, 4-H steers branded for Farm Show competition
By JOANNE SPAHR
LANCASTER Every
year during Farm Show
when the ring of junior beef
projects encircles the large
arena on Thursday morning,
one question is inevitably
asked by more than one
bystander - “What are the
marks on the hips of those
steers?”
■
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FEEDING
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RDI, Gap. PA 17527
Phone 717-442-4171
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c/oJOHN Z. MARTIN
RDI, Box 716, New Holland, PA 17557 Phone: 717-354-5848
Those marks “FS”, are
the freeze brand which is
required for any junior steer
to participate in the state
Farm Show event, and in the
case of 4-H clubs, the brand
is also necessary for
members to participate in
district beef shows held in
November.
For several 4-H clubs in
Lancaster Farming’s
coverage area, last weekend
was the time to get down to
freeze branding, since June 1
is this year’s official
deadline.
Lancaster, Lebanon, and
Chester Counties each met
separately at designated
locations on Saturday to do
their branding with Chester
County’s club putting
through 28 steers, Lebanon’s
club, 19, and Lancaster, 86.
Berks County’s 4-H’ers, who
did their branding two
months ago, put their marks
on 44 steers. Cumberland
County, with 36 members,
Mr We can do exactly what another
m ARCADIAN® dealer did for one state
soybean champion He combined
his herbicide in a 7-21-21 liquid
1 1 made the SLF® way with POLY-N® and
Lr ———J did two jobs in a single feed & weed
IL-. , application at 250 lbs per acre His
MUM / ; winning yield was 67 9 bushels
% / ; It’s true, soybeans are good
tjr" /' scavengers of leftover fertilizer But if
m J previous applications have been reduced
in recent years, there’s probably not much
residual fertilizer left to scavenge
WHERE QUALITY HAS BEEN FOR OVER 60 YEARS
did their branding in
February. April Ist was the
set time for York Countians
with 85 steers ending up with
the FS marking '
Dauphin County’s two 4-H
beef clubs also branded in
the past weeks, with the
Lower Dauphin Beef Club
having 18 members and the
Upper Dauphin 4-H beef and
Pig Club reporting 16 beef
projects.
The Lancaster County
group, the Red Rose Beef
and Sheep Club, met at the
Charles Myers Black and
White Holstein Bam, Lan
caster. Prior to the branding
date, each member was
asked to clip an eight inch
block of hair from his or her
steer’s left hip about three to
four inches back from and
slightly above the hook bone
or just back of the point of
the left shoulder. This area
was then treated with
alcohol and the freeze brand
applied.
Poured Concrete Silos
*
v
V
Jason Weaver, Quarryville R2,a leader in the Red Rose 4-H Beef and Sheep
Club, freeze brands a steer for district and Farm Show competition.
For black steers, the time Show, each county is allowed According to county
involved was 60 seconds, for to take only a certain agents, freeze branding has
colored breeds, 70 to 90 and amount of animals to par- only been a requirement for
for white steers, 90 seconds, ticipate in that show. The approximately the past five
A combination of methyl steers to fill this quota will years. The advantages to
alcohol and dry ice was used, be chosen in November at this type of branding over
At the same time the round-up, and the remainder hot branding are that it is
branding was taking place, will compete at the district much simpler, less painful,
the animals were ear tagged show. and easier to do.
with metal tags from the
Bureau of Animal Industry
of the State Department of
Agriculture.
After the branding and
tagging, the animals’
starting weights were
recorded. Lancaster’s steers
will be checked for their
finishing weight in
November. During the
branding, Ralgro implants
were available as were
stomach worming pills.
Although every 4-H project
is branded to go to Farm
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 27,1978
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JT-
Avoid root crops in problem soils
UNIVERSTIY PARK - If your garden soil is the heavy
clay type that hardens when it dries out or if your planting
area is full of stones, you’d do better to grow tomatoes,
beans or cucumbers than root vegetables such as carrots,
parsnips or beets, say Penn State specialists. Although
root vegetables are fiavorful and packed with vitamins
and minerals they often form forked roots and are badly
malformed when grown in problem soils. Compact soils
can be overcome by addi ~ organic matter for a period of
years. However, raw organic matter such as leafmold,
straw or wood shavings should be allowed to decay first
before the material is added to the soil, says McKeehen.
Here’s another thing to keep in mind. While most
vegetable crops thrive in soil containing aninlal
manures, this is not true for root crops. When carrots and
other root crops are grown m soil with fresh manure or
other organic material they form a mass of feeder roots
which gives an unsightly appearance of whiskers.
ORDER YOUR SOYBEANS
NOW BEFORE SEED
SUPPLY IS EXHAUSTED
These varieties are available:
• Agri Pro 20
• Agri Pro 25
• Agri Pro 35
• Certified Amsoy 71
• Certified Williams
• Certified Woodworth
Smoketown, PA Ph: 717-299-2571
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