VOL 34 NO. 30
Annual Dairy Issue
On the kitchen tables of cofiturrtora is ifvHlM i fie real anti Debbie
Robertsons’ Spinning Wheel Farm is found. This Westminster, Md. couple earned
their quality premium for iZconsecutlve months In 1988 from Atlantic Dairy Coopera*
tlve. They were one of 39 member families to do so.
BY
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
BELLEFONTE (Centre
Co.) —Several years ago, when
Tom Craig, Bellefonte worked
with Penn State University and the
Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company
to test bovine somatotropin under
ordinary dairy farm conditions, he
saw an increase in milk production
within 48 hours. But he didn’t find
a utopian situation as some people
had predicted.
‘lf you think BST will be a
major cure-all, you will be disap
pointed,” Craig said. “Manage
ment will be the key. Management
in feeding. Management in herd
Hershey School Farms
Why Is Their Alfalfa Program
Tops In Pennsylvania?
BY USA RISSER
HERSHEY (Lancaster Co.)
Henry Hershey would be proud.
As one of the first farmers to bring
alfalfa to the area, he would be
delighted at the success of the Mil
ton Hershey School Farms’ alfalfa
program. His son’s school was
winner of the 1988 Pennsylvania
Alfalfa Producers Program.
“We’ve been competing since
the initial formation of the prog
ram in 1971,” said AI Dugan,
director of research for the school.
"We’ve been twice a bridesmaid,
but never a bride.”
Rv# Sections
Industry Leaders Also Give Opinions
Herd Owners Discuss On-Farm BST Trials
health. And with the added stress
of high production, you will need
to be on top of everything you do.”
In the trial on Craig’s farm, a
sustained release injection was
given every 28 days. They
weighed the milk and feed each
milking and got between 10 and 20
percent increase in milk. The cows
ate a little more but feed efficiency
increased.
“We had help from the nutri
tionists at PSU,” Craig said. “But I
did notice that we were fortifying
the ration with high energy product
we were not using before.”
The milk was tested each week
and there was no difference in fat,
protein or any other component
What makes the win even more
remarkable is that, despite a
drought situation, the school
turned in its highest yield ever of
9.40 tons per acre. The winning
plot showed a crude protein level
of 3,408 pounds and a total digesti
ble nutrient level of 10,147
pounds. v
The school has 6,300 acres of
crop land of which about 625 is
devoted to alfalfa. The remaining
acreage is used to grow com, bar
ley, soybean, oats, and mixed
timothy hay. The winning entry
(Turn to Pago A 23)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 3,1989
that could be attributed to BST.
There were no reproduction prob
lems that could be attributed to
BST.
The cows were injected right
after calving. But Craig thinks it
would be better to wait until after
the cow reached peak production
in the lactation. In Erst calf heifers.
“Maka it with milk,” Ist ha rallying cry for Juna Dairy Month. Across tha nation, Juna
is a month-long tiibuta to tha quality and frashnass of real dairy foods. Pannsylvaola
Dairy Prlncass Klmbarly Bonzo tails studants at Big Knob Elamantary School m Baav
ar County that milk contributas more than 70 parcant of our dally calcium naads and
many othar nutrlants.
An Industry Showcase
Quality Is #1 At
Spinning Wheel Farm
WESTMINSTER, MD—ln the
picturesque Wakefield Valley in
northern Carroll County Mary
land, the Robertsons’ farm is one
of several beautifully kept farms.
The lush green pastures dotted
with cattle, the rolling fields of
grain, the winding patterns made
by windrows and the fragrance of
fresh cut hay make this area just
southwest of Westminster one of
the most attractive areas to live in
Maryland.
The continously burgeoning
housing developments are a con
stant reminder to Ralph Robertson
and his wife Debbie that this way
of life must be preserved. Ralph is
very supportive of the ag land pre
servation program in his state aigl
chairs the Carroll County program
which now has nearly 20,000 acres
in preservation.
Ralph, and his wife Debbie milk
85 mostly grade Holsteins, own
137 acres, rent five farms and crop
the response was not as great as in
older cows, because the heifers
used the BST to grow.
In the trial on the Craig farm, a
small gauge needle was used for
the injection right under the skin.
The" cows had no extraordinary
reaction to the injection. Craig
would not tike to give the injection
509 Per Copy
BY PAT PURCELL
$12.50 Per Year
450 acres. Owned by the third
generation of Robertsons, the
Spinning Wheel Farm is neat,
clean and well-maintained, look
ing like many other attractive dairy
farms.
But the beauty of this farm goes
far beyond its appearance. As a
matter of fact, the real beauty of
this farm goes all the way to con
sumers’ kitchen tables, to restaur
ants and school cafeterias.
While many dairy farms pro
duce high quality milk and earn
quality premiums, few farms earn
that distinction for 12 consecutive
months. The Robertsons are one of
just 39 milk producers with the
Atlantic Dairy Cooperative who
did just that for the 1988 fiscal
.year-
That means the somatic cell
count is consistently 200,000 or
below, the PI count is below
30,000 and standard plate count is
below 10,000. What that means to
(Turn to Pag* A2O)
in the milking parlor. And in a free
stall bam he would recommend
locking head gates or a squeeze
shoot He said the process did take
extra time but said that you could
divide the herd into groups to treat
at different times.
Craig said he has wrestled with
(Turn to Pago A 27)