A2O-Lancaster' Farming, Saturday, February 21, 1998
Phoenix Hereford
Earns Dam Of Distinction
GAIL STROCK
Mifflin Co.
Correspondent
MCVEYTOWN (Mifflin Co.)
Frank Phoenix of Twin Ponds
Farm near McVcytown, Mifflin
County, owns a Hereford cow by
which all other Hereford cows can
be compared. FSL Victoria 15G
66 A is an unlikely name for a cow
with such honors.tßut because of
Victoria’s exceptional perform
ance and Frank’s well-kept rec
ords, she’s earned the right to be
named the best name of all - Dam
of Distinction.
The American Hereford Asso
ciation (AHA) recently elevated
Frank’s cow to the level of Dam of
Distinction, a position reserved
for only 3,646 cows from 941 per
formance herds in 45 states.
According to AHA standards,
an ideal Hereford Cow will calve
as a 2-year-old, will produce a
healthy, growthy calf every year,
and will be problem-free for its
owner. Specifically, a Dam of
Distinction will calve at 30
months of age or sooner, will have
produced at least three calves, and
will have had an interval of no
greater than 400 days between the
fust and second calves and no
greater than 370 days after her
second calf. Cows must have a
progeny average 205-day adjusted
This daughter of Frank Phoenix’s Dam of Distinction Is
only slightly curious about visitors at TWn Ponds Farm
near McVeytown, Mifflin County.
Jersey Production
Hits Record High
REYNOLDSBURG. Ohio
The average milk production for
Jerseys has climbed to 16,374
pounds nationally, setting another
record year for the breed.
With the increased emphasis on
protein, Jersey producers area also
excelling in keeping up in the mar
ket place by increasing protein
production by 11 pounds, or 1.9
percent over the 19% totals.
During 1997, 592 Jersey herds
were enrolled in Dairy Herd Im
provement Registry and averaged
16,374 pounds milk, 750 pounds
fat, and 602 pounds protein.
These mature equivalent (m.e.)
averages are based on a total of
52,819 records. This production
shows an increase of 2 percent for
milk, 1.9 percent for protein and
1.8 percent for fat over the 19%
breed average.
The average actual production
weaning weight ration of at least
105, and weaning records must be
submitted to the Hereford Per
formance Program.
Looking out across the Twin
Ponds pasture, all of the fuzzy,
winter-coated, white-faced Here
fords look the same. But Frank
sees a difference. He believes the
Dam of Distinction status will
translate into a higher demand and
price for his breeding stock. He’s
spent the past few years building
his herd of 20-some animals. Now
the marketing begins!
“I’ve already sold bulls to dif
ferent breeders in Maryland,”
Frank said. “I believe in buying
good stock. I bought one of the
best cows at the Beef Expo several
years ago at the Ag Arena at Penn
State. And I’ve been artificially
inseminating with semen from a
former national champion bull.”
Two of Frank’s bulls have
come under close scrutiny during
the Bull Testing Program at the
Pennsylvania Meat Animal
Evaluation Center near Penn
State. Eligible bulls arrive at the
evaluation center in mid October
for 112 days of testing. They’re
carefully monitored for weight
gain, fat thickness, muscle, feed
efficiency, breeding soundness,
and more. All winter test bulls
must have been bom between Jan.
1 and April IS. Most of these bulls
'J
few these animals was 14,443
pounds milk, 671 pounds fat and
539 pounds protein. This is an in
crease of 274 pounds milk, 11
pounds fat, and 10 pounds protein
actual, over the 19% figures.
In addition to a record high
average for the Jersey tweed, the
1997 DHIR m.e. averages brought
good news for individual herds.
Charles Price, owner of Price
land Jerseys, Menomonie, Wis.,
topped the protein list, with 877
pounds protein on 38 records.
Price’s herd ranked second for
milk and fat with 23.429 pounds
milk and 1.087 pounds fat
Holding the number one posi
tion for milk and fat is Sunny Day
Farm, Chester. S.C., owned by
Herbert, Betty, and Herby D.
Lutz. Their 67 Jerseys averaged
24,075 pounds milk, 1,100 pounds
fat, and 830 pounds protein.
are sold at the sale the end of
March.
For better breeding perform
ance, Frank enlists A-l help from
neighbor Gordon McKee. Frank
tries to plan for January or Febru
ary calving.
“It helps. The calves are a lot
bigger in the fall. And a January or
February calf will do better in the
Bull Testing Program. Better fat,
yearly weight gain, and average
weight gain determines the sale
order. When I call Gordon, he
pretty much comes over right
away to breed a cow. I have very
few repeats.”
Frank purchased his Dam of
Distinction at a sale in Gettysburg
from the owners of Flat Stone
Lick Farm located near Marianna.
He has three daughters from her in
his herd.
Frank and his wife Kathy own
several businesses and rental
properties in Lewistown. They
met when Frank began working
on Kathy’s home dairy farm in
Clinton County. Their 2S-year-old
son Spencer was graduated from
Penn State and is employed by a
State College bank. Frank and
Kathy are also putting the final
touches on their Garden Treasures
shop, located on their farm. Grand
opening is scheduled for May.
In addition to raising Herefords, Frank and Kathy Phoenix will open their garden
and gift shop this May. It’s located on their Twin Ponds Farm near McVeytown, Mifflin
Itv.
Twin Ponds Farm Is horns to a Dam of Distinction Hereford and her offspring. After
several years of building a herd, Frank Phoenix will start marketing his Herefords
this spring.
This farm sign announces the home where Frank and
Kathy Phoenix live. This spring, It will also announce the
opening of their Garden Treasures shop.