A3O-Umcast*r Farming, Saturday, September 13,1986
BY BARBARA MILLER
Lycoming Co. Correspondent
ROARING BRANCH - Main
taining a high butterfat level with a
large herd is a difficult feat, but
one that Marshall Brothers of
Roaring Branch have achieved for
a number of years.
The butterfat level of the Mar
shall’s herd of 189 Holsteins
perennially ranks as one of the
highest in Lycoming County. Their
main herd of 123 cows maintains a
rolling herd average of 17,611
pounds of milk and 743 pounds of
fat with a 4.2 test. A second herd of
66 cows averages a 3.8 percent fat
test.
Brothers Clyde and Elwin
Marshall and Clyde’s son, Steve,
form a three-way partnership.
Genetics, according to the Mar
shalls, contributes greatly to their
high fat percentage.
“As long as I remember we’ve
had cows that would test well,”
says Steve who left college to
return to the farm. “We’ve never
used a lot of bulls that are minus
test. We’ve always been real
conscious of it.”
Clyde notes that Steve does most
of the breeding and hopes to have a
top breeding herd someday.
When James Marshall, Clyde
and Elwin’s grandfather, bought
Raymond Livermore, the mechanic on the farm, keeps
everything running, according to Clyde Marshall. Here he
sharpens mower knives in preparation for the next day’s
mowing.
The Marshall Brothers farm is located near Roaring Branch in Lycoming County They Marshalls raise all their feed with the exception of proteins
farm 765 acres and raise almost 400 head of cattle. and minerals - Steve takes a break from cutting haylage to
discuss plans with his father, Clyde.
Marshall Brothers Keep Fat Level Rising
the farm in 1903 it contained 100
acres. Through the years ad
ditional land was purchased;
today, with rented acreage, the
Marshalls farm 765 acres to
support almost 400 head of cattle.
They’ve been on test since 1972,
Steve says, and have always tested
at a 3.8 percent fat level and above.
“We use all the tools available in
selecting bulls,” Steve adds.
In an effort to breed cattle that
are merchandiseable and to im
prove their milk, Steve says, they
select bulls out of the top of the TPI
list with strong fat and protein
tests.
Cow families with impressive
records dot Steve’s conversation.
He alludes first to their Olive cow
family. Marshalea Kate Olive 2E
GMD has produced a lifetime
record of 200,000 pounds of milk
and 10,000 pounds of 5.0 percent
fat. Her daughter, Ollie, VG-86 has
over 100,000 pounds of milk to date
with a lifetime 5.0 percent test.
Ollie has a Kingpin daughter 3
years of age, GP-83, with a 4.7
lifetime test.
Another outstanding cow family
of the Marshalls’ is the Hope cow
family. Marshalea Kate Hope has
produced 200,000 pounds of milk in
11 years. Hope’s daughter, VG-86,
produced 27,000 pounds of milk and
1,400 pounds of fat in her highest
lactation. Another daughter
ranked second or third in the
nation for fat in DHIR, according
to Steve. An additional daughter of
Hope’s by Sexation scored VG-86
and produced over the 4.5 fat level.
At 18 years, Marshalea Perseus
Belle, the Marshall’s oldest cow is
EX-2E and has produced 150,000
pounds of milk to date, however,
she started on the testing program
as a 10 year old. Belle has a
granddaughter who went Ex
cellent and made 1,000 pounds of
fat as a two year old. Some of
Belle’s sons have gone to bull
studs.
And as a former 4-Her Steve
recalls with pride that out of
Marshalea Kate Rachel, a cow
given to him for his ninth birthday,
came a daughter that won the 1974
Reserve Junior All-Pennsylvania.
The Marshalls raise the majority
of their registered heifers.
Presently, Clyde says, they have a
total of 200 replacement stock. Two
large heifer barns at the main
farm with loose housing for 50 and
75 to 80 head accommodate heifers.
Calves are tied outside.
Concerning the Marshalls’
feeding regimen, Steve observes,
“I don’t think we feed any dif
ferent, but how we feed may be
different.”
Grain is fed three times a day,
Steve notes, and they see that the
cows get plenty of fiber.
According to Clyde, this time of
year they feed high-moisture corn,
silage and hay. During the winter
the cows receive haylage. The
cattle are turned out to pasture at
night with the low producers
turned back to pasture for a couple
hours in the morning.
When you’re feeding almost 400
head of cattle, it takes a lot of feed.
Except for protein and minerals
the Marshalls grow all their own
feed. This year they planted 375
acres of corn with an additional 350
acres in alfalfa hay. Forty acres
are direct seeded.
The Marshalls fill a 100-by-30
foot trench silo with haylage
which, when full, will ac
commodate 100 acres of hay. An
even larger trench nearby
measuring 130-by-50-by-12 feet
dwarfs a dump truck parked in
side.
The trench takes approximately
three weeks to fill with 100 acres of
com silage, according to Raymond
Livermore, an employee. Two silos
at the main farm are filled with
high moisture corn, while at the
Mars-View Farm two additional
silos are filled with com silage and
high moisture corn.
Clyde stresses that their is
“truly a family farm.” Although
Steve does most of the breeding, he
says, they all work together at
whatever needs doing to make the
% I
Clyde Marshall, left, stands with his wife, Jean, daughter,
Pamela Mummert and granddaughter, Lauren.
Don Warren feeds the heifers in the 66 head heifer barn
fami function. Breeding a good cow is one of the
They don t take too many mo st rewarding aspects of farming
shortcuts Clyde says and he to steve wh B ere |s “the most
observes, “You have to have a troublesome is trying to get the
routine ... not this today and that work done when it ' ho^d
tomorrow ... Cows have to come With farms the Marshalls
ahead of you mos days.” employ five full-time helpers.
A go-fetcher is what Clyde , The success of th £ f ..
calls lus wife, Jean. She knows steve reflect „ has
where to get most anything there hard work and ke in at it ...
is, he explains, and sees the bills Persistence, I guess,” hi adds,
get paid.
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