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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 12,1980—A29
Alfalfa beats
soybeans for
protein says SCS
LEBANON -
“You can
realize 50 percent more
protein from a typical alfalfa
crop than soybeans”, says
* Fred Suffian, Soil Con
servation Service. “This
protein turns into dollars
when being fed to cattle.”
He noted several local
farmers have stated ’alfalfa
crops produce more income
than soybeans or com after
the establishment year’.
Modern equipment, new
varieties with disease
resistance, and yields as
high as 7 ton of dry matter
per acre have net
income on haymaking.
Cutting alfalfa as haylage
is a popular handling
method. “The crop is har
vested similar to com silage
- omitting the baling
operation,” Suffian said.
Establishment of alfalfa
fits well into the cropping
schedule. Normally, har
vesting will not interfere
with the Summer wheat or
Fall soybean or com har
vest, he added.
Wheat crop
(Continued from Page Al)
tune the wheat was
blossom and pollinating.
Nolt said there are a
couple of critical days over
the bloom period which this
year’s wheat came through
well.
Red Rose Gram Elevator
m Quarryville reported that
the moisture content on the
grain it was receiving
Thursday was running 14.6-
17.2 percent with a test
weight of 59-62 pounds per
bushel.
At Snavely’s Mill, Mount
Joy, Jerry Snavely reported
that the first load of local
wheat was received by them
on Saturday, harvested on
Friday. Snavely said the
moisture was running about
15-15.5 percent and that the
weight was running 61-62
pounds per bushel.
He said that harvests
seemed to be running an
average of 50 bushels per
acre. He also said the quality
is excellent. Snavely said
TRACTOR PULLS
EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7 P.M,
8 Classes of Super Stock and Modified
Tractors and 4-Wheel Drive Trucks
REGULAR ADMISSION
Adults - ‘4.75
6 to i 2 yrs
‘1.50
5 and under - FREE
Does not include
special events.
According to soil fertility
specialists, top dressing
alfalfa can payoff even with
high fertilizer prices. Take
soil tests and split your
applications after the first
and third cuttings, Suffian
advised.
Finally, you can save
energy in haymaking, ne
pointed out. “It takes less
fuel to harvest hay than
plowmg, discing, planting
and combining a gram
crop.”
that last year’s quality was
poor and they received a lot
of tombstone wheat, im
properly matured heads.
M agreed that last year
was a poor year for wheat.
Lueck said that state
averages ran about 40
bushels per acre in 1978 and
about 30 bushels per acre in
1979.
Pennsylvania Crop
Reporting Service reported
statewide figures at 24
percent headed, 66 percent
turning and eight percent
ripe. The north reports 32
percent headed and 68
percent turning. Central
areas have 29 percent
headed, 66 percent turning
and five percent ripe, while
southern counties report
seven percent headed, 65
percent turning, 23 percent
ripe and five percent har
vested.
Last year, 60 percent was
headed, 18 percent was npe
and less than five percent
was harvested.
BUCK
Featuring,
Loc 10 Miles south of
Lancaster on Rt 272
SEE YOU AT
THE BUCK!