D2-lancaster Farming Saturday, September 5, 1987
Roger Gerdes, NJHS chairman presents the 1987
National Junior Chlanlna Herdsman buckle to Karen
Brothers of East Berlin, York County. Pete Potter
(right) Is the president of the Chlanlna Association in
South Dakota.
Keeping Feeder
Cattle Healthy
In recent years, the approach to
animal health has switched from
treatment of disease to prevention
of disease. Cattle producers who
realize that preventive care saves
time and money in the long run are
concerned about how management
practices and environmental con
ditions affect animal health.
One practice that produces
stress in feeder cattle is removing
them from the familiar maternal
environment to the competitive
feedlot. Because this transition is
unavoidable under most feeding
systems, producers must devote
considerable effort to preparing
animals for the change. Other
stressful environmental conditions
and procedures included the
following:
• Dehoming
• Castration
• Weaning
• Sudden change in feed or
water intake
• Loss of familiar surroundings
• Poor sanitation
• Exposure to new disease
producing agents
• Transportation
• Exposure to bad weather
Most animals can withstand one
or more of these stresses simulta
neously and remain healthy
because they have a variety of self
regulating controls that keep their
body system functioning normal
ly. One such control, the immune
system, protects the anirhafagainst
potential disease-producing agents
during periods of strSSs. Numerous
stresses acting at one time may,
overwhelm the immune system,
resulting in disease outbreaks such
as “shipping fever” in Pennsylva
nia feedlots.
Authorities generally agree that
as much as 75 to 80 percent of the
health problems in feeder cattle are
related to shipping. Once the cattle
have adjusted to their new environ
ment, health maintenance should
require less attention. But some
conditions, such as intensive grain
feeding alone, produce constant
stress on cattle and can cause
health problems at any time.
Preshipment
Conditioning
Recommendations can be made
for minimizing stress in feeder
calves. Since the change from the
maternal to the feedlot environ
ment involves, tremendous stress,
preparation for this period pre
conditioning has been the focus
of attention. The buyer of feeder
cattle should be aware of recom
mendations for avoiding stress
related difficulties and economic
losses. The following precondi
tioning procedures for generally
considered to be very effective, but
they should be modified according
to the given situation.
At least three or four weeks
(Turn to Page Dl3)
1987 National Junior Chianina Herdsman
EAST BERLIN Karen J.
Brothers didn’t drive 35 hours
from Pennsylvania to Rapid City,
S.D. for nothing. She came to put
East Berlin, Pennsylvania on the
map.
She did just that On the way
home, she was wearing the 1987
National Junior Chianina Herds
man buckle.
Brothers, 20, brought four head
to the American Junior Chianina
Assn. National Junior Heifer
Show, three in the same class; par
ticipated in all the events the NJHS
had to offer, and, to top it off, was
named first runner-up National
Beam Takes Swine Championship
For the third year in a row, Brian
Beam, Elverson, exhibited the
Grand Champion Market Hog at
the Chester County 4-H Swine
Show at New Holland Sales
Stable. And as always, Hatfield
Packing Company was there to
purchase the 255 lb. champion for
a whopping $4.00/lb. Brian also
exhibited the grand champion trio
which was purchased by ABC
Groff of New Holland, always a
staunch supporter, for $1.55/lb.
A newcomer to the Chester
County 4-H Swine Club, Dave
Renkert of Elverson, also had a
great day exhibiting the Reserve
Grand Champion Market Hog and
the Reserve Champion Trio. The
Reserve Champion, a 245 lb.
crossbred, was purchased by Hat
field for $1.60/lb. and the Reserve
Champion Trio was also pur
chased by Hatfield for $.85/lb.
Hatfield Packing Company was
the volume buyer of the day and
has been sold for the past eight
years. The Chester County 4-H
members are grateful for their
unending support. The sale of 83
hogs averaged $.Bl/lb.
Champion Senior showman this
year was awarded to Mike Stolt
zfus of Elverson and Reserve
Champion to Bob Bell of Mohn
ton. Champion Junior Showman
was Matt Howe of Downingtown
(Turn to Pag* D 4)
New York Beef
Council Moves
ROME—The office of the New
York Beef Industry Council has
moved to Rome, New York.
“The move puts the state’s beef
promotion organization in a more
central location,” according to Jer
ry Reed, executive director.
“We’ve leased space in the Oneida
County Farm Bureau Building,
which is just minutes from the
New York State Thruway.”
“At the new office of the New
York Beef Industry Council we
will be establishing a video library
that will be made available to orga
nizations who are looking for
materials for meetings or events,”
according to Reed. The council
t office will also serve as a clearing
house for information about beef
or the beef industry. Printed mater
ials, including recipe booklets, as
well as other education materials
will be available through this
office.
The new address of the New
York Beef Industry Council is;
RD#l Box 85, Rome, NY 13440,
Phonos 315-339-NYBC.
Chianina Queen.
To drive to the NJHS itself was a
challenge for the slender brunette.
To do this she had to have her
semi-truck driving license to oper
ate their Mercedes tractor and trail
er. After Karen, her mother Mar
gie, and fellow Pennsylvanian
showman, Jamie Kohr got their
license and permits, they headed
west. While most everyone else
worried about where the next gas
station was, Karen was looking for
weigh stations and logging hours
and miles in her log book.
Besides showing fullblood
Chianina cattle, this busy AJCA
Brian Beam is pictured with his Grand Champion
Market Hog purchased by Hatfield Packing Co. for
$4.00/lb. Alan Diffenbach of New Holland Sales Stable
Is representing Hatfield.
Hatfield Packing purchased the Reserve Champion
Hog owned by Dave Renkert for $1.60/Ib. Carol and
Alleson Diffr lr Hatfield
I -
ABC Groff purchased the Champion Trio owned by
Brian Beam for $1.55/ib.
member is currently taking flying
lessons and plans to take helicopter
lessons soon, if she can find time
between soccer, sailing and down
hill skiing.
Karen, who will be a senior at
Franklin and Marshall College this
fall, hopes to attend Harvard Law
School next year and aspires to be
a tax attorney.
Special thanks to Ken and Caren
Jacobsen, K/C Cattle Company,
for donating the buckle and con
gratulations to the 1987 National
Junior Chianina Herdsman, Karen
J. Brothers.
'lls