A2O-LancMter Farming, Saturday, January 4, 1997 Milking Shorthorns Win Awards For Brother-Sister Team (Continued from Pago A 1) While Milking Shorthorns, which originated in England, are the oldest of all dairy breeds, they were not accepted into the Ameri can Dairy Association until 1972. At that time, the breed was split with'A becoming dairy cattle and the other 14 are rasied for bteef. “I have them because my dad had them and he had them because Grandad had them,” Chris admits. “And, I’m not certain how he got his shorthorn knowledge.” The Youngs do know that their selected breed takes less mainte nance than Holsteins. “And, when you consider the smaller con sumption of food, versus the milk production we feel you come out on top.” Christine points out” “We used to house our shor thorns with a herd of Holsteins. The Holsteins saw a vet with much greater frequency. I’ve nev er had a shorthorn with a twisted stomach, they don’t get milk fev er, and they tolerate heat much better than most breeds.” She also feels shorthorns are more even tempered than other breeds and, therefore, easier to handle. Discouragement over the breed sets in when Chris sees a milking shorthorn passed over for a E .^ da^ M *5? ,n ,h#Mn,or two-year-old class at the World Dairy Expo and had the best udder. She was reserve All-American yearling. supreme award that she feels is well qualified. “We live in a Hols tein oriented nation,” she says. “But, we're making progress. This year, a milking shorthorn was suipeme champion in Dlinios and supreme udder in California competitions. Nationwide, there are about 600 milking shorthorn members. “As many as there are Holstein mem bers statewide,” Chris points out. National headquarters are in Balart, Wisconsin and are shared with the Brown Swiss Dairy Association. “Like all breeds, there are good ones and bad ones,” Chris says. “To say there are ten bulls contri buting to artificial insemination might be an exaggeration,” she continues. “Actually, most breeders get their semen privately.” Chris keeps her breeding records on the computer and checks carefully for genetic quali ties before breeding. She accepts help and suggestions from her fiance, Keith, who gives her hand around the farm when not working for the Blank Book Company in nearby Roaring Springs. “I've tried flushing more than most shorthorn breeders." Chris admits. “But, with minimal suc cess. Luke has been ' met” Last year, their herd avenge was 19,812 pounds and their Gold medal herd is in the top 30% of the milking shorthorn breed. Horizon Farms is the only milk ing shorthorn breeder attending all three American Dairy shows. “This month we will be going to Lousville and Toronto,” says Chris. ‘That takes a lot of sche duled juggling. We will be home for 24 hours between shows and we have to have someone lined up to milk the cows we leave behind as well as figuring out how to get the ones milked we are taking along." “My aim has always been to have all show cattle,” she con tinues. “That way. I can grab any of my cows for a show and not have to call it all off if one isn’t up to par.” Chris and Jimmy do their own clipping and trimming and each cows has a “beauty parlor” finish at all times. Situation in the picturesque farmland of Morrison’s Cove, Chris and Jimmy’s show cattle arc not the norm. “There are only a few of us who go from show to show,” Chris says. “I know most farmers don’t understand it, but showing cattle is the best way I know of to market them." Chris shows ons of hsr favorits Milking Shorthorn calves. Brosius Gives Year-End Report EVERETT NBWSWANGER Managing Editor HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) At a media conference in his office on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Ag Secretary Charles Brosius listed five major accomplishments for PDA in 1996. They include the completion of die state conserva tion commission’s nutrient man agement regulations; the work in the domestic animal health act; the comprehensive ammemdments to the Dog Law; the repealing of obsolete language in the consoli dated weights and measures act; and the initiation of the hardwoods development council. In ail their efforts, Brosius said the department operated with the idea that education is just as effec tive as regulation. “We feel we rep resent the farmer in the admins tra tion and in the contacts we make in fulfilling our responsibilities as regulators,” Brosius said. “And the fanners were helpful in securing the additional $4.3 million for Penn State reserach and extension.” In their efforts to promote export of Pennsylvania products. Brosius said it was important to note that international trade is all around us now through the Philidelphia port of entry. And we need to put Pen nsylvania products in this flow. Because American farmers can produce more than our population needs, we need to export the excess to help keep the market price at profitable levels. Brosius also expressed concern with the on-going trend that small farmers are not going to make it if they are not efficient and have a low debt load. But this is also true for larger farmers. The International Day at the Farm Show is another attempt by PDA to facilitate exports by invit ing foreign buyers to come to Pen nsylvania’s major showcase of agriculture. On Friday, January 10, a trade show with about SO businesses will participate at the Hershey Convention Center prior to the annual Farm Show Banquet Here the foreign buyers will make contact with local exporters. The next day, these buyers will have fine run of the farm show to pick and choose who and what they want to see. To dale, 105 people fiom 29 countries have made reser- variant to come. Unlike bit year when many ambassadors from foreign countries came, this year most of those who plan to come are trade and export/import officials. In a release from the press office, Brosius said the hard work and dedication of Pennsylvania’s 50,000 farm families continues to keep agriculture the number one industry of the Commonwealth. With $3.76 billion in cash receipts. Keystone farmers and agribusines ses are the leading agricultural pro ducers in the northeastern U.S. and some of the most productive in the country. * , Agriculture' generates an addi tional $4O billion annually in related economic activity such as food processing, marketing, trans portation, as well as manufacturing all the products and equipment used on the farm. Milk production is die leading segment of our agricultural indus try, with annual sales in 1995 of $1.47 billion. Pennsylvania’s milk production for the same year was 10.5 billion pounds, or 6.8 percent of the nation’s total supply. The number of milk cows in the state averaged 642,000 head and the number of commercial dairy farms was 10.800. The total value of all cattle, hogs, and sheep on Pennsylvania farms at the end of 1995 was $1.36 billion, down 7 percent from the previous year. Ibe gross income from beef production on 33,000 farms was $369.8 million, down 21 percent. Gross income from pork production on 5,500 hog farms was $132.1 million, and income from sheep production was $5.2 million for 3,200 sheep farms. The combined value of Pennsyl vania’s poultry production from broilers, eggs, and turkeys, plus the Value of chicken sales in 1995 was $563.5 million, a seven percent increase over 1994. Laying flocks produced 5.66 billion eggs for the year and turkey producers raised 11.5 million poults. The value of agricultural exports from the Keystone state during the last fiscal year were valued at $413 million. This represents an increase of 13 percent from the $454 million worth of commodi ties exported during the previous year.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers