80 years ago this week. The Mahoning-Columbiana Guernsey herd won the county herd special class at the Ohio State Fair, winning a premium of $200. Much of the credit is due A.B. Williamson of Greenford and W.D. Graham of Leetonia for fitting and training the herd. A bull shown by A.G. Cobourn of Greenford won the trophy for best bull bred in Ohio and owned and exhibited by an Ohio breeder. He was second in class that was open to the United States.
Attendance at the six-day 1922 Ohio State Fair totaled 264,049, far exceeding attendance the previous year. All this despite the disastrous fire that destroyed several of the buildings two weeks before the fair was due to open.
50 years ago this week. Pennsylvania turkey growers who are breeding turkeys or producing turkey-hatching eggs are planning to have artificial insemination services for turkeys available by next year.
Fertility in turkey eggs has become a major problem in the production of hatching eggs and poultry. This is partly due to the use of broad-breasted types of turkeys and producing hatching eggs out of season.
25 years ago this week. The low prices farmers are receiving for wheat may bring joy to consumers, but farmers in the northeast aren’t smiling much about it right now. Dairymen need straw for bedding their cows and the low price for wheat has caused less grain to be planted in the area.
Many farmers have switched usual grain acreage to corn for silage. An early winter and dry spring meant a lighter crop on the acreage planted. Farmers are looking for alternatives, and in some places corn fodder is being used. The switch has caused demand for more heavy-duty balers that can accommodate the tougher, hard-to-bale corn fodder.
Buyers are coming from hundreds of miles away to local sales. Many of the buyers represent race tracks in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. In some cases, straw for bedding is bringing a higher price than hay for feeding.
