026-Lancaster Fanning Saturday, December 9,1989 Berks KUTZTOWN (Berks Co.) Approximately 200 people attended the first banquet of the Berks County 4-H Livestock Clubs held November 4 at the Kutztown Grange. Parents, lead ers and friends gathered to honor outstanding members of the beef, sheep and swine clubs. After a dinner of beef, sausage, and lamb, club presidents Alice Strause, Valerie Hunter and Tam my Balthaser recognized the buy ers that supported the various sales. Fifty individuals, businesses and organizations were honored for their support. Then it was on to the 4-H awards. Jason Manwiller received the award for grand champion steer and weight gain steer. Alice Strause had the reserve champion steer and Tammy Gelsinger the grand champion heifer. Amy Eshelman was selected as the most helpful member. Amy also was named as the senior showman and fitter. Tam my Gelsinger and Jennifer Rabe nold followed her lead, capturing showing and fitting honors in the intermediate and junior categories respectively. Eshelman also received the top awards in the project book and blueform contest in the senior division. Christine Reichard and Jennifer Rabenold won the inter mediate and junior divisions of the project book contest. Alice Strause and Jason Manwiller had the first-place blueforms in the intermediate and junior contests. Travis Werley led the sheep club award winners with the grand champion lamb. Alice Strause had the reserve and Valerie Hunter the champion pair. Amy Eshelman again capital ized on her outstanding fitting and showing skills winning both events in the senior division. Alice Strause also won both contests in the intermediate division. Leon Hunter was honored as the top Among the recipients of beef club awards at the Berks County 4-H livestock banquet were, from left, Alice Strause, reserve champion steer; Jason Manwiller, champion steer; Amy Eshelman, most helpful member; and Jennifer Raben old, Junior showman. Swine Management Column BY DR. RICHARD BARCZEWSKI Extension Ag Agent University of Delaware Animal Well-Being Last month I had the opportuni ty to speak at two separate animal welfare meetings. There weren’t meetings for animal rights activ ists. Both were held to inform the farm community about what’s happening in the animal rights movement and to help farmers cope with farm animal issued. A highlight of the mectings was Mabel Owen from the Massa chusetts Department of Agricul ture. Mabel explained to us why County 4-H Livestock Clubs Hold First Banquet junior showman and Stephanie Bowman was the fitter. In the project book contest, Joyce Heffner lead the seniors with Michael and Stephanie Bow man winning the intermediate and junior divisions. Gwen Perry was the top senior in the blue form contest with Christine Hunter win ning the junior division. The swine club’s award win ners were led by Jason Keller who exhibited the champion hog for the second year in a row. Keller also had the top carcass animal. Leon Hunter had the reserve market animial and Dennis Coop er II the reserve carcass. In the showmanship contest Valerie Hunter was the top senior followed by Jason Balthaser, intermediate showman and Jennif er Rabenold, junior showman. Tammy Balthaser was the senior fitter. In the intermediate division, Todd Rabenold took the top honors. Leon Hunter was the junior fitter. Tammy, the president of the swine club, lead the group in the project book and blueform con test. Paula Hunter followed suit in the intermediate division. Jennifer Rabenold and Leon Hunter won the Junior division project book and blueform respectively. Several outgoing 4-H’ers were recognized for their accomplish ments including; Tricia Werley, beef and swine clubs; Randy Sut liff and Jennifer Schnabel, sheep club; and Tammy Balthaser, swine club. Fourteen 4-H’ers were live stock judging participants. Amy Eshelman, Tammy Gelsinger, Todd Rabenold, Christine Hunter, Jeff Gechter, and Paula Hunter were on the State Days Teams. Also participating were Dennis Cooper, Troy Gelsinger, Joyce Hunter, Valerie Hunter, Jeremy Manwiller, Jennifer Rabenold, Leon Hunter and Dwight Zook. Massachusetts, where farmers are outnumbered 5,000 to 1, was targeted by the animal rights movement for last year’s referen dum. She explained that Massa chusetts was the first of the colo nies to pass an animal welfare law. It contains policies that make it relatively easy to initiate a referendum and that the people of the state are financially able to absorb the extra costs of food if the referendum were passed. Mabel gave us insight into how unprepared we are to fight off an attack from these groups. She offered some advice to those in (Turn to Pago D2>) A number of Berks County 4-H sheep club members received awards from the com petitions held during the roundup In September. Among them were, from left, front row: Amy Eshelman, senior showman; Leon Hunter, juniorshowman; and Stephanie Bowman; back row: Travis Werley, champion lamb; Alice Strause, reserve champion lamb; and Valerie Hunter, champion pair. The Berks County 4-H swine club members were honored for their outstanding per formances during the roundup. Among the winners were, from left, front row: Jason Balthaser, Intermediate showman; Dennis Cooper, reserve champion carcass; Todd Rabenold, Intermediate fitter; Leon Hunter, Junior fitter; Jason Keller, grand champ ion market hog and champion carcass; back row: Tammy Balthaser, senior fitter; Val erie Hunter, senior showman; and Jennifer Rabenold, Junior showman. R&J Angela Is ROV Angus Heifer Of THe Year R&J Angela 1547 was named the 1989 Roll of Victory Angus show heifer of the year and her owners WhKestone Farm of Aldle. Va.; R&J Ranch of Briggs, Texas; and Springfield Angus Farm of.Loulsburg, N.C., were honored during the 106th annual meeting and banquet of the American Angus Association In Louisville, Ky. Pictured from left are Mark Duffel), manager of Whltestone Farm; Ken Conway, manager of R&J Ranch; Jackie and Ray Plumb, owners of R&J Ranch; and Dean Hurlbut, American Angus Association director of activities. Not pictured Is Dr. Phil Goodson of Spring field Angus Farm.