Maryland Youth Named National Finalist
BY SHARON B. SCHUSTER
Maryland Correspondent
FULTON, Md. - Mike lager is
one young man that the dairy
community is talking about.
The University of Maryland
freshman has beat selected as a
semi-finalist in the Holstein
Association’s National
Distinguished Junior Member
Awards competition. “I feel lucky
to be in the top twelve,” he said.
“It was a goal that I set when I
went to the Holstein convention. ”
At 19, lager typifies what the
dairy industry works so diligently
to promote. Wholesome, healthy
and active in all aspects of his
family’s fourth generation Maple
Lawn Farm, lager stands head
and shoulders above the rest. And,
he drinks lots of milk. “I guess
that’s why I’m so big and tall,” he
said.
Last year he was awarded with
life membership in the Dairy
Shrine for “cooperating to bring
dignity to the dairy industry. ”
A few minutes spent with lager
and it becomes evident that
dairying “runs in his blood.” Even
with his busy schedule at the
University, and attending nine
shows every year, he finds time to
Mike lager of Fulton, Md., has been named as a semi
finalist in the Holstein Association’s National Distinguished
Junior Member Awards competition. He poses here with
some of the numerous awards he has accumulated in his 4-H
and showing career.
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One of lager's responsibilities on the farm is the com
puterized feeder. He also handles the milking duties, the
show string, crop management, and aids his father in other
management decisions.
care for 44 cattle of his own. “Over
the years, I’ve owned 71,” he said.
“My best so far,” is how lager
describes his 3-year-old Holstein,
Maple Lawn Sexation Pinky, who
is classified EX-91. The computer
readout on “Pinky” shows that in
her current incomplete lactation,
in 290 days, she produced 21,220
pounds of milk and 1064 pounds of
fat.
“In' about two years I’d like to
ET her,” said lager in explaining
his goals for “Pinky.” “She has a
high percent of butterfat (4.9
percent) and she’s got a good
pedigree.” lager also hopes to
export her sons because of her high
butterfat test.
With regard to breeding
preferences, lager said he breeds
half of his heifers naturally, and he
uses AI for the rest. For type he
expressed a preference for
Sexation and Warden; for a
combination of productivity and
type he uses Ned Boy and Chair
man. Presently Pinky is “safe to
Melvin.”
lager’s awards are numerous.
It’s difficult to say whether there
are more little silver cow on top of
trophies in the house, or actual
cows in the bam lot. Plaques hang
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just inches apart on every wall in
the lager home and office.
Trophies are lined up like the show
string on every available shelf, in
the china closets, and ribbons
stream from the mantel of the
fireplace.
It’s obvious that lager is going
places, and he has already been
places.
He traveled to Louisville where
he placed first in the National
Junior Dairy Show, and second in
the Open Class. lager was also the
recipient of a High Honorable
Mention Junior All-American
award. The Maryland 4-H All-Star
went to Chicago, record book in
hand, and was selected as a
regional winner in dairy.
In 1982, as part of the Maryland
State judging team, he traveled to
Louisville where he was the
seventh High Individual. The next
year he went to Harrisburg where
he was second High Individual and
first in the Reasons competition,
lager also went to Madison, Wis.,
where he placed as seventh High
Individual.
The tanbark trail is another area
of noted accomplishments for
lager. In 1984 he showed the
Supreme Champion Holstein at the
Maryland 4-H Fair, and the
Reserve Grand Champion at the
1985 Maryland Holstein Show.
He was a Gold Award winner at
the Eastern States Exposition in
Massachusetts, and an FFA State
Star Farmer. And, he has even
walked a cow across the stage of
the Grand 01’Opry.
lager said his favorite activities
are showing and classifying. He
coaches judging teams, and said
that in his record book he tried to
convey the impact that 4-H had
upon his life. This impact is the
reason why he feels compelled to
return something to other 4-H’ers.
“Most of my coaching comes from
my parents,” he added.
Charles and Judy lager have
raised their three sons, Mike,
Matt, 14, and Marie, 10, with far
ming as a way of life.
This way of life, including the
Holstein cow, is evident in all
aspects of their home. The lagers’
house is black and white, and the
car bears the license plate
“COWS.” Within their home is an
impressive array of dairy
collectibles and paintings which
they purchased at National
Holstein Conventions. “We try to
buy one each year,” Judy lager
said.
One painting in particular,
“Generations,” she singled out as
representative of Mike and his
father. It depicts a father and son
in the barn with a Holstein and her
newborn calf.
Starting out at an early age, each
son was responsible for some
aspect of the lagers’ impressive
operation. The younger boys help
their mother with the care of the
calves. “That’s where he got
started,” said Charles lager of his
oldest son. “Then he got
promoted.” But, even with his
increased responsibilities, Mike is
quick to say, “That’s the most
important job giving the calves
a good start.”
Now he milks 175 cows regularly,
and is in charge of the show string.
Last year he made 25,000 bales of
hay and 35,000 bales of straw. On
the 1,100 acres in production at
Maple Lawn Farm, he planted 200
acres of soybeans, disced 300 acres
(three times), and rolled alfalfa
haylage. But, that’s not where his
involvement ends.
His father has entrusted him
with management decisions. Mike
helped his father weigh the pros
and cons of various methods of
storing their alfalfa haylage.
They decided to use 100 foot
tubes that encase two sets of six
rolls of haylage end to end. “We
considered putting in a trench,”
said Mike, “but went with bags."
“My best so far." is how lager describes his 3-year-old
Holstein, Maple Lawn Sexation Pinky. She is classified EX-91
and is working on a plus 22,000 pound record with a 4.9
percent test.
lager is involved in all phases of the farm operation from
milking to field work to preparing their turkeys for market.
The lagers annually market I,ooo's of turkeys.
The two agreed that the “sausage
tubes” preserve better quality, are
easier to handle, and are faster.
The lagers also use a com
puterized feeder. For over two
years, Mike has been working with
his uncle on this project. With the
punch of a button he can call up
numbers that tell how much feed
each cow has eaten, her ration, and
whether there are any signs of
irregularities within the herd.
As an Agriculture Production
major, lager has been able to pick
up many new ideas for use on his
home farm. He also keeps on top of
the industry through the Brock
Report and the Wall Street
Journal. Maple Lawn ad
vertisements that appear in the
Southeastern and Holstein World
were designed by lager.
Last, but definitely not least, he
manages part of the turkey
operation that his great
grandfather established when he
was Mike’s age. A full-scale
operation, the lagers raise
thousands of turkeys which are
available fresh for Thanksgiving
and Christmas and sold throughout
the entire year.
The multi-talented lager said his
major goal is “to win in the
national judging contest.” Listing
his hobbies as dairy judging, dairy
bowl, and showing cattle, it sounds
as though he is headed for another
win.
He’s a determined young man
who knows cattle and is a fine
representative of the dairy com
munity. Despite all the glitter and
glamour of the many awards and
recognition, lager’s feet seem
firmly planted in Maple Lawn soil.
“After I graduate,” he said, “I
want to come back here and take
over Dad’s position.” And with
that came a definite nod of ap
proval from his proud father.
Editors Note; Mike lager will be
traveling to the National Holstein
Convention in Wisconsin next week
where six of the twelve state junior
winners will selected.
The annual competition
recognizes Juniors who have
distinguished themselves in
leadership positions with Holstein
organizations. The juniors are
selected on the basis of outstanding
contributions to the dairy industry
and scholastic excellence u>
preparation of life goals.