8:30 a.m.
breakfast on Saturday, April 13,
the group first heard from Annette
Menhennett on record keeping in a
purebred flock. Sample record
forms were distributed. While
viewing the Menhennett’s flock of
75 Shropshire brood ewes, 30
yearling ewes and 130 lambs, she
explained the Menhennett system
of internal parasite control which
is based on frequent fecal
analyses. Menhennett pointed out
that one must know whether or not
the sheep have Nematodes,
Cestodes, liver flukes or Coc
cidiosis, otherwise much time and
money may be wasted in treating
for the wrong parasite.
Upon leaving the Menhennett
farm, the group traveled in a
caravan of cars to the farm of Bob
Nichols near Nottingham. Nichols
has a flock of 100 white-faced ewes,
mostly F inn-crosses. Since he
operated an evergreen nursery,
one of his prime objectives has
been to find sheep that will eat the
grass and weeds between the trees
and not browse on the branches.
Nichols lambs in May and has
attempted successfully to adopt a
total forage program wherein he
buys very little feed. During the
late fall and winter months the
sheep graze on Brassicas. When he
must supplement the outdoor
forages he uses a fish emulsion
Bob Nichols explains his total forage program,
The Wills-Alien flock enters a “bugle"
* t
. * /
Barbara Leis is sui
products.
Chester Co. shepherds flock to 4-farm tour
feed. By adding com to the pelleted
ration he can decrease the protein
content so that he can use the feed
for his ewes as well as his lambs.
He showed the group a plastic
material which can be used for
gates and pen-dividers.
The third stop on the tour was at
the farm of Walter and Barbara
Leis just south of Oxford. Barbara
is a wool-crafter, specializing in
woolen felt products. She displayed
many attractive garments made
from her homemade felt. The
Leis’s flock is primarily Corriedale
and Corriedale crosses. Like other
wool-crafters, Leis prizes the black
or colored sheep in her flock.
To keep their fleeces clean,
Barbara’s prize colored ewes wear
plastic jackets. The Leis’s have
converted a dairy bam into
utilitarian sheep housing. Walter
talked about the problem they had
had with copper toxicity which was
a result of high copper content in
the well water. This problem was
solved by installing a device that
removed the minerals from the
drinking water.
The final visit on the tour was to
the flock of Tim Wills-Allen near
Chadds Ford. Wills-Alien is an
Australian and had much “down
under” knowledge to impart to the
group.
Wills-Alien uses a plastic
greenhouse-like structure to house
part of his flock of 250 Western
type ewes. It cost him $3OOO to
erect the stucture. Around one side
of the greenhouse he has erected a
“bugle sheep handling system”
which is so-called because it is
shaped like a bugle. This system of
chutes and runways permits the
shepherd and his dog to handle
many animals without additional
help. The “bugle” can be used for
sorting and medicating, plus many
other tasks demanded on the sheep
farm.
Part of Wills-AUen’s tour in
cluded a demonstration of- the
Autralian method of shearing.
Wills-AUen then showed the group
his wool press and his pendulum
blade sharpener.
Wills-Alien lambs in early
wm rm
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S.
Department of Agriculture is
proposing to require that in
dividual identification devices
worn by cattle and swine remain
on animals moved interstate, from
point of origin to f mal destination.
“Current regulations require
that the identification remain on
the animals only for the actual
interstate movement,” said Bert
Hawkins, administrator of USDA’s
Animal and Plant Health In
spection Service.
“By requiring that these devices
remain on the animals until they
reach their final destination, we
are increasing our ability to pin
point the source of any disease that
may be detected in the animals
and take quick action to remedy
other problems,” he said.
The devices include eartags,
backtags, brands and tattoos,
which may be used to identify the
herd of origin of the animals.
Movement in interstate com
merce is considered to begin at the
point of origin and includes any
temporary stops, such as those at
stockyards or dealers for feed,
water, rest or sale. The final
destination is usually a
slaughtering establishment or a
farm for breeding.
USDA is also proposing that the ‘
individual identification devices
not be removed or tampered with
Austral
structure
lian
LIVESTOCK
LATEST
r illis-Allen houses part of his flock in this plastic greenhouse-like
January and many of his lambs
are sold to the ethnic trade at
Easter.
The Chester County Sheep and
Wool Growers Association was
organized in May 1984. Mem
bership is open to any person who
is interested in sheep and wool.
Membership dues are $6 per year.
Information on the organization
may be obtained by contacting The
Chester County Cooperative Ex
tension Service, 235 West Market
New ID requirements
proposed for livestock
by any person who ships, tran
sports or othewise causes the
cattle to be moved in interstate
commerce. The devices may be
removed at the time of slaughter
or in specific cases authorized by
USDA’s deputy administrator for
Veterinary Services.
Comments on the proposal are
Beef promotion suffers
setbacks
CREAMERY - Legal action in
two states, California and New
York, have definite implications
for future beef promotion cam
paigns. Early in January the
Supreme Court refused to hear
California beef promotion case,
thus affirming the Court of Ap
peals decision-the assessment on
out-of-state beef packers selling
beef in California is un
constitutional.
California had passed the
promotion assessment in 1982 and
has since collected $2.3 million.
Since July 1983 the funds have been
held in escrow. Now all of the fees
will have to be returned to the out
of-state packers.
In a March 2 statement the New
York State Attorney General’s
office announced it had forced the
Street, West Chester, Pa.
Telephone 215-696-3500.
In addition to a dinner meeting
which is planned for May 9 at the
Marsh Creek Inn north of
Downingtown, the Chester County
sheep producers plan to hold a
wool festival at the Unionville
Community Fair, October 10, 11,
and 12. Educationally informative
meetings are held throughout the
year.
due June 14 and may be sent to:
Thomas 0. Gessel, APHIS, USDA,
Room 728 Federal Bldg., 6505
Belcrest Rd., Hyattsville, Md.
20782.
Notice of this action is scheduled
for publication in the April 15
Federal Register.
two states
in
Beef Industry Council of the
National Livestock and Meat
Board to discontinue television and
radio commercials, print ad
vertisements and other
promotional materials the At
torney General feels are deceptive
and misleading.
In addition, the Beef Industry
Council has agreed to pay New
York State $25,000 in costs. The
“Beef Gives Strength” com
mercials which began in 1983 will
be discontinued. The Attorney
General says strength and en
durance cannot be attained simply
by eating beef.
This is the fifth time in less than
two years that the New York At
torney General has been repon
sible for significant changes in a
national advensing campaign.