The following article about the Lammers La Rainbow farm was published in The Sidney Daily News on February 20, 1953. The location of this Lammers farm is at 08609 Southland Road.
“THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE” by Vic Taylor
Auglaize Father And Son Develop Top Herd Of Brown Swiss
It seems that many of the large dairy herds in this area were started some years ago with just a few animals and the fine production records that they are having today is the result of several years of careful breeding and feeding programs based on the experiences of the breeder. Such was the experience of the Fred and Silas Lammers family living east of New Knoxville. Fred is the father who thirty years ago purchased a registered Brown Swiss bull and a cow and started in the milk business. Silas is the son who is living with his father on the home place and who became interested in the Brown Swiss breed when a boy in the grade school.
Today, through a closely supervised program of buying sons of proven bulls, they have an outstanding herd of 35 females and carry out the plan of having around 15 cows in milk production the year around. The farm is named the “La Rainbow Farm” and all of the cattle carry this name on their registration papers. The Lammerses selected the Brown Swiss breed because it meets the demand for a 4 percent or greater test, because it is a quiet, non-excitable cow and because if it is necessary to beef them they have a size to bring a good market price. Some of the mature cows will reach a weight of a ton.
The production of the Lammers herd as to average pounds of butter fat and pounds of milk has been gradually climbing for the past five years and in 1952 or last year reached a total of 550.5 pounds of butter fat and 12,395 pounds of milk per average cow based on 15 cows. In 1948 it was 446 pounds of butter fat and 10,495 pounds of milk based on 12 cows.
The feeding program of a dairy herd is an important part of the success of a farmer engaged in the milk business and can easily be the yardstick that determines profit or loss. The Lammerses prefer a good grade of mixed hay used with corn silage and just enough grain to maintain proper production. Their plan is to seed fields with pure alfalfa and mixed grass seeds. When they cut the hay they use a hay crusher to speed the drying process. The hay is then chopped and blown into the mow in a percentage of 75 percent alfalfa and 25 percent of the mixed hay.
Their big 80 ton silo is filled every fall with corn silage and this is feed the year around in the proportion of 20 pounds per cow a day. The cattle get all of the hay they want in addition to the silage. If the corn silage should run out the silo is filled with grasses so that ensilage is always available. The ground or grain feed is mixed up a ton at a time in the following proportions—1,000 pounds of corn, 800 pounds of oats, 200 pounds of bran and 200 pounds of 32 percent dairy supplement. Each cow gets as much of this grain as it needs based on its milk production. A good producing cow will be fed 10 pounds daily.
Neither do the Lammerses overlook the problem of bedding and the loafing room. They use cracked corn cobs and chopped straw for bedding which they find keeps the loafing room in good condition and indirectly helps to add more milk production per cow. This also makes a better grade of manure.
The Lammers farm is equipped for grade A milk and has a large milking room with 17 stanchions. They run in all of their cattle at one time and with the aid of two automatic milkers soon finish the chore of milking. While waiting their turn the cattle are fed silage and ground feed.
Since 1940 they have made a practice of showing their cattle at the Ohio state fair and also at the big national dairy show held each year at Waterloo, Iowa, which is the largest dairy show in the United States. Their record of wins has been very impressive which includes the following trophies: In 1946 they had the junior champion female and bull at the Ohio state fair. In 1947 they had the senior and grand champion female at the state fair; 1948 the grand champion at the national dairy show at Waterloo, Iowa; 1949 the senior and grand champion bull at the state fair; 1950 the senior and grand champion female at the state fair and in 1951 again the senior and grand champion female at the state fair.
The Lammerses have breeding stock from their herd in many states in the Union and in foreign countries. In 1949 they shipped two young bulls to South America, one to the government of Columbia and one to a private breeder. Just a little political humor enters into the picture. Last fall they shipped a young bull to Independence, Missouri (Harry Truman’s town) and they are scheduled to ship one to Colorado Springs, Colorado, this spring, (where President Eisenhower will have his summer White House).
In all of their history they have only been compelled to veal one bull because of inferior stock. They advertise in the Brown Swiss Bulletin and continuous showing and testing has maintained their reputation as Brown Swiss breeders.
The Lammers farm is 130 acres with about 100 acres under cultivation. The rest is woods. In addition to the cattle they feed out 120 Hampshire pigs each year and keep a flock of 800 to 900 Leghorn hens.
Silas was married to Miss Lola Howe, of near Anna, and they have four children. Mrs. Lammers takes care of the chickens. Dennis, 13, likes the cattle and helps out in the feeding and milking. Sandra, 11, also helps in the milking and knows how to do the feeding if her dad isn’t around. Dennis also has a 4-H heifer. Karen, 15, and Diane, 8, are the other two children and have their chores to do on this busy farm.