Kiu-umcasm urming, baturnay, June n,
Five-Way Partnership
BY HELEN KELCHNER
Columbia County Correspondent
BLOOMSBURG - Welliver
Brother’s Farms, R.D. #5,
Bloomsburg, is one of the largest
farming operations in Columbia
County. It is a 3,000 acre dairy, hog
and grain operation presently run
by second and third generation
Wellivers..
The family owns 700 acres and
rents an additiona 2,300. Ever
since the original family member,
James R. Welliver, purchased the
farm located on the Light Street-
Fowlersville Road about 65 years
ago, additional land has been
purchased and rented as the
operation grew.
In 1941, James’ three sons, Carl,
Franklin and Harold took over the
farm. Fifteen years ago, Carl sold
his interest. Franklin and Harold
remain active along with
Franklin’s son, Dale, and Harold’s
sons, James and Ted. This five
way partnership works efficiently
with each member having a
specialty, but all joining in when
and where help is needed.
Ted is the equipment expert. He
has a three-ton truck fitted out with
tools to repair and rebuild the
impressive “fleet” of equipment
wherever and whenever the need
arises. Some of the most out
standing mobile equipment in
cludes 15 tractors, three combines,
two 18-wheel tractor trailers, two
10-wheel trucks along with a full
compliment of earth moving
machinery to handle their ex
tensive conservation prbgram.
The stationary machinery is also
under Ted’s care, some of which he
built from scratch. For instance.
Ted Welliver is the equipment repairman. He meets every
emergency by traveling to it with his well-equipped three ton
truck. A great savings is realized by having an on-site
mechanic. One year recently, the yearly repair bill ran
$70,000.
-.<e ciuaiw. , calf hutches. When Well!vers purchased these hutches, they had to
travel outside Pennsylvania. Since that time, limited production of the units has begun within
the state.
the feed grinding room is equipped
with a back-up unit to insure
uninterrupted service if a break
down occurs.
The value of an on-site mechanic
is realized when the Wellivers
eliminated a $70,000 repair bill for
just one 12-month period.
Dale is dairy manager of the 250
head of milk cows and 275 head of
young stock. An additional 20
steers are retamed for personal
use.
Jim is in charge of 100 sows and
about 600 feeder pigs which are fed
to market size and sold to Hatfield
through the Danville Buying
Station.
Marion Zybulski, who will be
married to Jim in August, is herds
person. She, along with Lone Derr
handle the milking.
The elder Wellivers have guided
their sons into responsible
positions where they can now look
toward retirement, or, at least,
easing off the heavy pace that
established the farm.
Harold’s greatest interest lies in
the conservation end of it and
Franklin leans toward the dairy in
which he manages the feeding of
the large herd which is located at
various sites according to age.
The dairy herd is grade
Holstems. After a production drop
several years ago, production is
coming back nicely and at present,
runs about 13,600 pounds of milk
with 3.7 to 3.9 fat test.
A DeLaval computer feeder is
credited with the steady increase
in production and has paid for
itself (twice over) in feed savings.
Although savings in feed may
appear on the surface to be a
Keeps 3,000 Acre Dairy Running
foolish saving, it is set up where
each cow is fed according to her
production. Because Of animal
nature in which the most
aggressive cow “hogs” the most
feed, this does not always result in
the greatest producers. By way of
an identifier on each cow’s collar,
her nutrition is matched to her
output, thus correcting the notion
that a big eater produces the most
milk.
Under this computer feeding
plan, if a cow doesn’t consume her
measured portion each 24 hours,
she has a couple of days to catch up
on the ration programmed for her.
At the end of that time, her
program begins anew and she
again has a couple of days to
complete her nutrition schedule.
But, the important feature is, no
other cow can move in and eat
what is programmed for her. The
identifier on her collar activates
the computerized feeding station to
deliver her portion in as many
trips to the feed box as she
requires. If her programmed
amount is scheduled for four
feedings, she can get that and no
more in a day’s time, but if she
makes less trips to the feeding
station, the uneaten portion carries
over for the extra days, giving her
ample time to consume the full
amount.
With such a large herd, the
computer has a constant check on
each animal affording the herd
sperson and manager time to catch
a problem before it becomes
serious.
An addition to the system is
presently being installed and will
be hooked into the collection
system in the milk parlor. This will
eliminate extensive monitoring by
the programmer on each cow by
being computed instantly upon her
collection.
Ted’s wife, Rhonda, is the
computer expert, an area that has
become a vital tool in efficiency
and economy. Dale is also easing
into this area providing a back-up
operator, and, as herd manager,
can keep a feel on the pulse of the
herd’s activity.
Calves are taken from the cow
upon freshening and moved to a
cluster of 27 hutches. Franklin
says the hutches have reduced the
calf mortality rate considerably by
providing a healthy atmosphere
for acclimating the young stock to
weathering as opposed to the high
population in the maternity barn
which created risky survival rate.
The herd is fed high moisture
corn, soybeans and minerals by
way of feeding stations in the free
stall area where they are housed.
Afternoon milking begins at 2:30
p.m. It takes three-and-one-half
hours for two people to milk in a
w *
ver, jjry manager, is )ing install additional
computer equipment in the double-six milking parlor.
double-six milking parlor, in
cluding clean up. By scheduling an
early afternoon start, workers can
finish at a reasonable time.
Four farms were combined to
make up the main 700 acre farm.
An additional 24 farms are rented
to make up the balance of the 3,000
under cultivation. All of this land is
carefully evaluated for erosion and
proper conservation steps are
taken to prevent soil loss.
Last year Welliver Farms was
selected as the Conservation
Farmers of the Year. At that time
(October 1986), conservation
practices included 48,000 feet of
diversions, 4,500 feet of water
ways, 25,000 feet of tile and contour
strips. The Welhvers have not done
conventional plowing in three
years adding to the conservation
program. Another 6,000 feet of
..
Franklin Welliver manages the feeding of the large herd of
cattle. This is one of the units in which he hauls feed to the
various herds. The feeding stations are fed automatically
through overhead pipes from the preparation room. Young
and dry stock are housed in other areas on the (arm where
feed is transported by wagon.
»< v r-
work is planned for this summer.
Harold decided a long time ago
there was only one right way of
farming and that was to preserve
the land, some of which had heavy
washing areas. The rented land is
treated in the same manner as the
main farm. The Wellivers have
their own equipment for the
various conservation programs, so
all land under cultivation is cared
for at the Welliver’s expense.
Manure is hauled daily. Rain
water run-off around the barn and
animal housing is diverted into a
lagoon which requires a yearly
cleaning.
A 50 by 262 foot Quonset storage
holds machinery and shelled corn.
Harold points out the additional
and numerous pieces of equipment
parked behind and around the
(Turn to Page A 23)