Dairy research
(Continued from P«t« 76]
a concreted 700-foot long
fence-line feed strip The
feed distribution method for
all cows is by way of trucks
equipped with self-unloading
mixing boxes.
Except for the milking
area and a hospital bam,
housing facilities are of the
pole and roof variety, with no
walls on any side. Manure is
flushed from concreted
surfaces at least once a day
with a phenomenal 130,000
gallons of water.
Calves are raised in an
environmentally controlled
barn featuring individual
125-HP JOHN
DEER
A thoroughbred
that likes to run and run;
a sure bet if your land
is measured in sections
The bloodline of the 4430 is obvious-4020
4320 These tractors became known as John
Deere classics based on their performance
in the field And the 4430 makes it three
in a row
The 4430 is a long-distance runner No
matter what size field if enters you can count
on a 4430 to run and run without having to
stop and rest Its nimble and agile It instantly
responds to any command Stop and let us
tell you about the 4430 track record
JOHN DEERE TRACTORS-
A SOUND LONG-TERM INVESTMENT
Double-pivot standards let
2500 Power-Reset Plows
clear field a
obstructions
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it* . >' ‘ ■*
•° ■i J - ' iT- ’ ‘ -0
Exclusive double-oivot design lets the 2500
Power-Reset Plow clear any rock that passes
under the tractor drawbar Choose these
18-inch plows in 4- to 8-furrow sizes Drop by
soon for more information on the 2500 with
hydraulic reset
Landis Bros. Inc. A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
Lancaster 717-393-3906 New Holland 717-354-4191
Adamstown
Equipment Inc.
Mohn.on,RD2, PA 19540
(near Adamstown]
215-484-4391
M. S. Yearsley Neuhaus'es, Inc.
Glen Rock, PA
& Sons 717-235-1306
Wes.Ches.er 215 696-2990 stan|ey ft. K|opPf , nc .
Agway, Inc.
Chapman Equipment Center
Chapman, PA
215-398-2553
Shotzberger’s
Equipment
Elm, PA
717-665-2141
stalls on a heavy steel mesh.
A scries of fans and ven
tilation tubes circulate fresh
air and maintain even
temperatures. Once these
young replacements have
been given their start in life,
they arc sold to other far
mers under contract that
“Arkavalley" will buy them
back at pre-dctcrmined
prices.
At a question and answer
session following a tour of
the research farm, the
management and resear
chers were asked to cite
their main dairy production
problems at “Arkavalley.”
Pikeville
Equipment Inc.
Oyster Dale Road
Oley RD2, PA
215-987-6277
Bernville, PA
215 488-1510
I. G.’s Ag Sales
Silverdale, PA 18962
215-257-5136
Kermit K. Kistler
Lynnport, PA
215-298-3270
Without hesitation, the five
panelists agreed that the
intense summer heat was
their number one concern. It
reportedly cuts the cows'
feed intake and hurts the
reproductive cycle The
latter, in Itself, was the
second most serious
problem. A calving interval
which stood at 13 3 months as
of last Jan is significantly
below some previous figures
but further improvement is
being sought The fact that
neither hay nor com can be
raised on this soil was not
cited as a "problem” but
definitely as a disadvantage.
It is likely that the
management would not pick
the same location again if
they had to make that
decision a second time.
There are other problems.
That, from an editorial point
of view, is good. Most, if not
all farmers have problems
and if this particular feed
manufacturer is trying to
find answers to them, then
they must first have the
problems to work with.
Perhaps that is why
managers here presented
their conference in such a
candid fashion. This part of
Arkansas, for example, is
not what dairymen from the
Northeast or Midwest would
call “pretty.” It is not im
pressive in that sense,
although the farm itself
commands a definite amount
of prestige. The farm is not a
“show place” as such and
some of the experiences here
have been anything but
enviable. Neveretheless, the
operation is pretty much of
an “open book” to visitors.
At one time, for instance, a
third of the cows here
retained their placentas.
Although nothing to be proud
of, this statistic and several
others which are equally
poor, are pointed out to
audiences. Some changes in
construction and feeding
have reduced that figure to
8.3 per cent. So it’s not all
bad; in fact much is
exemplary.
Control many
grasses and
broad leaves
in corn with
no carryover.
Foxtails, fall pamcum, crabgrass, pigweed, ragweed, smartweed
and many more
Lasso' Heroiaoe
Lasso is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company
Blddex is a registered trademark of Shell Oil Company
Always read and follow laoel directions
.1*
t
Ten to 12-thousand tons of
sorghum silage can be stored in this
bunker silo which measures 300 feet
long and 60 feet wide. It is one of
three such structures (the other two
are smaller) in use at “Arkavalley
Farm,” Ralston-Purina’s dairy
research center. The silage is loaded
Visitors to “Arkavalley” study a in free stalls. A pile of material is
pumping pit near the 4Vz-acre lagoon, shown at left, it takes a month or
(background) from which solids are more to cure it and still needs per
removed for eventual use as bedding fection, farm researchers reported.
Lasso plus Biadex tank mix
Lancaster Farming, Saturday. March 13.1976
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either with a front-end loader or
automatic machines designed
specifically for bunker silo unloading.
The material in the foreground is
brewers’ grain, which is mixed with
the silage in self-unloading truck
boxes.
Some problems normally
associated with dairy herds,
such as poor feet, misplaced
abomasums, and ketosis are
almost non-existent,
although serious foot
problems were “over
whelming” just a few years
ago. Feeding programs and
equipment have been altered
to better fit the program. All
in all, graphs and statistics
point out significant im
provements between 1969
when the first cows were
milked here, and 1975.
Hot summer tem
peratures, as stated earlier,
are the number one dairy
production problem in this
part of central Arkansas.
“Arkavalley” has tried
several methods to reduce
the ill effects of heat, in
cluding airplane propellers,
and a fine spray of water
aimed at the cows while they
stand by the feed bunks.
When profit margins permit
it, managers redesign the
roofs and supporting
structures. To further
facilitate air movement and
cooling, 160 fans have been
installed under the roofs of
the free stall areas where
temperatures up to 115
degrees F. have been
recorded. The weather
continues to be a problem,
although its effects are no
longer as intense. Research
into the matter continues.
Production per cow also
increased over the years and
the farm now reports a
rolling herd average in
excess of 14,000 pounds of
milk per head. Higher goals
are being aimed for but the
[Continued on Page 78)
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