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<br />2005 Marvin E. Senger Distinguished Dairy Farmer Award <br />George L. Pless, Sr & Sons Dairy, Inc. <br /> <br />One of Cabarrus County'$ longest running dairy operations has received a great honor. <br />The North Carolina Sate University Animal Science Department has named George L. <br />Pless Sr. & Sons Dairy IIlc. is the 2005 recipient of the Marvin E. Senger Distinguished <br />Dairy Fanner Award. The Senger Distinguished DairyPanner Award is presented each <br />year at the North Carolina Dairy Conference to a North Carolina dairy fanner who excels <br />in leadership for the dairy industry, management ability, and the of modem technologies <br />on their dairy operation. <br /> <br />This is a significant achievement for the Pless family and for Cabarrus County. <br />Agriculture and agribusiness industries comprise $2.7 billion or roughly 47 percent of the <br />total county income. Approximately 23 percent of the county's total employment is <br />generated by agriculture 'and agribusiness. So when a local business like Pless Dairy <br />receives a statewide award of this nature, it is a tribute to the entire county as a major <br />agriculture producer. <br /> <br />George L Pless, Sr., sons, Jerry and John and grandsons, David Pless and Tim Sifford <br />manage a herd of220 milk cows and 195 calves and heifers. They grow silage, hay, some <br />barley and com grain and'soybeans. <br /> <br />George and his father, Welker sold cream in the 40's and early 50's. George sold <br />Manufacturing grade milk during the 50's and 60's. He built a double 2 walk-through, <br />concrete feeding pad, some free stall housing and started shipping Grade A milk to <br />Cabarrus Creamery in 1966. Although he started with a mixed herd of Holstein and <br />Guernsey, the herd is almost all Holstein today. Production records continually in use <br />since the seventies show milk production has increased from 12,300 to slightly less than <br />22,000 at present. In 1992, a double 8 herringbone parlor, an additional free-stall and <br />feeding barn and a waste storage facility that meets all current regulations were built. <br /> <br />Lactating cows are fed a Total Mixed Ration (TMR). Cornmodities are used in <br />formulated rations for heifers and cows. Ration costs are kept to a minimum by using <br />com and small grain silage, hay, whole cottonseed, hominy, and wet brewer's grain. All <br />soils are tested and the waste from the dairy is land applied to help grow the crops and to <br />keep fertilizer use and cost to a minimum. <br /> <br />Calves receive respiratqry, C&D and bangs vaccination at 4 months of age. The <br />respiratory and C&D ard repeated before breeding. Cows are vaccinated every 6 months <br />according to advice given by the herd vet. A veterinary herd check is made at regular <br />intervals. <br /> <br />Jerry is on the State Holiltein Board and the NC Pann Bureau State Board where he has <br />served as a delegate to the national convention. John is on the NC State Fann Bureau <br />dairy advisory committee. John, Tim, and David have all participated in the Farm Bureau <br />Young Fanners and Ranchers Organization. David is on the Cabarrus County Extension <br /> <br />c-,,~ <br />