Beller crowned senior dairy princess during Tuscarawas County Dairy Farmers Banquet
Top dairy herds were recognized, new royalty was crowned, and updates were given on some current legislation of interest to farmers during the 2011 Tuscarawas County Dairy Farmers Banquet.
The event was held Thursday, Feb. 24, in Zion United Church of Christ at Ragersville, with 125 dairy farmers and guests attending.
Top dairy herds, in both official and unofficial categories, were recognized for the production of milk, fat or protein, and presented plaques or certificates. The unofficial category was added in 2004.
Also receiving plaques were most improved herds, high lifetime cows and low somatic cell count herds.
Plaques were presented to the following:
High herd in milk production, official - (100 cows or less), Jerry Horn of Oldtown Valley Road SW, New Philadelphia, for 22,568 pounds of milk for 97 cows; (101 and over), Putt Dairy Farms of 311 Ragersville Road NW, Sugarcreek, for 28,886 pounds of milk for 343 cows.
High herd in milk production, unofficial - (100 or less), Ray Mutti, 892 Stonecreek Road SW, Stone Creek, for 22,686 pounds of milk for 59 cows; (101 and over), Jim and Marcia Loveday, 6273 Winklepleck Road NW, Dundee, for 26,596 pounds of milk for 127 cows.
High herd in fat production, official - (100 cows or less), Cliff Finton, 1436 Stonecreek Road SW, New Philadelphia, for 937 pounds of fat for 84 cows; (101 and over), Putt Dairy Farms, for 1,069 pounds of fat.
High herd in fat production, unofficial - (100 cows or less), Ray Mutti, for 975 pounds of fat; (101 and over ), Mutti Dairy Farms, 3326 Stonecreek Road SW, Stone Creek, represented by the Vernon Mutti family, for 940 pounds of fat.
High herd in protein production, official - (100 cows or less), D&S Dairy Farm for production of 703 pounds of protein for 46 cows; Putt Dairy Farms for 895 pounds.
High herd in protein production, unofficial - (100 cows or less), Ray Mutti for 734 pounds; (101 and over), Jim and Marcia Loveday for 801 pounds.
Most improved herd, official - D&S Dairy Farm, for an increase of 1,587 pounds of milk.
Most improved herd, unofficial - Ridenour Farms (John and Ben Ridenour) of Angel Valley Road SW, Stone Creek, for an increase of 3,029 pounds of milk.
Putt Dairy Farms was recognized for having the official high lifetime cow, while Ridenour Farms had the unofficial high lifetime cow.
Burky Farm of Sugarcreek had the official low somatic cell count herd with 122,000, while Mutti Dairy Farms had the unofficial low somatic cell count herd with 105,000.
Certificates were presented in a number of other categories for Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss cattle.
Myron Armstrong, Northeast Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) Cooperative, Inc. manager, assisted with the presentation of DHI awards.
Armstrong reported that Putt Dairy Farms is listed among the elite herds (top five percent ) in the state of Ohio for the production of milk, fat and protein for both Holstein and Jersey breeds.
A total of 18 Tuscarawas County dairy herds are currently on DHI test. The Tuscarawas County averages for all official herds on test for 2010 was 23,219 pounds of milk, 801 pounds of fat and 648 pounds of protein.
Guest speaker, William Huston, USDA Ag advisor, Diyala Province, Iraq, said, “In this province they have over 18,000 bee hives. Diyala has been known as the bee capital of Iraq. All their vegetables require pollination and bees are the best pollinators they have here,” he explained. “It is important for the non-farmers to see that things are getting back to normal.”
He noted that “The beekeepers are working and the bees are out. You can see the hives and you can see the honey out at the markets. USDA Ag advisors have assisted the beekeepers in providing technical assistance, finding equipment that we can get into this country, providing information, new technology, and new methods to their producers. I think these are all huge steps forward.”
Liz Beller, a 15-year-old New Philadelphia High School sophomore, was crowned senior dairy princess, while Gabrielle (Gabby) Heter, a seventh-grader at Welty Middle School was crowned junior dairy princess.
Liz is a daughter of Laurie Beaber and Jeff Beller, Stone Creek, and Gabby is a daughter of Brian and Jodi Heter of New Philadelphia. Both are members of Town & Country 4-H Club and active in 4-H, school and church programs.
The senior dairy princess shows dairy cows and heifers, dairy goats and market hogs. She has received the reserve grand champion award for Sadie, her Guernsey heifer, the past two years. She also serves as a 4-H camp counselor.
In school, Liz is involved in track and field, Science Club and German Club. She takes piano lessons and is an active member of Jerusalem Church, where she assists with vacation Bible school.
Gabby raises Milking Shorthorns with her grandfather, and she is a member of the Junior Shorthorn Association. Her 4-H projects are dairy calves and heifers.
The 2011 junior dairy princess takes an active part in school and church programs. She belongs to St. Peters Lutheran Church and choir and helps with suppers and decorating the social hall.
The 2010 senior and junior dairy princesses, Amy and Sara Donato, were unable to attend the banquet and crown their successors because of school responsibilities.
Amy is a freshman at Muskingum University and Sara is a seventh-grader at Strasburg School. During the year, they took part in four parades and helped at the 2010 Tuscarawas County Fair.
Jim Rowe, Farm Bureau chairman of the Center for Food and Animal Issues, announced several upcoming meetings, including “Talking with Gary Conklin-the Rest of the Story” March 28. It is about a Plain City dairy farmer who was attacked by an animal rights activist group.
Regarding several current bills of interest to farmers, he said, “We need you to contact your state senator and state representative now and ask them to support Senate Bill 90 and House Bill 3, the Ohio Estate Tax repeal legislation. This bill moved out of committee last week and the vote in the House and Senate will probably be in the next two weeks.”
The event was held Thursday, Feb. 24, in Zion United Church of Christ at Ragersville, with 125 dairy farmers and guests attending.
Top dairy herds, in both official and unofficial categories, were recognized for the production of milk, fat or protein, and presented plaques or certificates. The unofficial category was added in 2004.
Also receiving plaques were most improved herds, high lifetime cows and low somatic cell count herds.
Plaques were presented to the following:
High herd in milk production, official - (100 cows or less), Jerry Horn of Oldtown Valley Road SW, New Philadelphia, for 22,568 pounds of milk for 97 cows; (101 and over), Putt Dairy Farms of 311 Ragersville Road NW, Sugarcreek, for 28,886 pounds of milk for 343 cows.
High herd in milk production, unofficial - (100 or less), Ray Mutti, 892 Stonecreek Road SW, Stone Creek, for 22,686 pounds of milk for 59 cows; (101 and over), Jim and Marcia Loveday, 6273 Winklepleck Road NW, Dundee, for 26,596 pounds of milk for 127 cows.
High herd in fat production, official - (100 cows or less), Cliff Finton, 1436 Stonecreek Road SW, New Philadelphia, for 937 pounds of fat for 84 cows; (101 and over), Putt Dairy Farms, for 1,069 pounds of fat.
High herd in fat production, unofficial - (100 cows or less), Ray Mutti, for 975 pounds of fat; (101 and over ), Mutti Dairy Farms, 3326 Stonecreek Road SW, Stone Creek, represented by the Vernon Mutti family, for 940 pounds of fat.
High herd in protein production, official - (100 cows or less), D&S Dairy Farm for production of 703 pounds of protein for 46 cows; Putt Dairy Farms for 895 pounds.
High herd in protein production, unofficial - (100 cows or less), Ray Mutti for 734 pounds; (101 and over), Jim and Marcia Loveday for 801 pounds.
Most improved herd, official - D&S Dairy Farm, for an increase of 1,587 pounds of milk.
Most improved herd, unofficial - Ridenour Farms (John and Ben Ridenour) of Angel Valley Road SW, Stone Creek, for an increase of 3,029 pounds of milk.
Putt Dairy Farms was recognized for having the official high lifetime cow, while Ridenour Farms had the unofficial high lifetime cow.
Burky Farm of Sugarcreek had the official low somatic cell count herd with 122,000, while Mutti Dairy Farms had the unofficial low somatic cell count herd with 105,000.
Certificates were presented in a number of other categories for Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss cattle.
Myron Armstrong, Northeast Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) Cooperative, Inc. manager, assisted with the presentation of DHI awards.
Armstrong reported that Putt Dairy Farms is listed among the elite herds (top five percent ) in the state of Ohio for the production of milk, fat and protein for both Holstein and Jersey breeds.
A total of 18 Tuscarawas County dairy herds are currently on DHI test. The Tuscarawas County averages for all official herds on test for 2010 was 23,219 pounds of milk, 801 pounds of fat and 648 pounds of protein.
Guest speaker, William Huston, USDA Ag advisor, Diyala Province, Iraq, said, “In this province they have over 18,000 bee hives. Diyala has been known as the bee capital of Iraq. All their vegetables require pollination and bees are the best pollinators they have here,” he explained. “It is important for the non-farmers to see that things are getting back to normal.”
He noted that “The beekeepers are working and the bees are out. You can see the hives and you can see the honey out at the markets. USDA Ag advisors have assisted the beekeepers in providing technical assistance, finding equipment that we can get into this country, providing information, new technology, and new methods to their producers. I think these are all huge steps forward.”
Liz Beller, a 15-year-old New Philadelphia High School sophomore, was crowned senior dairy princess, while Gabrielle (Gabby) Heter, a seventh-grader at Welty Middle School was crowned junior dairy princess.
Liz is a daughter of Laurie Beaber and Jeff Beller, Stone Creek, and Gabby is a daughter of Brian and Jodi Heter of New Philadelphia. Both are members of Town & Country 4-H Club and active in 4-H, school and church programs.
The senior dairy princess shows dairy cows and heifers, dairy goats and market hogs. She has received the reserve grand champion award for Sadie, her Guernsey heifer, the past two years. She also serves as a 4-H camp counselor.
In school, Liz is involved in track and field, Science Club and German Club. She takes piano lessons and is an active member of Jerusalem Church, where she assists with vacation Bible school.
Gabby raises Milking Shorthorns with her grandfather, and she is a member of the Junior Shorthorn Association. Her 4-H projects are dairy calves and heifers.
The 2011 junior dairy princess takes an active part in school and church programs. She belongs to St. Peters Lutheran Church and choir and helps with suppers and decorating the social hall.
The 2010 senior and junior dairy princesses, Amy and Sara Donato, were unable to attend the banquet and crown their successors because of school responsibilities.
Amy is a freshman at Muskingum University and Sara is a seventh-grader at Strasburg School. During the year, they took part in four parades and helped at the 2010 Tuscarawas County Fair.
Jim Rowe, Farm Bureau chairman of the Center for Food and Animal Issues, announced several upcoming meetings, including “Talking with Gary Conklin-the Rest of the Story” March 28. It is about a Plain City dairy farmer who was attacked by an animal rights activist group.
Regarding several current bills of interest to farmers, he said, “We need you to contact your state senator and state representative now and ask them to support Senate Bill 90 and House Bill 3, the Ohio Estate Tax repeal legislation. This bill moved out of committee last week and the vote in the House and Senate will probably be in the next two weeks.”
Published: March 7, 2011
