Carl Frankenbach, Hannibal, Missouri
Carl Frankenbach, American Beauty Stock and Grain Farm, Hannibal, Missouri is a pioneer among Guernsey breeders in Missouri. Carl was born in 1896 at West Ely, Missouri. He started a registered Guernsey herd in 1924. He continued this herd for the next 57 years when in 1981 he sold the herd to his sons Marvin and Robert. Carl is still active. He lives next to the farm headquarters and takes care of calf registration as well as cleaning stalls.
He started farming in 1920 with his father who had Red Polled cattle. Neighbors started him out with a Jersey calf but he didn’t like her disposition. Through the encouragement of local Guernsey breeders, A.D. Thurston, Albert Schluckebier, Ernest Gebhart and Harry Houck, who organized the Missouri Guernsey Breeder Association in 1928, Carl bought his first Guernseys. He consistently used good bulls. DHI testing was started in 1940 and has been continued since. The herd has reached a level of about 13,000 lbs. of milk per cow. The herd has about 60 cows in milk with some 60 head of young stock and two herd sires.
When Carl began his herd, breeding for improvement was more of an art than a science. Carl has an eye for good cattle and by selection and use of production records he has turned out cattle that have done well for him and in other herds. Many have been sold out of state. One such was Winn P. Marc Freda, sold in the Mo-Kan Sale. She produced over 26,000 lbs of milk for a national class leader record. Another female Ambe’s Arletta was a consistent show winner. Carl has shown cattle at the district shows and the state fair year after year. Several outstanding bulls were proved in the herd. Argilla C. Porter was sold to Kansas Artificial Breeding Service Unit and Sunnyslope Champ Dividend went to Tri-State Breeder in Wisconsin. In later years artificial insemination has been used in the herd. At present, under the guidance of grandson Kevin, the herd is participating in the Dairybelt Young Sire Program.
One of Mr. Frankenbach’s greatest contributions comes from the encouragement and assistance he has given younger breeders. Many 4-H and junior project animals have come from his herd. He has made it possible for his sons Marvin and Robert and grandson Kevin to carry on the herd and build on the foundation he laid 57 years ago. When Carl’s brother Edwin died a few years ago it was through Carl’s counsel that his nephew Wendell took over the home farm and established his own Guernsey herd.
Carl was married 1919 to Ella Bode and they had a family of seven children, four sons: Marvin, Norbert, Robert, Leslie, and three daughters: Irene (Mrs. Schachtsick), Bertha (Mrs. Fee) and Carolene (Mrs. Shade). Carl’s first wife Ella died in 1972 and in 1974 he married Etna Fuqua who now shares his Guernsey interests.
Farming and Guernsey cattle are not the only important phase of Carl’s life. In 1918 he served in the U.S. Army during World War I. He is a life-long member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in his area and he and his family are active in its affairs.
With his long and fruitful life it is only fitting that the present patriarch of Missouri Guernsey breeders be chosen for the 1983 Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award.