GAIL STROCK
Mifflin Co. Correspondent
ALLENSVILLE (Mifflin Co.)
“I’m not here to speak as a
national director,” began Ron
Wood of Mansfield. “I’m here as a
fellow breeder and Holstein enthu
siast.”
A good turnout of Mifflin
County Holstein Club members
and friends met at the Allensville
Country Village Restaurant to
hear this world-renowned Hol
stein breeder. Wood dairy farms in
partnership with his father and
brother. He serves as a director to
Dave Spicher of Belleville
received the distinguished
service award from Mifflin
County Holstein Club.
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Mifflin County Holstein Meeting Held
the National Holstein Club Asso
ciation. After giving a brief histo
ry of his 3,000-acre farm opera
tion, Wood talked about success
ful breeding practices they use on
their dual herds that total 167
head.
Wood listed three goals they
strive for when breeding cows
breeding for cows that will last at
least 10 years with 30,000 lb
potential, breeding for cows to
score very good at the least, and
then breeding for a possible show
cow.
“We breed cows to please our
selves. What works in your neigh
bors herd may not work in yours.”
Wood said they breed to
improve the mother. After several
carvings, they can sec if any pat
tern is developing regardless of
the sire used. Wood said there are
no bad bulls, just bad matings. He
encouraged breeders to read and
digest sale (dispersal) catalogs and
to study pedigrees.
Wood called the pedigree the
most important document an
owner can own, seeing it as a doc
umentation of parentage.
“The registration paper is only
as good as the cow. There are a lot
of great grade cows that need
papers and a lot of merchandized
registered bad cows. Merchandiz
ing is easier and quicker with a
pedigree.”
In other general comments.
Wood said to be careful of the
financial risks ot embryo transfer.
He sees land as a most valuable
asset, and practices a lot of pastur
ing after the first cutting. Wood
describes breeding as an art and
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encouraged farmers to set goals
and to never be satisfied. He
reminded fellow breeders that we
are all stewards of God’s world.
In answering questions, Wood
said that all of their heifers are
bred to their own bulls. They mar
ket 125 to ISO animals per year
because of limited space. Out of
300 heifers, 100 are bred all the
time and 5 to 6 go to the beef pen.
He concluded by saying that each
farmer knows his cows best. He
encouraged farmers to become
involved in milk marketing and to
sell a good product.
Earlier in the program, the Club
awarded their Distinguished Ser
vice Award to Dave Spicher of
Belleville. The award goes to
someone who has given many
years of unselfish service to the
Holstein Club. Spicher has chaired
both the show and sale committees
and has received many breeding
awards.
The highest BM award went to
Vern-Lee Holsteins of McVey
town. Owned by Russell Kline, his
herd average is 107.2.
Darv Yoder presented the
Junior Membership report. Citing
an active 4-H Holstein Club,
Yoder thanked the Holstein Asso
ciation for the Youth Fair premi
ums. He presented $433 in premi
ums to more than 20 youth. Yoder
said he hopes to see another judg
ing team this year led again by Sue
Sellers of Belleville.
Paul Neer of Belleville report
ed for the show committee. This
past year’s dairy show during the
MifFlin County Youth Fair saw 86
entries, 69 of which were youth.
Neer said it was the biggest year
for first year members (8). He
encouraged more to show at the
Youth Fair. Neer said Mifflin
County is one of the few counties
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Robert Peachey, Loren K. Yoder, and Victor Yoder.
that hands out trophies and premi-
urns.
The Mifflin County Summer
Classic Sale will be held August
17. Neer reported that proceeds
will go to help the youth and to
pave the alleyways at the Mifflin
County Youth Park. Selection of
animals for the sale has already
started. He said they may include
eight to ten good grade Holsteins
this year.
Darren Peachey gave the Penn
sylvania Holstein report. The State
Convention will be held February
23-25. The Spring Showcase Sale
will be at the Holstein Association
farm in Middletown.
Mifflin County Extension
Director Dave Filson presented
the top DHIA Management award
to Darren and Caryn Peachey of
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intent on making the
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listed a scries of meetings sched
uled for February and March
including Dairy MAP, dairy nutri
tion teleconferences, weed school,
and pesticide tests. Filson intro
duced Dairy Extension Agent
Dave Swarm who is stationed in
Perry but who also services Junia
ta and Mifflin Counties.
Loren K. Yoder, Robert Peachey,
and Victor Yoder were elected to
the Mifflin County Holstein Club’s
board of directors.
Mifflin County Dairy Princess
Erin Goss quizzed the crowd
about cheese with a “Name the
Cheese” handout. In her talk, Goss
said that there are about 430
Department of Agriculture approved
cheese factories in 30 states of the
United States.
conversion to an inten
sive grazing system on
their farm is the focus of
a series of workshops
offered through Penn
State Cooperative Exten
sion in March. The
Southeast Dairy Graz
ing School will be held
March 9, 16, and 23,
1995, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at
the Harvest Drive
Restaurant, Intercourse,
PA.
“We are interested in
working with a small
group of producers who
want to take the time to
think about how they
will incorporate grazing
on the farm, says Glenn
Shirk, Extension Agent,
Lancaster County. Dur
ing the workshop, pro
ducers will redesign
their farm using the soil
survey maps. At the end
of the workshop, pro
ducers will walk away
with a plan. We also
want them to have the
support of their feed
dealer and veterinarian.
If producers want to
develop additional on
farm support through
out the growing season,
we intend to discuss that
too.”
The workshop is lim
ited to 25 participants.
The registration fee, due
March 1, is $40.00 for
all three meetings and
includes the noon meal
For more information,
contact Glenn A. Shirk,
Lancaster Cooperative
Extension Office, 1383
Arcadia Road, Room 1,
Lancaster, PA 17601-
3149, phone.7l7-394-
6851, FAX 717-394-
3962.