PERIODICALS DIVISION _ v " ""V.
PENNSYLVANIA SI ATE UNIVERSITY || ~
UNIVERSITY PARK pa • _
vol. 40 No. 15
Early Weaning Boasts Health, Cost Benefits For Hog Producers
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
NORTH CORNWALL (Leba
non Co.) Hog producers can
easily benefit with a healthier pig
that goes to market a lot sooner,
with less expense, if they use some
form of segregated early weaning
(SEW). An earlier weaned and
segregated pig will enjoy a higher
health status, eat more efficiently,
and go to market faster.
Weaning pigs early and segre
gating them “is all you need to
do’’ to provide an increase in lit
ters per sow and number of pigs
crated per year, according to Dr. L.
Kirk Clark, professor, Department
of Veterinary Clinical Sciences,
School of Veterinary Medicine,
Purdue University. Clark said that
SEW provides a decrease in days
to 250 pounds, boosts feed effi
ciency, and decreases medication
costs and death loss.
Clark spoke on Wednesday dur
ing the seminar portion of the Key
stone Pork Expo (formerly Pork
Congress) at the Lebanon Valley
Maryland Grange Young
Couple Enjoy Farming
LOIS SZYMANSKI
Maryland Correspondent
NEW WINDSOR, Md. Tho
mas and Brenda Ripley of New
Windsor in Carroll County, Mary
land, have been named the Mary
land State Grange Young Couple
The Maryland State Grange Young Couple are Tom and
Brenda Ripley. The own and operate the Ripley Vale Dairy
Farm at New Windsor In Carroll County.
60c Per Copy
350 Turn Out For Keystone Pork Expo
Expo Center at the Lebanon Fair
grounds. About 350 pork produc
ers and industry representatives
attended.
The veterinarian reviewed
examples of several tests on com
mercial breeding herds under
research near Purdue. Clark told
those that the “returns much out l -
weigh the costs” of implementing
SEW.
Data on how well the hogs
dressed after being raised by SEW
will be unveiled at the World Pork
Expo this year.
For now, information on one
such herd was revealed at the Pork
Expo.
The pigs were weaned at 14
days, weighing about 12 pounds.
About 500 pigs,'purchased from
nurseries, were brought in on utili
ty trucks (Ryder was used) to three
buildings simple trailers outfit
ted with plastic slatted floors and
containing fence line feeders.
Nipple waterers were used, but cup
waterers would prove even more
(Turn to Pago A2O)
of the Year and will attend ban
quets, dinners, picnics and various
Grange events as representatives
of the Maryland State Grange.
They received the title at a cere
mony held at the annual Maryland
State Grange session which was
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 18, 1995
At the annual Keystone Pork Bowl, a close contest was cinched with the last group
of questions. York FFA won first place, beating out the second-place Indiana FFA
team 185-130. The York FFA members are,, from left, Bertha Jasienskl, assistant
coach; Mark Parrish; Alisha Eberiy; Shanna Daugherty,Heather Jasienskl; and Melis
sa Trestle, coach.
held in Hagerstown, Maryland in
October.
The Ripley’s farm, Ripley Vale
Farm, is a 223-acre farm which
has been in the family for 40
years. Tom and Brenda Ripley
took over the farming operation
from Tom’s parents Ralph and
Betty Ripley almost five years
ago. Since then, they have added
to their farming capabilities by
doubling their farmable land with
rented parcels. These days the
couple farm close to 500 acres.
Tom and Brenda Ripley crop
farm much of their land. Last year
they farmed 170 acres in com, 70
acres in soybeans, 125 acres in al
falfa, 20 acres of timothy and 35
acres of barley. They also grew
wheat and oats, selling some of
their overage.
With approximately 200 grade
and registered Holstein cows, Rip
ley Vale Farm also operates a
clean and efficient dairy. The stan
chion bam they use for milking is
capable of handling 26 head at a
time. Currently, with the help of
dad, Ralph Ripley, and one laired
hand, they milk between 100 2nd
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Changing World For Holstein Breeders
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Members of the Holstein
Association USA Inc. have a num
ber of issues to discuss and settle at
its upcoming national Holstein
convention, set to be held June
25-28 in Pittsburgh, according to
Four Sections
At the Junior Pennsylvania Holstein convention last
week, these senior*aged distinguished members were
honored. From the left, sitting, are Jill Harnish and Rachel
Tanls. From left, standing, Stephanie Anderson. Amy
Packard, Justin McMurray, and Nlchol Bozlinskl. See
story and photos on page Cl 4-16.
discussions and topics covered
Thursday at one of the Holstein'
Association’s annual open forums
held at the Sheraton Inn in
Harrisburg.
John Howard, of Willow Street,
and Ron Wood, of Mansfield, both
members of the association’s
board of directors, presided over
$21.00 Per Year
the forum and sought reaction on a
number of issues facing the organi
zation, ranging from amending the
bylaw's to change whole herd
transfer fees to deciding whether a
5-ycar incremental change* or a
rolling base change of Holstein
sire values would benefit
(Turn to Pago A 23)