Cattle

Few people who have grown up on the farm would dispute the idea that modern machinery has taken much of the back-breaking hand work out of agriculture. But although there have been advances in breeding livestock, how many cattle a farmer can raise or milk has been determined by how much land is available on which to pasture them. Until now, that is. Last week The Associated Press (AP) reported that a number of breeders are developing "mini-cattle. " Most are now being sold as pets, but their advocates say they have the potential to allow farmers, especially those with fewer acres, to get a better return on their investments.

BOONSBORO - Melody and Dorie are used to being pampered. They receive the best food, are constantly groomed and have spacious grazing pastures. In return, they have provided cattle developer Ernie Kueffner with some rather large trophies and valuable frozen embryos. Now Kueffner, 48, of 431 Potomac St., is preparing to sell them and about 38 other cows, heifers and calves on July 3 at an auction that is expected to draw 300 to 500 people to the Washington County Agricultural Education Center off Sharpsburg Pike.

HARRISBURG As his wife, children, and grandchildren watched from ringside, David Patrick of Maple Dell Farm in Woodbine, Md., exhibited both the Grand and Junior Champion at the All-American Ayrshire Show in Harrisburg on Sept. 20. After being named Intermediate Champion of last year's All-American, Maple Dell Zorro Dafourth won the 4-Year-Old class and was named Senior and Grand Champion. "This cow is just exceptional," judge Lynn Lee said. "She is the complete package with the winning combination of style, dairyness and a terrific mammary system.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A 39-year-old man accused of selling a man's cattle and pocketing the money was arraigned Monday on one count of grand larceny in Berkeley County Magistrate Court. Robert Mitchell Boyd of Bunker Hill, W.Va., was released on personal recognizance after Magistrate Jim Humphrey set a $10,000 bond, according to court records. Boyd is accused of selling at least five animals between June 2006 and May 2007 when he was a caretaker of Mill Creek Farm in Bunker Hill, according to a complaint filed by Berkeley County Sheriff's Department Deputy Lt. D.S. McGown.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania's nationally recognized veterinary laboratory is preparing more than 6,000 cattle for export to Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the next two months, Ag Secretary Dennis Wolff said. All of the cattle were blood tested for diseases through the lab to meet rigid export requirements and to ensure animal and human safety. "We commend the efforts of those working in the vet laboratory who efficiently and accurately conducted the testing on such a large number of animals," Wolff said.

HAGERSTOWN -- The lead longhorn danced down a sloping passageway, followed by a dozen other cattle forming an undulating river of beef. With their massive bodies and curling horns, they slid through a wooden gate and into a show ring, where people greeted them with respectful nods. The Texas Longhorn -- symbol of the American West -- had made a grand entrance. A durable legend, it still can turn heads. But this wasn't a town along the Chisholm Trail. It was East First Street in Hagerstown.

While there's not a whole lot to celebrate in the dairy industry these days, for several local dairy producers there are some things to feel good about. For those of you outside of agriculture or the dairy business, each fall there are several major dairy industry gatherings, including one in Harrisburg, Pa., and another in Madison, Wis. These gatherings are known as the All-American Dairy Show and the World Dairy Expo, respectively. They are part trade show, part cattle show, part youth contests and part social gathering.

Karen Holloway, Darlington, Md. Judge for beef cattle show Karen Holloway has seen some of the best cattle in the state of Maryland, but this year was her first as a judge for the beef cattle show at the Washington County Ag Expo and Fair. Holloway said judges look for well-structured and healthy cattle. "The females have to look feminine and pretty like a female, and the males have to look masculine," she said Wednesday. Holloway said the hope is the traits they are looking for will be passed on to the cattle's young.

A common school of thought in Pennsylvania claims the state's annual agricultural showcase brings with it the worst weather of winter. But the 96th Pennsylvania Farm Show opened Saturday with sunshine and temperatures that reached 60 degrees. Themed “From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate,” the farm show is expected to draw 400,000 people to the state's capital through Saturday. Visitors will find 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits, 290 commercial exhibits and the always-popular food court.

charlestown@herald-mail.com Calling it "new environmentalism of the future," Assistant Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett visited a 225-acre cattle farm near Charles Town Tuesday morning to praise the owner and organizations who helped him implement a stream protection project on the property. Assisted by organizations including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Ducks Unlimited, beef farmer Warren "Jim" Mickey agreed to erect 5,400 feet of fence along the North Fork of Bullskin Run and construct special cattle crossing areas along the stream.

The Humane Society of Washington County rescued a brown and white Australian cattle dog mix Saturday. The female dog was hit by a car and was found on North Locust and West North Avenue in Hagerstown at 3:58 p.m. Anyone with information about the dog is encouraged to contact the shelter at 301-733-2060.  The dog has been treated for its injuries and is waiting to go home.  “She is a very well behaved, friendly dog. We hope to...

The 26th annual Maryland Cattle Industry Convention, along with the Maryland Hay and Pasture Conference, will be held at the Clarion Hotel and Hager Hall Convention Center on Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2. More than 200 cattle producers from five states are registered to attend. The annual convention is meant for individuals interested in beef cattle. The educational activities cover practical and current issues that help produce better beef in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible.

Shane Heizer of Hagerstown will exhibit Angus cattle at the 2012 Eastern Regional Junior Angus Show in Timonium, Md., June 21-24, according to Robin Ruff, junior activities director of the American Angus Association. Shane is the son of John and Mary Heizer and attends Smithsburg High School. Shane, a junior member of the American Angus Association with headquarters in St. Joseph, Mo., is one of 164 young Angus breeders from 20 states who have entered a total of 337 head to compete for championship honors.

A common school of thought in Pennsylvania claims the state's annual agricultural showcase brings with it the worst weather of winter. But the 96th Pennsylvania Farm Show opened Saturday with sunshine and temperatures that reached 60 degrees. Themed “From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate,” the farm show is expected to draw 400,000 people to the state's capital through Saturday. Visitors will find 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits, 290 commercial exhibits and the always-popular food court.

A woman was injured when her vehicle collided with a truck hauling cattle Wednesday night on West Wilson Boulevard in Hagerstown. Police Chief Arthur Smith said the official report of the incident hadn't been completed by Thursday morning, but he said witnesses told police that the woman struck the cattle truck when she ran a red light at the intersection of South Potomac Street and West Wilson Boulevard. He said he wasn't sure whether the woman, whose name was unavailable, was taken to the hospital.

About 40 Black Angus cattle were killed or euthanized after a livestock trailer overturned on Interstate 68 near Sideling Hill Thursday afternoon, according to Maryland State Police. The driver of the tractor-trailer, Jason Braithwhite of Points, W.Va., had only minor injuries, Senior Trooper Robert Care said. Braithwhite was the independent owner of the tractor-trailer which was transporting 96 cattle from a farm in Greencastle, Pa., to a facility in Nebraska where they were to be fattened up for sale, Care said.

Shane Heizer of Hagerstown entered two head of Angus cattle in the beef division of the 38th annual North American International Livestock Exhibition. The event is recognized as the world's largest purebred livestock show with more than 23,000 entries and nearly $700,000 in prizes and awards. It is scheduled for Nov. 15 to 18 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. For more information, go to www.livestockexpo.org .

I am just back from spending two weeks in Europe with my wife, a colleague and the Maryland 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Team. If you are a regular reader of this column you might remember that last September the Maryland 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Team won its 30th national title at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisc. I was privileged to be the coach of the team and because of that victory we qualified to participate in a European tour. To refresh, the team members were Kaitlyn Corbett of Williamsport, Jessica Stenelle and Hannah Hood from Frederick County and Jason Zimmerman of Montgomery County.