American (Continued from Page A 1) Another resolution thanked the board of directors for their dedica tion, attention and willingness to work, while yet another thanked the staff for doing a good job. Two resolutions approved were aimed at changes desired for membership. A resolution from the AG A Pro duction Committee requests that all breeders use the top 20 bulls rated in artificial insemination studs, rather than focusing on the top two. Achieving a healthy genetic diversity and continued breed improvement are at risk given the number ofGuemseys in the United States and a prevelance of a sire selection practice that favors popu larity of a bull rather than animal improvement. Another resolution, from the New York Guernsey Breeders Association, requested that mem bers should try to do their best to encourage multiple component pricing with the implementation of Farm Bill provisions that would change the regulation of the milk market in the United States. In other action, Meliisa Mor row, of'Tyrone, was named the national outstanding Guernsey youth, selected from a field of six contestants and five finalists. Morrow, daughter of John and Karen Morrow, owners of Hillside Acres, is a Penn State student pur suing a bachelor’s degree in agri cultural business management. She has also served as the 1995 Pennsylvania Guernsey queen and national Guernsey princess, and is a mbmer of the Penn Sate Dairy Science Club and its dairy judging Guernsey Association Elects Officers, Holds Sale In other outstanding member recognitions, Ronald Wenger, of Goshen, Ind., owner of Valley Set Farm, was named the recipient of the AGA master breeder award. In posthumous recognitions, William Lee Moore Jr., Plano, Texas, and Frank D. Brown, Port Deposit, Md., were both honored for their contributions to the Guernsey breed during their lifetimes. In other business, the conven tion sale, held at the Maryland Fairgrounds in Timonium, inside the large Dairy Palace building, featured 41 lots including a bull, cows, heifers, springers, calves and frozen embryos. The sale average was 1 $2,022 and it grossed $86,223. At $10,500, the top seller was a syndicate bull that provided an unusual investment opportunity for members. It was purchased by 21st Century Genetics. The bull, Lone Acres E Bald more, is a Sherma Victory Ellas Enhancer son out of dam 2-year old Lone Acres Magic Bonita, classified Very Good 86-points. The Baltimore bull carries pre dicted abilldes of +1,608 pounds milk, +62 pounds fat (+sl9s), +49 pounds protein (+sl9l),'and CY+l95. His PTATis +2.5 and his PTI was +317. Frederick and Bruce Kipp, of Lone Acres Farm in North Prairie. Wis., are the breeders of the bull. For a month prior to the sale, members of the AGA were able to purchase membership in a syndi cate that sold semen shares at a rate that came to $lO per unit, or a full share at $2OO per 20 units. There were 43 people who purchased a full of half share. The total invested in bull shares prior to the sale was $6,700, and bidding on the right to market that semen began there. For being a member of the syn dicate, royalties are to be paid, depending on the value of the semen. It still has to prove itself, however, Jensen said he was excited about the bull’s potential. “It’s a real exciting pedigree,” he said. “The bull offers some very modem genetics and has a deep cow family the fourth dam was this year’s living lifetime award (recipient), presented at annual meeting. “His dam is a 2-year-old off to a real exciting start,” Jensen said. “She was appraised 86 points as a 2-year-old. His ganddam ranks N 0.33 on the CPI list (cow perfor mance index list).” The second highest selling lot of the sale was a year-old open heifer out of Excellent 92-point Valley •Set B Hally. Wenger Ronald, of Goshen, Ind., consigned and bred the heifer. Valley Set Tom Handy, a daughter of Valley Set Smokey Tom. She was sold to Spring Walk Farm, in Big Prarie, Ohio for $5,300. The third highest selling con signment of the sale was a calf owned and bred by Clay Smith, 20, whose parents, O. Clayton and Shirley Smith of OCS Dairy, in Jefferson, Md, also opened their farm to a convention tour. In 1978, Clay Smith brought Guernseys onto his parents’ 240-head Holstein dairy farm, starting with one calf that has Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 29, 1996-Al9 Clay Smith, owner of this January registered Guernsey, OCS Dairy Footsies Miss Biggie, leads her around the sale ring at the Maryland Fairground’s Cow Palace show and sale building. In the background, Chris Hill, on the left, con ducts the sale, while David Smith reads pedigrees. Smith’s calf was the third highest selling in the 41-lot offering. served as the foundation of now number of titles in the shownng. famous herd. The calf s dam (DCS The calf, OCS Dairy Footsies Dairy Diadora Lil Foot has the Miss Biggie, a Solum Grand Hen- United State’s highest 305-day and ry daughter bom Jan. 6, was sold 363-day butterfat production for $4,000 to Pleasant View Farm, record and made 34,220 pounds of in St. Thomas, Pa. (Franklin milk in 363- I. She also won a (Turn to Page A 22)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers