A2o*Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 11, 1991
Smith’s Guernseys:
(Continued from Page At)
It’s an important fact, because
real estate speculation has been a
major reason for dairymen to make
changes in operations the high
er land prices necessitate extreme
farm operation thriftiness in order
to pay off the high loans often
required to buy a farm from
another farmer.
Even from one generation to the
next.
And many times, using the land
for agriculture isn’t profitable
enough to pay for the land.
So it gets lost to agriculture.
Silting on some of Lebanon
County’s richest soil, surrounded
by menacing housing develop
ments and strip malls, is the Smith
farm, located just north of Route
422 in Palmyra.
On the tum-of-the-century farm
is an all-registered Guernsey herd
that traces its roots back with the
farm family who nurtured it.
This cow and the next one down the line have been pro
ducing 90 pounds of milk a day for the Smiths. That’s good
for any breed.
Dave Smith scoops out helpings of grain mix for the heif
ers kept at the old limestone barn on the property. The one
at the far end pokes her head around in anticipation.
There is no dispute that the
gentle, red and white cattle with
the pink snouts are not the best
breed for producing pounds of
milk per animal.
But for the amount of feed they
require, the size of the buildings
needed to house the animals, and
the other overhead costs involved,
Guernseys can compete in the
ever-tightening battle to be profit
able, according to the Smiths.
David Smith, and the rest of his
family, is content with the 65-head
milking herd. Altogether, with
replacements and dry cows, they
have about 160 head.
A third generation Guernsey
breeder, David, 34, said he is not
prejudiced against other breeds,
however.
One of the strongest reasons for
the Smiths having Guernseys dates
back to a decision made early in
the century, when the family herd
was started by David’s grand-
Breed Of Choice Or Heritage?
David Smith (right) and Kenneth Wlnebark, county extension agent, discuss the
results of the Lebanon County Dairy Judging teams at last Saturday’s contests at the
Penn State Dairy Expo in State College. Smith Is one of the team’s coaches and a for
mer participant. The junior team was high team in their competition, while the senior
team came In seventh.
father, Jacob Smith.
Jacob had been a milk tester in
Lebanon County during the 1920 s
and 30s. In the 1930 s he bought his
father’s farm and some Guernsey
cattle to start his own dairy farm.
David’s father Robert (the
eldest son of Jacob) said his father
started the herd during the brief
age of “Golden Guernsey” milk.
Guernsey milk is high in butterfat,
at a breed average 4 percent, and
also high in protein. It has a golden
lint to it, as compared to some of
the very white milk of Holsteins.
The Golden Guernsey era was
so named because of selling prom
otions about the richness of the
Guernsey’s milk.
Although that era has disap
peared for a variety of reasons, the
Guernsey breed continues to pro
duce rich milk and production per
cow has been increasing.
However, many of the dairy
farms which keep Guernseys are
located near cheese plants or other
industries which rely on milk with
high component percentages. And
cheese manufacturers pay pre
miums on protein.
The Smiths don’t have such a
plant nearby. They don’t get any
extra money for having cattle pro
duce high amounts of butterfat and
protein per volume of milk.
However, the Smiths continue
to keep Guernsey cattle by choice
and because of heritage, and
because its practical.
Robert worked for his father for
years before taking it over in 1978.
In fact, Robert said he had never
been employed anywhere else.
“I made the decision early,” he
said. “I was home ever since I was
in high school.”
After working for so long with
the herd, he continued working
with it. There was no reason to
change things, he said.
The stanchion barn on the home
farm is built to accomodate Guern
seys. It would have to be changed
to hold fewer and larger Holstcins.
That would not make sense.
David echoed the same senti
ment. He said he likes Guernseys,
but he likes other breeds of cattle
as well.
A member of the stale Guernsey
Association (recently reading
pedigrees for their Blue Halter
spring sale in Chambersburg), and
enjoys the Guernsey breed, he said
would never put down any dairy
breed in comparison to another.
‘They all have their advan
tages,” he said.
However, he said he knows of
numerous times when a Holstein
has kicked, deliberately stepped on
a foot or squeezed against a man
who was trying to attatch a milker.
He said he cannot report the
same type of behavior from his
Guernseys.
His father agreed.
‘They have a nice temperament
They’re nice to work with. But I
guess the biggest thing is, I was
around them,” Robert said.
“Somewhere along the line (as a
milk tester) he (Jacob) must have
taken a liking to them.”
And Robert did too, as David
does also.
In fact, Robert was on the state
Guernsey Association’s board of
directors for six years, from 1980
\ T*'
David Smith stands gets lots of attention from these
young Guernsey gals. Dave farms with his father Robert on
the family farm In Palmyra. Part of the their all-registered
Guernsey herd traces back to Jacob Smith, his grandfather.
to 1986, representing his region.
David went to college, to Virgi
nia Polytechnic Institute and State
University for their dairy program.
Though his own 4-H project ani
mals were Guernseys, he got a lot
of exposure to other breeds
through county 4-H, and cattle
judging. Also, the college has both
a strong Holstein and a Jersey
herd.
But that didn’t sway his mind
about Guernseys.
After school, about 10 years
ago, he came back to work the
farm. He got the family involved in
showing the animals. About the
same time, they closed the herd
and have been breeding their own
replacement stock.
(Turn to Page A 22)
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