_ *
PENN STATE
V 01.44 No. 39
Swine Industry Advances
Psuedorabies-Free Pursuit
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
Agriculture Secretary Samuel
E. Hayes Jr. announced that Penn
sylvania has moved one step clos
er to achieving pseudorabies -free
status for its swine industry.
“Because of the tireless efforts
of many, we have made another
stride to ensure the health of our
swine herds and the economic via
bility of a key component of Penn
sylvania agriculture,” Hayes said.
Pseudorabies is a viral infection
of swine that primarily affects the
central nervous and reproductive
systems, causing loss of efficiency
and production, and increased
costs.
Hayes said that Pennsylvania
has advanced to Stage IV (surveil
lance) of a five-stage process to
monitor the eradication of pseudo
rabie from Pennsylvania’s swine
herds.
The designation is based on an
absence of the disease in the state
and a' commitment to maintain
stringent control measures to pre-
Wednesday evening at the Kimberton Fair, the Weitzeis,
including wife Melissa and son James and daughter Felicia,
picked up champion of the Suffolk ewes. From left, Melissa
We'rtzel, James Weitzel (in front), Greg Weitzel, Felicia Weit
zel, judge Rod Gilbert, and Walter Ernst, holding the champ
ion ram. Photo by Andy Andrew »
Kimberton Fair Names
Sheep Champions
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
'KIMBERTON (Chester Co.)
“The judge told us he really likes
the lamb,” said Greg Weitzel.
Moments before, Weitzel
watched as his family helped show
the yearling Suffolk ewe to champ
ion of her breed. "He told us we
should bring some more.”
Wednesday evening at the Kim
berton Fair, the Weitzels, includ
ing wife Melissa and son James
and daughter Felicia, picked up
champion of the Suffolk ewes.
Judge for the show at the Kim
berton Fairgrounds was Rod Gil
bert, assistant professor of animal
science at Delaware Valley Col-
Five Sections
vent rein traduction.
Under a National Cooperative
State-Federal-Industry Eradica
tion Program, Pennsylvania parti
cipates in an aggressive testing
program for all high-risk herds, in
cluding continuous flow feed lots
and herds within a two-mile
radiius of previously infected
herds.
Pennsylvania will be able to ad
vance to Stage V, pseudorabies
free, in one year if the disease is
not diagnosed in the state and if all
other provisions of its Stage IV
status continue to be met
Today’s announcement comes
just one year after Secretary Hay
es announced a new initiative to
achieve state pseudorabies-free
status, which will increase the
ability of Pennsylvania producers
to export pigs and ease certain
testing requirements for move
ment of hogs within the common
wealth.
The disease poses no threat to
(Turn to Page At 1)
lege, Doyles town.
The Weitzels, Sinking Springs,
have shown at the fair before. They
will show at Schuylkill County,
Goshen, and Allentown fairs.
Walter Ernst, Reading, won
grand champion ram in the Suffolk
division Wednesday evening at the
fair.
In all, 25 exhibitors brought
about 48 sheep to the show ring
Wednesday evening. The remain
der of the sheep show concludes
today with about 85 head.
In the Oxford division, Jacob
Garges, 17, son of Eileen and Paul
Gorges, Telford, swept the Oxford
show with his champion ram lamb
(Turn to Page A2I)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 31, 1999
Pennsylvania Alternate Dairy Princess Megan Meyers and her parents, Ed and Dia
na Meyers, farm in St. Thomas, Franklin County. Turn to page B 6 to read about the
Meyers family and about the trait that used to get Megan into trouble but has become a
great advantage to dairy promotion. Photo by Lou Ann Good.
Reist Shows Supreme Champion Animal
Of Lebanon Area Fair Youth Shows
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Fanning Staff
NORTH CORNWALL (Leba
non Co.) Kendra Reist of
Lebanon on Tuesday exhibited the
supreme champion dairy animal of
the Lebanon Area Fair youth divi
sion dairy shows.
Her bred and owned senior
3-year-old Ken-Joda Merril Dana
The supreme champion of the Lebanon Area Fair youth division dairy shows is
shown by, from the left, county Dairy Maid Hannah Bomgardner, county Alternate
Dairy Princess Amy Burkhart, county Li’L Dairy Princess Sarah and Lydia Smith,
Kendra Reist with her champion, and trophy sponsors the Dale and Pattie Maulfair
family Dale, Daryl, Jennifer, David and Pattie and judge Raymond Seidel.
$31.00 Per Year
was selected supreme by Holstein
breed judge Ray Seidel of Kutz
town, from among the 4-H and
FFA grand champions of the five
breeds exhibited.
It was the first supreme champ
ionship for Reist, who has been
exhibiting at the Lebanon Fair for
several years.
Holstein competition in the ring
600 Per Copy
was from Kurt Hostetler of
Annville with his bred and owned
FFA division grand champion
Holstein, and aged cow, Dale-
Pride Black Beauty.
Also in contention were a 4-H
grand champion Guernsey, 3-year
old Liseter Farm Nobles Laura,
exhibited by Andrew Ebersole of
(Turn to Page A 22)