30 —Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 24, 1976 jp~ 5 '' Equipment such as this is used at Penn State's Central Milk Testing Laboratory to test more than 200,000 samples of milk from all over Penn sylvania as well as Delaware. The electronic equipment is just about fully automatic and was developed in Denmark, Penn State had the first such machines in the United States which are rated at a capacity of 180 samples Milk testing is not like it used to be UNIVERSITY PARK The quiet motions of the Umversity’s elaborate milk testing equipment were almost hypnotical. All you hear is a faint hum of the machine itself; the sound of a miniature “egg beater” as it stirs the sample of milk; then the “pssst” of the sampling tube as it squirts a measured amount of milk mto a funnel-shaped container; and then the long row of samples advances to have the process start ah over again. The work of the automatic milk tester goes on and on, completing one sample every 20 seconds. Each milk sample’s test results are automatically flashed on a computer and permanently recorded by a device which resembles an adding machine. The idea of testing a cow’s milk for butterfat content has been around for many years but doing it by way of a beam of light, electronically, is relatively new. Penn State’s equipment was unported from Denmark and has only been in operation for a couple of years. What is the pomt m testing each cow’s mdk for butterfat? is a question many dairymen and non-farm folks may ask. To answer that, it must first be pointed out that tests for but terfat are only one part of a production testing program. “Production records provide information for herd management culling breeding and feeding," says Herbert Gilmore, director of the state’s DHIA (Dairy Herd Im provement Association) program. What’s more, Gilmore emphasizes that DHIA records are a dairyman’s “cheapest insurance policy” for making his herd worth more when he wants to sell. Production records are used m sire evaluation programs, daughter-dam comparisons, and as an important tool for planning and breeding a better herd of cows. Gilmore feels strongly that every dairyman should have some kind of a record keeping program, whether it be DHIA, DHIR, owner-sampler, or something the owner does entirely on his own. He points out that the fancy equipment at the Milk Testing Laboratory isn’t doing anything that the farmer couldn’t do himself right at the farm. But, he added, the expenses and time involved would make it prohibitive. What makes people especially appreciative of this new method of testing milk is if they have had previous ex perience with the Babcock test, Gilmore said. He walked over to one end of the counter and pulled out a wooden box about the size of a portable typewriter case. “This is a real museum piece,” he said as he opened the lid. Inside was a hand-cranked centrifuge which could test four samples at a tune. Gilmore explained that up until about 50 years ago a milk tester would go from farm to farm with one of those contraptions and test the milk “in the warmest place that could be found.” The process was slow and messy, and even a little dangerous because the Babcock method requires that sulphuric acid be used. Until photometric determination of fat content came into use, the methods for testing for butterfat remained relatively unchanged except that centrifuges became larger and motor driven. Instead of testing the milk right on the farm, the supervisor took the samples back to his basement, garage, or even his wife’s kitchen. Recalling an experience from several years ago when I tested approximately 80 samples of milk from my father’s herd, I asked Gilmore how long it would take if it were done by this new autpmated method. Using one machine, it would take about half an hour, he answered. Then, laughing slightly, “it probably took you five or six hours to do by Babcock.” “That sounds about right,” I answered, “I know it keptme in the lab until close to midnight and I couldn’t start until after supper ” “We test about 200,000 samples a month,” Gilmore pointed out. “They come from all over the state, as well as Delaware.” The work and responsibilities are carried out by 15 employees, who are supervised by Dean Amick, a veteran DHIA supervisor from Lancaster County. The well-lit, clean surroundings and the absence of milk and acid odors are far different from the old facilities That alone would be a big improvement if speed and accuracy weren’t even considered, Gilmore and Amick remarked Asked about the reliability of the laboratory’s results, Gilmore said that no test could be better than the sample itself. Since all testing is done by machines, and samples are By DIETER KRIEG PH9M j only identified by number, there can be no legitimate papers. I know of one man, an elder in his church, who had a question about favoritism of one kind or another. * ier “ °* cows ~ half registered, half grades and all his Last year only about 37 per cent of the cows in Penn- B r ade cows had bulls while his registered cows had all sylvania were on a production testing program. Gilmore heifers,” Gilmore remarked. Admitting that negative at feels that this lack of participation is the weakest point about titudes have hurt DHI membership drives, he argues that the whole concept. “I don’t care what kind of testing program much or most of it is nothing but hearsay which spreads the farmer may choose, the important thing is that he test his ’ around die countryside because of jealousy or unwarranted cows so that he knows what each one is doing as an in- suspicion. dividual, and so that he can use the acquired statistics for Penn State s new facilities do not just test for fat, but also better management,” he remarked. While he would like to ™ r ** the herd owner requests it. The results are see the program expand, he admits that growth is hindered compiled by computers in Shields Building on campus and partially by transportation and manpower. Also, the of- mailed back to participating farmers. These records tell how ficialiy recognized testing programs such as DHIA and DHIR ™ uc * l the cow gave, gives, and is expected to give, have received some negative response from dairymen -™ on B Wl th production information (amount of milk, fat test because of accusations of fraud, suspicion, and jealousy, perhaps a protein test) are statistics on how much feed Gilmore philosophized that every man has a desire to be the cow is receiving and how much she should receive. The recognized, to be at or near the top in his business, and that records offer complete and accurate information (providing consequently some individuals will attempt to reach their it is reported accurately by the farmer or testing supervisor) goals by paying little or no attention to the regulations. He ° n calving, offspring, dry dates, breeding dates, illnesses, does not excuse infractions of the association’s by-laws, but an d most anything else which the dairyman can use m believes the subject is receiving more attention than it making decisions. It is a service which costs maybe $3O, $4O, deserves. “I can’t understand it,” he said, “why some far- or more dollars per month, but which has a value far mers want to question production records so much, but they greater than that for the farmer if he uses them properly and never once cast a bit of doubt on an animal’s registration as intended, Gilmore said. “A lot of money has been made with DHIA records.” Soybean acreage surveyed ANNAPOLIS, Md. Farmers in Maryland have planted some 266,000 acres of soybeans this year and now a special survey will be launched to find out just what the acreage is by variety of bean. In a first of its kind survey for the state, the Maryland Department of Agriculture and Agronomy Department of the University of Maryland will have the state’s Crop Reporting Service poll soybean growers to determine what kind and what amount of beans they have planted. Questionnaires will be sent out about July 27th with a follow up in early August. Goal is to complete the survey and release the in formation gained about August 20th. Soybeans are a major crop m Maryland, particularly on the Eastern Shore. Last year Maryland farms reported harvesting 318,000 acres of beans. Yield was 8.9 million bushels with an estimated dollar value of $41.4 million. According to John Witzig, state statistician for the Crop Reporting Service, the variety survey of soybeans was decided upon after many expressions of mterest whriLl " per hour. One machine does more in an hour than the old Babcock tester could do in a day. Milk is tested for butterfat by way of a beam of light penetrating a homogenized sample. Protein analysis is also possible by these machines which cost in the neighborhood ol $40,000. Herbert C. Gilmore from researchers, marketing specialists, growers and trade people who say such information can be valuable in making future decisions about bean plantings etc. AVAILABLE NOW AUGUST SEEDING +CERT. VERNAL ALFALFA +CERT. IROQUOIS ALFALFA +CERT. SARANAC ALFALFA +CERT. CAYUGA ALFALFA +CERT. BUFFALO ALFALFA +VICTOR ALFALFA +CERT. CLIMAX TIMOTHY +TIMOTHY +ANNUAL RYE GRASS +PENNLATE ORCHARD GRASS + REED’S CANARY GRASS +WINTER RYE FOR •r t
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