The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1956-08-10
Farm Tour Taken
By County Beef
Producers
VPI Specialist
Participate With
Informal Talks

An informal tour of three typical
Prince Edward beef farms was
held Wednesday The, program was
arranged by the county livestock
committee which consists of F. G
Baldwin, George Shorter R M
Bradshaw ] G. Hudson and R. W
Dupuy
Working with the committee
county agent E. F. Striplin. az
ranged to have three specialists
from VPI who made comments as
the group discussed different phases
of the operation of the farms visit
ed
DR. H L. Dunton. head of the
agrcnomv department of VPI made
a short talk after lunch. for the
onlv planned event on the program
The other specialists who added
much to the program were K C
Williamson. livestock market
ing specialist. and c. c. Mast. ex-
tenson service head
Billings Farm
Starting the tour at the farm of
d T Billings. the group discussed
his Angus operation He runs about
Is head and grazes and produces
his year-round feed supply H S
soil was typical for livestock pro-
duction
Williamson pointed out several
factors that influence the marketing
of cattle in an operation such as
that which Billings carries on.
He made SPECIAL reference to the
feeder calf sales which are held
in the fall, and which are used wide
~ by many farmers.
Feeder Calf Sales
This calf sale is held in several
parts Of the state as there are some
20 groups in different sections of
the state Most of the area farmers
90 to the Lynchburg sale W h c h
sells about 1000 calves each year
About 20 to % thousand calves are
sold at these sales throughout the
state
Buyers come from as far away
as Michigan. New Work, Kentucky
ana South Carolina Spring calves
are sold to these buyers who carry
the calves through the winter, sell
ing as the market is right
Only select group of calves are
offered on this market and the
price is usually good, according to
williamson. II s also a good tine
for a farmer to improve his herd
if he needs to buy good gra d e
calves.
Derey Farm
Al the farm of H W. Derey. Dr..
Dunton was highly complimentary
of the way Derey was handling his
pastures At one point the group
saw well kept pasture standing
next 10 a pasture Of native grass
and the difference in the pasture Of
clover and orchard grass compared
to that Of native grass was pointed
out
Derey uses a lot of feScue on his
farm and it is well suited to the
wet soil on his 400 acre farm.
Another point made was the value
Of a good bull to beef here. Derey
SAID he started with d poor bull,
but has now obtained a good one
and the difference is apparent. He
is PAYNE close attention to breed
ing.
Water Ponds
Derey also received the compli-
mentS of the touring group on his
water management on the farm
The river was the only place for
his herd to water originally, SO he
built a stock pond, and has plans
for another pond He feels that il
is bad business to make the COWS
leave the grass to go to the water
so he is bringing the water to the
cows.
For lunch. the group went to the
cabin of c j. Cox at Farmville
they heard Dr. Dunton talk on feed
program and pasture management
Then a short tour of Edgewood,
Continued on page 81