Milton Brubaker: 40 years of service to the Ayrshire cow
BY MARTHA J. GEHRINGER
LITTTZ To many, Milton
Brubaker’s name is synonymous
with Pennsylvania Ayrshires.
He has worked with the Ayrshire
cow since 1934 and has been active
in the association since 1944. He has
served the state and southeast
associations in every office.
Currently Brubaker is secretary
treasurer of the state association.
Brubaker started in the dairy
and retail milk business in 1932 by
making home deliveries with milk
from Ids herd. This was a common
marketing approach and the field
was filled with strong competition
Brubaker noted.
This competition spurred him to
seek a registered breed of cows
that would increase his test and
provide him with a more
marketable product.
At that time northern Lancaster
County was not strong in either the
Jersey or Guernsey breed, leaving
him a choice of Ayrshires or Brown
Swiss. His choice of the Ayrshire
cow came after viewing the breeds
at the Farm Show in 1934. He liked
the beauty and style of the Ayr
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shires and the association provided
more information and assistance
in locating cows, Brubaker noted.
Ayrshire milk with its cream
advantage also provided Brubaker
with some outstanding selling
points. “Look at our creamline,”
he would tell potential customers.
This milk was also scientifically
proven to be a soft curd milk with
small fat globules. “It was the best
milk for babies, invalids and
anyone with digestive problems,”
Brubaker said.
“We never had any outstanding
production records but we always
kept the housewife supplied,” he
proudly- reflected. “In fact, many
of my customers preferred Ayr
shire milk and could detect dif
ferences when other milk was
served,” he added. “Sometimes
when away from home, the
children would tell their mothers,
‘This milk isn’t as good as at
home,' ” Brubaker remembers
with a smile.
Brubaker’s family has been in
the dairy business since 1873. His
father pioneered the retail milk
business for Brubaker when glass
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milk bottles became common in
1905. In 1922 however, he sold out.
Brubaker’s re-entry into the dairy
business lasted until 1979 when he
too dispersed his herd.
“No young folks were interested
in continuing and my wife and I
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decided to slow down somewhat,”
Brubaker said.
However, instead of slowing
down he merely shifted gears and
became more active'in church and
community affairs. He has been a
4-H leader for 32 years and is ac
tive on the dairy promotion
committee.
“I believe in the 4-H clubs. Its
one of the best things for
developing farm youths,”
Brubaker noted. His son Jim went
through the 4-H program and
showed the grand champion 4-H
Ayrshire in his first year.
His activities with the
association have also escalated
since his “retirement.”
He was instrumental in
establishing the Spring Calf and
Heifer Sale and the Ayrshire calf
award program, which annually
awards a calf to an outstanding
FFA youth.
The Pennsylvania young sire
committe has also benefitted from
his input. This is one program that
he is particularly pleased with.
“This is one thing that will help
the breed and prove more bulls.
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This program has gained
cooperation from all breeders
across Pennsylvania and will help
get proofs in record time,”
Brubaker said.
The committee is sending their
seventh young sire into sampling
and has received a plus proof on
the first sire produced in this
program Brubaker explained.
He has also managed con
signment sales on the state and
private levels. He served as Sales
Manager for the Pennsylvania
Ayrshire Association, the SE
Ayrshire Club and the Central
Ayrshire Club until his resignation
from this post in 1983.
An enthusiastic breeder for
many years and a lifelong .sup
porter of the Ayrshire cow,
Brubaker use every opportunity to
promote his favorite bovine
species.
He is optimistic about the
Ayrshire’s future as he sees an
increased interest in the breed
from new sources. Brubaker
credits this interest to the cow’s
efficiency in converting feed to
milk. Also top animals can pur
chased at reasonable prices.
Brubakers promotional efforts
can be seen on his farm which he
presently rents to Stanley Miller
and his mixed herd of Guernseys
and Ayrshires. Miller is in the
process of acquiring Ayrshires as
fast as possible.
The most recent activity which
has dominated Brubakers time has
been the planning of the National
•Convention which will take place
next week, April 22 to 25.
“Everybody in Pennsylvania is
cooperating and every committee
is working on schedule,” Brubaker
reported.
At week’s end registrations from
more than 400 breeders and
agribusiness people had come in
from across the country and
Canada, well exceeding the an
ticipated turnout.
As Brubaker noted, “Everybody
wants to come and see what we
have in Pennsylvania.”
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