Examples of poor use of SMV emblems 2T ss* Zz* & mm ts. k M M fli* ; Vm \ - / if ■ :■ f - '■ ' *z ' *' m . t * ix■> ,; i*r * - :i ' <■'***** *tf£i ii • - ,-V- $ -v */ t (1* Homeowner along' Rt_ 340 in Lancaster County could have saved some money by using standard driveway markers rather than a more expensive SMV sign. Numerous landowners along Rt. 340 display SMV signs improperly. f*r| L . /t 4 V State law does not provide that SMV signs be used as gate or fence markers, as at this Neffsville parking lot. How to NEWARK, Del. ; recent years, fanners have been planting com early in the season to maximize yields But com planted before dogwood bloom is particularly attractive to the European com borer Many growers try to avoid problems by treating for com borers at planting, points out Delaware ex *«nsion pest management JJeciahst Mark Graustem. Using insecticides helps, he says, but researchers at the Delaware agricultural Experiment Station are looking for less-costly, more energy-efficient methods of European com borer con trol. Many of our present methods of- controlling overwintering com borers are based on research conducted in the Mid-West during the late 1920’5, when the pest was just getting established here. Corn varieties have changed dramatically since then, and so have the insects themselves. Com varieties of the 1920’s were much more susceptible to com borer damage than the varieties m use today. Furthermore, in the 1920’s was only one O sneration of com borers per year. Now on the Delaware Peninsula there are three - complete generations and part of a fourth in some years. - wv .A *£»%' i? Vj£ - I -pM" ■ Jk- • beat corn borer Literature based on that early research advocates fall plowing. The idea was to get the stubble underground where it could decompose. But now that energy is such a great concern, the researchers feel it’s time to take a second look Suppose we were to try leaving the stalks standing for the birds to fmd and eat the com borers. Leaving the stalks standing would also help prevent erosion. And if we were to fmd no difference m com borer populations between plowed fields and those left to bird predation, we might as well save those extra energy-consuming trips across the field. To find out whether bird predation is as effective as various combinations of plowing and disking, Delaware extension pest management techmcan Joanne Whitehead will soon be conducting a controlled experiment for her masters thesis. Paul Burtutis and Charles Mason of the Experiment Station are collaborating with Graustem on several related studies. They hope to take advantage of the com borer’s liking for early com by planting some especially early com as a trap crop. They want to know whether the borers will concentrate their egg laying in the earlier com and leave the regular com crop alone. S 'X** A 'I V- ' s- Telephone poles are quite slow moving. But use of SMV signs on poles detracts from quick recognition of the sign on the rear of farm equipment. And while the borers are concentrated in the trap crop, the researchers will try out another new weapon in their pest control arsenal. The Tnchogramma parasite, discovered in Delaware several years ago bv Burbutis. parasitizes the Good management boosts hog NEWARK, Del - The goal of pork producers is to have sows that farrow a large number of live healthy pigs and wean 9 to 10 of them One manager of a 500- sow farrowing complex claims a weaning average of 10.2 pigs per Utter. Some would say he’s lucky. But according to University of Delaware extension livestock specialist Richard Fowler, good management makes this kind of luck possible. Many factors influence litter size Good nutrition, fertile boars, moderate environmental tem peratures, good sanitation all play a part Proper handling of animals during farrowing and lac tation also help boost weaning averages. Here are some of Fowler’s suggestions for boosting the size of Utters on your farm. Deworm sows two weeks This Dauphin County farm along Rt. 39 uses a SMV sign as a driveway marker rather than to mark slow moving machinery. See editorial, page A-10. yv ♦ - ■* *" " <*V "s C • • eggs of the European com borer. The researchers plan to release large numbers of the parasite into the early com trap crop. They want to find out whether Tnchogramma will make an effective com borer control, either in combination with, or in place of chemical sprays. A related study will at tempt to determine if the natural population of before moving them to farrowing crates or pens. Treat twice for external parasites One of the chief ways young pigs get these parasites is by direct con tact. Breaking the cycle by treating the sow helps assure the Utter a trouble-free start The farrowing unit should be clean. Producers with central farrowing houses and a high weaning average emphasize this. The type of cleanliness they talk about is “clean enough to eat off the floor.” All organic matter must be removed including dust Disinfectants are of no.vglue if tbefels any orgamc mater remaining on the surface. Rinse the area thoroughly if you use coal tar disin fectants or lye Wash the sow - especially .teats and , Remove organic matter that contains possible diarrhea-causing Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 1,1980-815 Here’s how SMV emblems are meant to be shown: centered on the rear of slow moving vehicles. Danger of confusion between slow moving farm equipment and improperly used SMV signs is especially acute at night when its difficult to see what the SMV sign is attached to. Down on the ground, but not out of the picture, this Lebanon County SMV sign is used to close off a farm supply dealer's parking lot. inchgramma can ef fectively suppress the com borers in a trap crop or if annual released are necessary to provide ef fective control. FmaUy, the Experiment Station scientists wiU con tinue their basic research into the biological relationship between the com borer and com plant. Much information is still needed on com borer control bacteria and roundworm eggs. Adjust the feed ration. This is especially important for sows moving from out side gestation lots to a farrowing crate or pen Oats or bran may replace 25 percent of the gram to create a bulky ration Epsom salts at 20 pounds per ton or potassium chloride at 15 pounds per ton will help prevent con stipation. One of the challenges of farrowing house management is to keep both sow and pigs comfortable. She prefers a 65 degree temperature. But her pigs seem most comfortable for the first few days in 90 to 95 degree temperatures Overheated sows may milk poorly and eventually dry up. Careful placement of the heat source for the litter can avoid this problem Be alert to signs that in- thresholds as well as the impact corn borer in festations have on yield in relation to the growth stage of the corn when the initial infestation occurs. In formation about natural mortality of the com borer is also needed. Although this appears to be rather basic research, it is this kind of research that provides new integrated approaches to pest management that save growers money. litter size dicate a sow is about to farrow Being on hand may make it possible to save more pigs. An attendant can save the pig occasionally born m the afterbirth and suffocated without help. Sows that are overfed are more likely to have farrowing problems than those in good condition, says the specialist. Don’t feed sows for 12 to 24 hours after farrowing. But be sure they have plenty of fresh water. Use three to four pounds of laxative ration as the first feed and increase feed gradually over 10 days until sows are on full feed. Take temperatures of sows after farrowing. If over 103 degrees F, watch animals closely and put them on an antibiotic treatment for three to five days.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers