D4—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 28,1981 BY SUSAN KAUFFMAN Staff Correspondent QUARRYViLLE - Fhe statement "What you see is what you get,’’ is not necessarily a wise sentiment when it concers evaluating forage feeds Several Solanco Young Farmers who met recently at the high school were surprised at the test results from forage samples they brought in toi analysis Technology continues to specialize and analyze m greater detail,’ and now a new infrared spectro computer system designed by Dr John Shenk, at Penn State, can run the analysis m a revolutionary short period of time Chemical analysis of forages generally takes several weeks while the infrared spectro com puter can do the job in two minutes The system was in the development and planning stage for five years before being put into actual operation two years ago Since early last fall, Dr Shenk and associates of his at the Penn State Laboratory for the U S Depart ment of Agriculture s Regional Pasture Research Lab have taken the van housing the computer system on the road to introduce it to dairymen and cattlemen During one of these meetings held in the Solanco area, Dr Shenk and an associate, Buck Fetzer, analyzed forty-seven forage samples brought into the high school After the afternoon analysis Dr Shenk spoke to a packed classroom of curious farmers at an evening program He explained the process to the group whereby the various forage samples are prepared properly tor infrared analysis Once the technology was explained, Shenk proposed the possibilities in nutrition and formulating WASHINGTON, DC - In formation reviewed by the Nor theast Egg Marketing Association board members at a meeting in Washington, D C last week may pave the way for another fowl processing plant to come on stream in the Northeast Reports to the group by officials of NEMA and FACTS indicated that an existing plant site in Western Massachusetts may offer solutions to egg producers' need for more dressing line time in the New England and Mid-Atlantic areas Summing up survey information now in hand, Mike Arcidy of FACTS told NEMA directors that a major industrial development group has interested FACTS and NEMA in a strategic site for a dressing plant Buildings already are in pizce with access to as much as 24 million gallons of water a week without charge The opportunity is there for NEMA and FACTS to operate a modernly tooled fowl dressing plant on a lease basis in which they would furnish management imput, he said Using fowl dressing as an anchor operation there is strong potential to include red meat and fish rack processing with production of meat meal, bone meal, and fish meal as added dividends This protein recovery feature could have significance in the Northeast’s feed-deficit situation Opportunity to process broilers in the area around the plant is another possibility, if modem methods of production for that type of bird can be restored in New England Still to be explored are other tangents including the production of fresh chicken broth and poulti y meat pies Solanco Young Farmers study forage samples Dr. John Shenk works in the van equipped with the in frared spectro computer balanced feeding programs based upon findings from the foiages being used by the cattleman oi dairyman The infrared system analyzes hay, corn silage, haylage, high moisture corn and soybeans as well as other forages Once the samples aie weighed, dried by microwave in the case of wet forages, ground finely, stirred, then placed into small disc-like containers tor infrared light analysis, the results are given on a computei print out The print out records percent of protein, percent of moisture, total Digestive Nutrients, percent of fiber and percent of dry matter Shenk also grades the forages on overall quality for nutritional value What sometimes looks to be a good nutrient source may prove lacking when judged under the infraied test Once the forages being ted NEMA eyes new fowl processing plant Basic financing would come from the Massachussetts State Industrial Agency with NEMA handling responsibility for sup plying fowl from the area NEMA’s directors exhibited strong interest in the plan asking that both NEMA and FACTS vigorously explore it with due regard for all facets of any business responsibility it may carry for NEMA and FACTS President John Ricca unveiled a new NEMA legislative committee under the chairmanship of Andy Hansen, Lancaster They will be responsible for input and recommendations to be handed up to UEP Other members of the legislative committee are Bob Park and A 1 Wenger, Pennsylvania, Walter Lamkin and Morns Cohen of Maine, Dick Stark, New Hamp shire, Leopold Lenche, Veimont, Frank DiLanna, Rhode Island, Don Upton and John Ricca, Massachussetts, Jerry Srednicki and Jeff Carlin, Connecticut, Kurt Kreher and Meyer Kaplan, New York, Walter Rosenstock, New Jersey, David Baker, Delaware, and Claude Steger, Mai yland Ricca expressed the view that this committee can be especially effective since it begins service at a time when a new national ad ministration has assumed office Chairman Hansen and Chris Bushway, UEP s Washington representative, then briefed the group for one-on-one visits with congressmen and senatois the following day In his report to the meeting, NEMA s Geneiai Manager Bill Rent said the organization s financial position is the best ever with more active egg promotion pi ograms in place than in 1980 Yalene Heine, AEB eoordmatoi for the Noitheast, detailed piesently by a taimei are tested, Shenk can formulate a balanced feeding pi ogi am from the i esults Propel feeding can increase profits considei ably Shenk said In too many instances fanners are feeding imbalanced toiage i aliens and in the piocess shortchanging themselves One ot the greatest offenders in many teedmg piograms, as Dr Shenk has tound to be in evidence is teedmg too much high moislui e corn The animals till up on the corn then do not have enough room to eat sutticient quantities ot high piotein torages these tanneis aie leally woiking against themselves, he said A total analysis and a balanced teedmg progiam mean increased piotits 1 his intrai ed compulei is a management tool which cuts analysis time diastically tiom the old method taking several weeks to a two minute pei sample time Elects local men to le, cooperative funding pi ograms she has set up tor the various states and expressed strong hope they can be lemforced in the future Special feature of hei presen- Nationwide the program coveis tation was aTV film on model n 180 accounts, and 62 5 million egg production made in Con- birds Total property value is in necticut by producers cooperating excess ot $6OO million with TV media The film stresses At NEMA President Kicca s the plusses of modern production invitation Al Pope, President of practices and effectively ties in UEP, updated the group on American Egg Board egg com- national activity involving animal mercials welfare Charles 0 Rielly, NEMA mid- He put special stiess on the atlantic manager, sketched the formation of a study committee in continued growth of Unepro in- UEP that is investigating altei surance programs in the Nor- native marketing methods foi eggs theast Since October new in- in < nun try and throughout the Schedule given WASHINGTON - Sen Jesse Helms, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, an nounced specific topics for the senes of Farm Bill hearings which start March 2 The hearings, unless otherwise announced, will be held at the iseiidlc \gi iLUlluie LoimniUet. i li Russell Senate Office Building Morning sessions will start at 9 a m and afternoon hearings at 2 p m On Monday, March 2, the first day of the hearings, Helms and dl'WI 'LllcltolS Oil 111 L COllllllllU L are expected to make brief, general statements addressing the main areas of public interest in the proposed bill During the first day’s hearing, other members of Congress will be heard, as will general farm organizations Agriculture Secretary John R Buck Fetzer, associate at Penn State USDA Regional Pasture Research Lab prepares forage sample for the m frared scanner The wet forages are dried in a microwave oven Shenk suggested dunng some questioning in the afternoon discussion that a farmer could regularly set aside an houi to go to a futui e site housing the system to have his feeds analyzed and a feeding progiam formulated the laigei the numbei of animals being ted and the more often the foiages change, the more frequently the analysis should be done Just how the system can be implemented oi pi ovided out in the fanning aieas is unanswered as \el I'tu- tuuld piobably be islative board oui ildVt Uctjfi written totaling SUB million in pioperty values and about three million in bird numbers for farm bill hearings Block will make a brief ap pearance on the second day, and is scheduled for a more detailed presentation later in the month Here is a breakdown of topics by date and time March 2 Members of Congress, general farm organizations, morning and af ternoon, March 3 Wheat, morning, March 4 Feed Grains, afternoon; March 5 Cotton, morning. March 6 - Sugar, morning, March 9 Soybeans and nee, morning and afteroon, March 10 Peanuts, morning March 11 Dairy, morning and afternoon, March 12 General, morning, March 13 Livestock, morning, March 16 - Food Stamp Program, morning and afternoon, March 17 Food Stamp Program, morning, March 19 Rural Development, morning March 20— Conservation, ;>el up 111 a given bile tot s73,wu With the cobt pei cow in the tango ot $2l), Mienk buggebted 250 U towb 01 an aveiage babe ut 44 hcidb could make the van operation ui equivalent apparalub prolilable How boon, who will tund it and where jubl buch a leblmg beivicc can become readily accebbible to taunerb aie all unaiibiveied queblionb at piebenl Kebeaitheib aie woiking on a pilot piugiam lu lake the van to teedlolb, but the piogiam lb onl> in the planning blage world A special laigel will be possibilities toi egg marketing through regional cooperatives, following the patterns laid down for other commodities, as tor example, Sunkist, Ocean i>pia>, and Sue-Bee Honey Cooperation with the National Council of Farmei Cooperatives is planned From the Northeast, A 1 Wengei ot Kheems, will sei ve as the link to the study committee Pope uiged that members give Wengei the benetil ot their thinking in the vital field ot marketmg mumiug, Agi ituiuti