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 <u
Exports and the P L 480 Program
(Food for Peace Program),
morning and afternoon, March 24
Research and Extension,
morning; March 25 Secretary of
AgncultuTe and USDA witnesses,
morning and afternoon, and
March 25 Forestry, morning
The hearings are being held on
the reauthorization of basic food
and agriculture statutes which
expire this year Hearings will
focus on current law and farm
pi ogidins diiiiunisiei eil in uh.
Us Uepai lineiil ut Agi u ullui t as
well as othet issues Heims sanl
Citizens desiring to testify should
contact Agriculture Committee
Chief Clerk Mac McCarthy at (202)
224-0013, or Hearing Clerk Denise
Alexander at (202) 224-0014