A2B-Lancwttr Farming, Saturday, July 31, 1993 State Cattlemen, Angus Association Holds Field Day By GAY N. BROWNLEE Somerset Co. Correspondent FRIEDENS (Somerset Co.) This year the Pa. Cattlemen’s and Angus Associations held a joint Held dpy at the ErReR Hill Farms, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Riggs, on July 24. The last state field day held in Somerset was some 20 years ago. According to the official regi stry the hundreds who attended came for at least 23 counties in the state, plus Ohio, Maryland and Virginia. Perfect weather with a low humidity level helped to make a comfortable day under the big out door canopy where speakers addressed the group. The brick picnic pavilion beside it where lunch was served also provided seating. Schoolbus farm tours during the forenoon gave guests a good look at the ErReR Hill Farms Angus operation, as they bumped along over the paved rural backtoads, weaving around the 1,200 acres and 10 bams. The entire business is a collection of smaller farms. Tours were stopped at a recent ly completed streambed crossing and water system project, the ben efits of which were detailed by Burrell Whitworth from the USDA. Full-time farm employees Bob Hay, David Wise and Rob Landis were tourguides, telling about the Angus handling process from beginning to end, and the bams’ utilization. ErReR Hill Farms cow herd includes some 200 females. They Here is Fortune 2000 ( Rdb & BED AND \L rnJ BREAKFAST VSCyuSO RESERVATIONS Call us for bed & breakfast lodging while visiting Ag Progress Days. A few of our hosts: PINE GROVE MILLS: 1820's farmhouse, 3 guest rms, private & shared baths. WARRIORS MARK: 185's farmhouse, 3 guest rms., shared baths TYRONE: 1920's Spanish Revival mansion, 3 guest rms., private baths. SPRUCE CREEK: 1820's farmhouse, 4 guest rms, shared baths Rates for the above are $45-$65 per rm SINKING VALLEY: 1799 General Store, restored into very private separate guest house, fully equipped, 3 bedrms, 214 baths $l5O per night, sleeps 6 CALL: 814-238-1484, 8:30-11:30 am, M-F WRITE; Box 189,‘ Pine Grove Mills, PA 16868 raise their own replacement females and herd bull prospects. They use both embyro transfer and artificial insemination and have their own backgrounding and feedlot operations. Where feasi ble, water development systems and rotational grazing are utilized. Penn State TKO is the main herd bull of the 20 at ErReR Hill Farms. They also hold an interest in Fortune 2000 who was brought in from West Virginia for the event. Fortune 2000 has been favora bly analyzed by many knowledge able cattlemen, according to sour ces; in kind, pedigree, perfor mance and calving ease. He is said to be a very correct bull with a charisma that catches the eye of cattle breeders. He was producing freezable semen at II months, sources said. Minerts Fortune 2000 was calved on February 12, 1991. Two national leaders spoke dur ing the afternoon: Burton Eller, Alexandria, Va., who is the execu tive vice-president of the National Cattlemen’s Association, and Richard Spader, executive vice president of the American Angus Association, from Rosendale, Mo. Eller who supervises the NCA office staffs in Washington. D.C and Denver, and cited in one publication as a top lobbyist in the nation’s capitol, said he’s hearing a big noise from commercial beef users demanding consistency and palatability in the beef products they serve. “The biggest issue In demand" he said, “is cost” He addressed the issue of com petition for beef from poultry and pork, quoting from another source, “Pork’s going to kick your economic butt in the next ten years, not poultry.’ ” Spader said die number one priority is to expand value and use that as the performance data base. He said the carcass evaluation is the next priority. “You are going to see more emphasis In carcass evaluation,” he said, “so we can compete with poultry and pork.” The beef industry has a big job to promote breed assets to the practical users of beef, Spader said. Additionally, equipping young people for future leadership nDAABvea nkfe t nMisr. niTiiw MJfJnkmLmw JwflLrlwrlJfililnf %M %X w MkMJrmm Uso this handy directory whon planning your stoy st Ag Progress Dtp*, Them hotels 41 motets mo within short travel time to Bock Springe, aim ofttm chow. Call now lot the bm boats in Ag Progress lodging! Breakfast me Members of the state’s Cattlemen’s and Angus associations gather at this perma nent pavilion at ErReR Hill Farms for a combined-organization field day. through contests, speeches and other ways is a priority, he said. Using the upper and lower bam levels and the outside seating, rotating afternoon sessions were held by Penn State officials. Dr. Erskine Cash talked about the Dollars And Cents of EPD’s; Dr. John Comerford’s subject was Cross Breeding Advantages; Dr. Jim Evans discussed Embryo Transplant Programs. Sessions lasted 30 to 40 minutes and folks who sat on the arranged hay sales sure seemed to appreciate the cool comfort and shade they found.inside the big bam. A judging contest was held for class of heifers, steers and cow/ calf. Kay Chapman, Benton (Col umbia Co.), was the big winner, scoring 148 of a possible ISO points. “I was lucky today.” she laughed. Placing high in the junior divi sion Was Ed Chapman, her son. Riggs said that because the farm is well-equipped to handle groups the family reunion and occasional senior citizen groups preparing for the state groups didn’t cause any unusual problems or excessive work. “We have a general (property) cleanup every year,” he said. Bob Hay. manager of the ErReR Hill Farms is also the vice president of the state Cattlemen’s Asso. AG PROGRESS SPECIAL % OFF NORMAL RATES with this od, mm mention m$ od when mcsN? reservation) • Minutes From Ag Progress Days • Championship Golf Course 5 Tbf trees resort and conference center rt. 322 (mt nittany expressway) toftrees exit, one country club lane • state college, PA 16803 814-234-8000 • 800-252-3551 Dr. John Comerford, PSU Extension specialist, talks about advantages to cross breeding, during a field day held jointly by the state Cattlemen’s and Angus associations. Hosts of the Pa. Cattlemen’s and Angus associations are, on the left side of the picnic table, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Riggs, owners of ErReR Hill Farms, and, right, Bob Hay, farm manager. L-J 0 Bet tteH • 140 guest rooms 72 newly renovated • meeting facilities for up to 120 • Kids under 18 stay FREE • FREE continental breakfast • FREE exercise room, sauna and Jacuzzi • FREE local calls and USA Today • AARP, AAA and corporate discounts available FOR RESERVATIONS, CALL TOLL FREE BEST WESTERN STATE COLLEGE INN 64.795 y 1! # PER NIGHT 1-800-635-1177
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