A26-Lancuttr Fannins, Saturday, Dacambaf 5, 1987
BY PAT PURCELL
PRESCOTT (LEBANON CO.)
Hundreds of Lebanon County
DHIA members gathered at the
Prescott Fire Hall for the annual
banquet Tuesday night for fellow
ship and to honor many of the
county’s top dairy producers.
Bruce-R. Heilinger was Leba
non County’s biggest winner.
Heilinger of Newmanstown, had
the highest herd average for fat,
milk and protein. According to
DHIA records the herd average for
Bruce R. Heilinger, Newmanstown, received the Lebanon
DHIA award for high herd averages.
Dairy Herd Replacement
BY PAT PURCELL calves, but that is in the past. Pre-
Editor’s Note: Each farmer has sently the job is shared by every
his or her own way of achieving one on the farm. She does not
results in raising heifers. This belong to the school of thought that
article explains how these far- women have a natural talent for
mers are successful. tending the calves. According to
Long Meadows Farm Helene, it does take a conscien-
HAMBURG —At Long Mea- tious and meticulous person,
dows Farm, in Berks County, “We’ve got a real good group of
either Helene Dreisbach or one of people helping who are very con
her daughters fed and tended the scientious and who will take the
Calf tending duties are shared by everyone at Long Mea
dows Farm. The “X” in thoupper right corner is a signal to
the next person. One line means she has begun to the
weaned. A full “X”means-ttie calf is totally off milk.
Heilinger Sweeps Lebanon
fat was 858 lbs., milk was 23,769
lbs., and protein was 773 lbs..
Sonnen Acres Farm of Richland
received what many consider to be
one of the most prestigous awards.
The award for the herd with the
lowest somatic cell count was pre
sented to Rebecca Sonnen, repre
senting Malcolm Sonnen.
Werner Way Farms of Fred
ricksburg was honored for high
individual cow production with
1,011 lbs. (78W) of protein and
34,135 lbs. of milk. Werner Way
How These Farmers Make It Work
Farms is owned by Lewis and Jeff
Wcmcr and Calvin Miller. Waller
Heisey of Schafferstown was
awarded the plaque for the high
individual cow production in fat at
1,227 lbs.
For the greatest increase in herd
average Ezra H. Martin of Myer
stown showed an increase of 2,880
lbs. in milk and 85 lbs. in protein.
David Eugene Reiff had an
increase in herd average of 115 lbs.
of fat. Reiff is of Annville.
Ken Winebark, Lebanon Coun
ty Dairy Agent, told the audience
that Lebanon had experienced a lot
of changes in 1987 and although
the county lost several dairy herds,
the county added 19 new herds this
year. Lebanon County presently
ranks third in the state for average
per cow milk production, 17,739
lbs; fifth for butterfat production,
639 lbs.; and third in protein
production.
Winebark noted that the number
of DHIA members receiving pro
duction ribbons had increased
from 33 ribbons presented last year
to 75 ribbons presented for 1987.
Rebecca Sonnen, Pennsylvani
a’s Dairy Princess, discussed the
value of DHIA testing as the most
valuable tool for today’s dairy far
mers. Winebark repeated this and
told members that it is the tool they
must use to become the most effi
cient producers and to stay in
business.
In other business, Kirby Horst,
Gary Lentz and Kenneth Maze
were elected as DHIA Directors.
Other directors serving this year
are Kenneth Sellers, President;
Vincent Wagner, Secretary; Lee
Wenger, Treasurer; Malcolm Son
nen, Clyde Deck, Stanley Bucher,
Donald Hoffer and Jay Hcrshey.
Members recognized for pro
duction: Raymond & Marling
Getz, 804 lbs. milkfat: Willow
Maple Farm (Harold & Donald
Bollinger) 783 lbs. milkfat; Roy H.
Weaver, 772 lbs. milkfat; Lloyd
Burkholder, Jr., 762 lbs. milkfat;
Roy E. Nolt, 760 lbs. milkfat and
690 lbs. protein; Donald G. Hoffer,
759 lbs. milkfat.
time to notice changes in the calf's
condition and run their hands over
the calves which makes them a lot
less skittish and easier to handle.
You really need a person who is
fairly meticulous. And you can’t
have one person doing the first
feeding and another person doing
the second feeding because you
don’t know if they are cleaning up
their feed everyday,” explained
Helene.
Helene keeps their calves in
hutches from April to November.
They are brought in and put into a
calf room upstairs in a separate
bam where all have individual
pens after they are weaned at six
weeks.
“When the calves do come
inside they are kept totally isolated
from the cows,” said Helene.
Helene has experimented with
the way the heifers are raised, but
closing the herd appears to have
done more towards the health of
the heifers than anything else she
has tried.
“In the last four years we have
closed the herd and now have a lot
less health problems. We also vac
cinnate for everything under the
sun. That comes from having a
resident veterinarian. We always
test herd for Johnes and it is always
DHIA Awards
Rebecca Sonnen, PA Dairy
for the lowest somatic cell count for Sonnen Acres of
Lewis Werner accepted the award for highest individual
cow production in Lebanon DHIA for Werner Way Farm,
also operated by Jeff Werner and Calvin Miller.
The older Jersey calves enjoy more freedom in the super
hatches at Dreisbach’s farm and at the same time learn to
have respect for the electric fence.
negative,” said Helene. are on that for five to six months
“I feel we deal with a lot less and at the same time on a nice gras
health problems because we are* sy type hay, but not alfalfa because
good feeders. We feed a good it is too rich or we use a mixed hay
quality grass and hay. We feed if green and harvested early.”
whole milk until the calves are “Then they are put on heifer
6-weeks-old then feed a commeri- grain, bulk delivery feed, by that
cal calf grain with molasses. They (Turn to Pago A 29)