News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
August 19, 2012

Vigo 4-H’er leases calves to gain dairy experience

By Susan Hayhurst The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — When asked if they’d like to take care of an animal, most youth would choose a dog or cat. Will Hart, a freshman at Terre Haute North Vigo High School, opted for a taller, high-maintenance animal. He chose to lease dairy calves so he could show them at the Vigo County and Indiana State fairs.

“If you have the opportunity, why not jump on it and try something new,” Will said. “I enjoy working with animals and feeding and watering them every day. I live in a subdivision outside of town, but there’s no room to raise dairy calves. My mom helped me set up a great lease arrangement so I could pursue showing dairy.”

Will’s mom, Julie, is Purdue’s Vigo County Extension director, and she grew up on a Holstein dairy farm in Vanderburgh County. She asked Debby Laswell, Vigo County’s 4-H dairy superintendent, if Will could lease and show some of her dairy calves. Laswell happily agreed, and used Purdue’s animal lease agreement as the contract between the families.

“If kids are interested in dairy, then I want to be there to help them,” Laswell, who lives in southeastern Vigo County, said. “My beginning to lease calves started with Will. He decided he wanted to show, and he’s now in his second year. He’s even gotten his younger sister, Stella, interested. This year, he’s been a tremendous help. He’s learned to clip calves’ hair coats with the help of my granddaughter, Elyssa.

“[Will’s] learning to lead animals, and he’s learning that the animals come first, not you,” Laswell said. “You must feed and water them because they depend on you to take care of them. Unlike beef cattle, dairy must be fed four times a day, and when they are mature cows, two years or older, they must be milked twice a day. Only heifers, dairy cows under two years of age, can be leased for showing.”

Laswell’s dairy background began with hanging out as a young child in her grandparents’ barn, where they milked Jerseys. “I was in the barn as soon as I was big enough to help milk cows. I showed calves in Vigo County’s 4-H program, and when my boys were little, we bought a few head. Now, we’re up to about 20 to 25 head. My heifers are with me, but when they are ready to be milked at two years or older, they are taken to Scott at Snider Farms at New Paris and Tony Fuentes at Berne. Both guys are great at encouraging kids to lease animals for showing, and they lease animals in their respective counties. My grandson, granddaughter and a niece all show dairy as well.”

Laswell volunteers her time to help the 4-H’ers, not charging for the animals or their feed. “The animals have to be fed every day anyway, so what better way to keep the animals fed and cared for than to share the responsibilities with youth who want to learn.”

4-H youth also learn that dairy calves don’t require the show preparation that beef cattle or swine do. Laswell brings the kids together with the calves a month before county fair to help get the heifer calves ready. “The calves are so docile and you can lead them to water in just a few days. If the calves will be shown at state fair, then they are put out in the pasture following the county fair for a while.”

Will is in his sixth year of 4-H and does photography, recycling, farm scene, creative writing projects, and Junior Leaders as well as dairy. “I’m having a great experience learning about dairy calves,” he said. “I think it’s been great that this year’s state fair theme is ‘year of dairy cows.’ They’re worth celebrating.”



Susan Hayhurst is a freelance writer from Terre Haute and is a member of the Indiana State Fair Commission.

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge Raw: Gun Scare Mars Cannes Film Festival NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids Raw: Suicide Bomber Kills 2 Americans, 13 Others One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh China, Others Want What's Under the Arctic Ice Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: 6 Die in Russian Ship Fire Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
NDN Video
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Beyonce Is Pregnant! SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion Woman tricked into taking abortion pill Emma Watson Goes Pantless IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News