National Holstein Convention
(Continued from Pag* A 24)
standing among beautiful cows in
the long rows down through the
stantion bam made an impressive
show. Owners Gerald and Patricia
Carr and family, Michael, Paul,
Daniel, Lisa, and Austin, form 300
acres of com, alfalfa, and oats.
Their 95 milk cows average
24,487 m, 904 f, 804 p. BAA is
106.3, and they have received the
PBR Award for the last four years.
“At Candale we try to breed
cows with correct functional type
that are also a pleasure to look at
and work with throughout the
year,” Gerald said. “Using a com
bination of the Red Book and aAa,
we try to mate cows to the more
popular bulls but not necessarily
the lop 'numbers bulls.’ Udders
and feet and legs receive strong
emphasis although we try to main
tain a well-balanced individual
with enough strength and capacity
to consume the feed needed for
high production.”
The Carr family started their
farm operation with few assets and
borrowed money. The present
show place and excellent herd of
registered Holsteins is an example
of what can be done with determi
nation and hard work. A sign on a
public building in Davidsville,
seen as the bus passed by, summar
ized the Candale philosophy:
“Opportunity is often dressed up in
work clothes.”
MISHLER HOLSTEINS
At Mishlcr Holstein farm, Holl
sopple, Marie and Helen Mishler
concentrate on quality with a rela
tively small herd of 45 registered
Holstein milk cows. The herd was
suited when Mark and Helen
joined the cows they each owned
when they got married. Today this
outstanding herd has a BAA of
108.9 on 42 head. This includes 9
EX, 32 VG, and none lower than
80 points.
llie Mishlers fann of 200 acres
of alfalfa, gnsi, com, and oata.
They try to also have the best crops
possible to make milk with their
small herd.
“My philosophy on breeding
cattle is quite simple,” Mark said.
‘Tim and foremost, we must have
a top type bull that excels in super
ior stature, strength, and thurl
width. Once we have the framew
ork, we then focus on breeding for
outstanding udders with excellent
udder clearance. As far as feet and
legs go, we never really breed for
that but instead think that manage
ment of the cows play a more criti-
j« and Esther and Marie and Helen Mlshler were a host family for the national
convention tour of Somerset County.
Among tho Berkley host family to graat tha tour group are
from left, Michele, Chip, and Drew Rometberg; Todd Imhoff,
and Lewis Berkley.
cal role. Keeping he calves and
heifers on concrete instead of a
manure pack seems to have kept
our troubles limited. And as far as
milk and components go, the
results we get from using the high
type bulls are very pleasing to u».”
This impressive show place has
been designated a “Dairy of Dis
tinction" by the Pennsylvania
Farm Beautification Program.
HILLMONT FARM
At Hillmont Farm, Berlin, the
Peach cow family takes your eye.
Not only are these beautiful cows
housed in free stalls and milked in
a parlor, they boast of die fust fifth
generation Excellent in the herd
and have actual records to
29,660 m. HS2f. lOlOp.
The farm is owned by Jay and
Kirk Hillegass and family, Connie,
Tine, Juliana. Luke, and Alec.
"Our ultimate goal is to breed
the multiple generation excellent
cow with index that show* well,”
Kirk said. “This is not easy! It
takes a very strong cow family to
do this. Hie most important thing
is to match the bull and cow to the
best of your ability. It helps to get
several opinions, hi staying up
with the index system, we find
ourselves flushing our virgin heif
ers to die newest hot sire or even a
young sire. I cannot stress enough
the importance of the “cow
family.”
BERKUNG HOLSTEINS
At Boldine Holstein Farm, Ber
lin, Lewis and Barbara Berkley
and daughters, Michele,. Nancy,
and Gina have developed 36 EX
cows and this type shows through
in the 70 cows that stand in the ties
tall bam. Of course, not only do
they look good, die latest DHIR
year shows the herd average of
The host family at Carrdale Holstain Farm are from left,
Dan, Austin, Lisa, Gerald, Patricia, Michael, and Paul.
25,558 m, 1002 f. 843 p. Thu fifth the “Roof Garden ofPennsylvani
genention farm is a Century Farm a,” and he said the county has a
that has 620 acres in two farms good climate to develop cow*. The
with 250 tillable and 220 in cooler summer makes the cows
woodland. more comfortable.
Lewis told the group that Some
rset County is often referred to as
The Hlllegate host family at Hlllmont Farm are, from left,
Tine, Kirk, Luke, Alec, Jay, Connie, Lexl Huston, and Liana.
Lancaster FamUnfl. Saturday, July 1, 1995425
“We put a great deal of empha
(Tum to Pago A2S)