Monitoring System Vital for Fertilizer Sewage sludge should not be used as fertilizer until an effective monitoring system keeps track of heavy metals added to soils and taken up by plants, declared a soil chemist at The Pennsylvania State University recently. Dr. Dale E. Baker and associates showed plots of com and grain sorghum fertilized with sewage sludge as part, of a recent Penn State field day. The fertilizer value of sewage sludge was demonstrated. Sludge samples were analyzed every two weeks since April 1 for. elements Beacon Lacto-Pels are formulated to meet the needs of high producing cows, even when roughage quality is average or less than average. Lacto-Pels is a feed designed to get the most milk possible from the grain fed. Cows relish this highly palatable feed and clean it up readily, even in milking parlors. Because they do, even the highest producers get the energy they need for top milk production without depleting body reserves. Lacto-Pels are uniform, flow well and are especially suited to bulk handling and rapid feeding. Protein is guaranteed at 16% or 20%. Fat at not less than 3%% and crude fiber no more than 8%. It's a highly efficient feed. Palatability comes from the use of cane molasses with wheat middlings and other ingredients. Corn distillers grains are present as a source of fat and energy, and for their milk stimulating properties. Dehulled soybean meal is the chief protein source, and corn and wheat middlings all help provide the highly digestible energy. Like all Beacon dairy rations, Lacto-Pels are fortified with trace minerals plus 3,000 units of vitamin A per pound and 6,000 units of vitamin D. This is three times the level of vitamin fortification in ordinary dairy rations and gives good insurance against deficiencies caused by poor or insufficient roughage. Beacon Lacto-Pels help cows to maximum milk production for each 100 pounds of feed. H. JACOB HOOBER RHOADS MILL, INC. INTERCOURSE, PA. Selinspove & Milton, Pa. THARPE & GREEN Hill H. M. STAUFFER t SONS, INC. Churchville. Md. LEOLA, PA. Ted Belefski Ph. 523-9173 and potentially toxic heavy metals. The results show the need for accurate systems of monitoring sewage sludge as a fertilizer, it was pointed out. Composition of sludge varies greatly with time and is generally higher in cop per, zinc, and cadmium than is desirable, Dr. Baker stated. The research is supported m part by fair funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Both leaf and grain composition in plots at Penn State’s Agronomy Research Farm showed additions of GET MORE BEACON lACTO-PELS "16" or "20" Chester Weist Ph. 741-2600 Beacon Feeds, York, Pa. zinc and cadmium from sludge. Concentrations of copper in plant tops were not changed by the sludge. Traces of some heavy metals are needed in soil for healthy crop growth, Dr. Baker explained. Nine pounds per acre per year are recommended for zinc, for example. But common sludge increases the zinc in soil to about 200 pounds per acre. Mention was made of feeding trials carried out with chickens to assess the content of cadmium in meat and eggs. The results showed with Formulated To Meet THE NEEDS OF THE IGH PRODUCER EARL SAUDER, INC. VAN-MAR FEEDS NEW HOLLAND, PA. LEESPORT, PA. Beacon Reps. R. E. RudisiK Richard B. Kendig Ph. 854-2281 302-478-3058 Phone 717-"843-9033 it is difficult to influence the cadmium content of eggs. Cadmium was, fed at 3, 12, and 48 parts per million. Even 48 parts per million produced no significant change in cadmium content of eggs. However, cadmium ac cumulated in the livers and kidneys of chickens from all levels of feeding. Cadmium content in the muscles was much lower than in livers and lidneys. Heading up the experiments with cadmium fed to chickens are Dr. Roland M. Leach and associates. 0. KENNETH McCRACKEN & SON manheim.pa. Lancaster Fanning. Saturday. Sept. 28.1974 Field day visitors heard that a pilot program has been initiated at Penn State to provide a testing service for municipal sewage sludge and soil. The program is part of the ongoing testing service at the Merkle Soil and Forage Testing Laboratory on campus. Details are available from county Agricultural Extension agents or from Dr. Raymond F. Shipp in Agronomy Ex tension at University Park. Under low concentrations of heavy metals, Dr. Baker and associates believe sewage sludge can be used safely as a fertilizer for at least three years at rates not exceeding 10 tons of dry matter per acre per year. The “kicker,” of course, is the concentration of heavy metals in parts per million of dry matter. From Penn State ex periments, zinc should not exceed 1500 parts per million. Copper con centration should be no more than 750 parts per million. With lead it should not ex ceed 500 parts per million. Nickel’s concentration is considered safe at 150 parts per million. The safe levels for mercury and chlorinated hydrocarbons are not specified at this time. flB Z GREAT staged automatic dryers from ’jv.C*** FARM FANS Temper Dries to 310 bu per hr AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY Wl SELL, SERVICE and INSTALL FARM FANS jfif INDIANAPOLIS IKO - ■ R.D 1. Willow Street Soybean Field Day Oct. Ist A soybean field day and tour will take place on Tuesday, Oct. Ist at the Field Research Laboratory in Landisville beginning at 9:00 a.m. Interested persons are invited to attend the field day where they will be able to view full season varieties of soybeans along with double crop variety trials. There will also be herbicides demonstrations. Included in the program will be a tour of the Clarence Keener, Jr. Farm where a full season and double crop soybeans will be viewed. The research lab is located near Landisville. From Lancaster take 283 west to the Salunga-Landisville Exit. Proceed north on Stooky Nook Road V* of mile and turn left on Shank Road. Go through red covered bridge. Signs will be posted for further directions. • Choose from two great port- %v able dryers • Surprisingly low cost loo°/« automatic • Easy to operate \y, • Better quality gram higher Iv! profits X< • Man-free operation • Dependable economical op eration Ivl • Designed and built by Farm Faas~22 years of experience , n drying gram Let us give you full •:& details about AB dryers, £;|i ~ including * price i E. M. HERR EQUIPMENT, INC. 717-4643321 9 VS
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