m slisv ,sr»W-. VOL 37 No. 22 u /all £ y (’n i Frank Orner Named Pennsylvania DHIA President EVERETT NEWSWANGER Managing Editor HOME CAMP (Clearfield Co.) —When you deal sucessfiilly with other people around you, you may call it good public relations. But to the new president of the Pen nsylvania Dairy Herd Improve ment Association, public relations is simply old-fashioned neighborliness. Frank Omer, who farms 400 acres on five farms just east of Dußois, with his parents, uncle, and cousins, was named head of Pennsylvania’s largest dairy asso ciation last week at a board meet ing in Sayre. William Jackson, New Salem, was named vice presi dent; Joseph Lyons, Millville, sec retary; and Norman Hershey, Gor donville, treasurer. “We try to help our neighbors when we can,” Omer said. “We plow the snow from their lanes and each year invite them for a hay ride and other activities on the farm. In return, if we have a problem or need some help, they arc not reluc tant to step in and offer help.” “The secret to good relations is not to be argumentative, but Farmers Must Test Water For Herd, Family Health ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Fanning Staff BERNVILLE (Berks Co.) After returning from a Sunday drive one afternoon in August, dairy farmer Calvin Zerbe saw one of his prize cows, a 3-year-old, lying dead in the field. A few months earlier, calves on milk replacer began to die. Cows wouldn’t drink enough water, and their digestive systems would shut down. After the death of additional calves, Zerbe called a veterinarian. The vet’s suggestion? Move the calves from the bam into hutches and administer antibiotics for every possible sickness. Zerbe did but that didn’t work. More calves began to die. With all possible explanations Guernsey Association Holds Convention At Bedford LINDA WILLIAMS Bedford Co. Correspondent BEDFORD (Bedford Co.) "Overall, we were pleased with the sale," said Jim Trotter, business manager of the Pennsyl vania Guernsey Breeder's Associ ation, following the Blue Halter Sale held April 4 at the Bedford Fairgrounds. A bid of $2,500 was cast fen’ a senior calf owned by Brad and Bemetta Gable of Snider Home stead Farms in New Enterprise. The highest bid came by telephone from a Kentucky farmer, Philip Perkins. Calf sale receipts totaled $21,900 making a $1,216.67 aver age for an 18-head herd. John E. duPont of Newtown Square purchased the highest bid consignment cow for a bid of $3,500. Walnut Lane Prides Hazel Five Sactions cooperative,” Omer said. “It’s not enough to only do what you must do to get the job done. You need to be friends with as many people as possible. In farm organizations as well as personally, the care of our neighbors is a very important aspect of agriculture right now. “In DHIA we need to improve our relations with members as well as other segments of the industry. We need to work at our relation ship with the bull studs. We have been working on our relationship with Penn State, but we need to do more. “We need to work with govern ment agencies because the lab gen erates waste. With fewer people in agriculture, the government tends to move away from us. That’s why we need to try to work together. “It’s essential to the survival of the dairy industry in Pennsylvania that we work together. United we stand, divided we fall. It’s as simple as that. “Down the road, 1 would like to see more cooperation among far mers to get things done without the need for the farmer to use his fin - (Turn to Pago A2>) for the deaths of his cattle ruled out, Zerbe considered another. Perhaps the well water needed testing? After the results came back that the well water was so contami nated that it wasn’t even fit for washing clothes, Zerbe did what he had to do. New well system Within a few months, Zerbe built a new well and new well water filtering system with help from a neighbor. Zerbe, recognized this week by the Berks County Conservation District as farmer of the year, said that even drilling a new well wasn’t enough. The previous well, contaminated by what he believes was owned by Rodney and Dar lene Stuff of Mercersburg. Second highest consignment bid of $3,000 was by Great Hill Dairy Inc. for Oakland Fortunes Farah owned by Moser Brothers of Chicora. Third highest, Lebanon Valley Ned Nel owned by Jacob N. Smith and Son of Ja-Mar Dairy in Annville, went for $2,500. She was also bought by John E. duPont. Troy Hill of Sandy Lake pur chased the second highest bid calf for $2,100 and Tucker Wirthing ton of New York paid $2,050 for the third highest bid calf. At the Friday evening awards banquet held at Hoss's Best West ern in Bedford, Kathy Keenis was named the 1992 Pennsylvania (Turn to Pago A 36) Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 11, 1992 The Omer family from left, Frank, Ross and Sarah, David, Leroy, and Russell. may have been surface water, was closed and a new one was built “ We drilled a new well, and that didn’t solve it all,” he said. “We wound up putting a filtering sys tem in and blacklight. And since that’s been in, the herd health and the calves have been doing wonderful.” Zerbe admitted that the water Morrow Distinguished Dairy Alumnus UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) Dr. David A. Morrow has been named the Department of Dairy and Animal Science’s 1992 Distinguished Dairy Alumnus. He will be honored at a banquet fol lowing the 67th Dairy Expo on April 25. Troy Hill and Erica Yaple are named Outstanding Guern sey Girl and Boy at the state Guernsey Association's annual convention. problem had him perplexed for the longest time. Most farmers, according to the dairyman, don’t bother to check their well water. Some know a problem exists but don’t have the money or the resources to handle it Instead, they rely on the advice of veterinarians and other experts to exact a quick cure which often proves futile. Morrow grew up on a farm in Blair County and graduated from Penn State with high honors in 1956. Like many past recipients, he was a very active student. His early accomplishments include receiving the Mr. Agriculture Award (now known as the Out 609 Pf Copy Highly contaminated The water was highly contami nated, according to Zerbe. “We had just about everything,’’ he said. “High nitrates, coliform bac teria ... They said not do do any thing with it. not wash clothes or anything. (Turn to Pag* A3O) standing Senior Award) and parti cipating on both the dairy judging and livestock judging teams. Dur ing his college career, he chaired the Dairy Judging Contest and edited a student-produced maga zine, Penn Stale Farmer. He also served as president of the Dairy Science Club and campus 4-H Club. He is a member of Phi Eta Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi, Alpha Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta, and Epsilon Sigma Phi. He was also the Dairy Expo’s Grand Champion Filter in 1954 and Grand Champion Showman in 1955. After receiving his D.V.M. in 1960 and a Ph.D. in theriogenolo- INDEX Sec. A,..Market Reports & General News. Sec. B... Women’s News Sec. C... Business News & Classified 4-36. Sec. Declassified 1-3. Sec. E... Public Sales & Mailbox Market See Story Index Page A 3. 19.00 Per Year (Turn to Pago A 37)
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