124—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 28,1981
0:
The Milk
Check
TOM JUBCHAK
County Agent
YEAR’S END
Now that most of the statistics
are in for 1980, we can examine
what happened and why
You ma> not think it s worth
much to look back, but it’s one way
of finding out where we re headed
So, if we don’t like what we see, we
still have time to make some
changes
The important characteristics of
1980 were record high milk
production, a reverse in a steady 40
year trend of declining numbers of
dairy cows, very favorable milk
price-feed price ratios and price
support program purchases the
highest in 18 years
WeTl try to take a closer look at
each of these to see what we can
expect this year so you can decide
individually as well as collectively
through your cooperatives and
organizations what strategies you
should adopt for the future
MILK FLOOD
The record high production of
more than 128 billion pounds last
year broke the previous high of 127
billion set back in 1964 It was the
result of a larger number of cows,
a record high production per cow
and a feed price that was good in
relation to the milk price
Pole Shed & Barn
Material Center
PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER
• 2x4 • 4x4 Excellent For:
SIZES: • 2x6 • 4x6 ★ FARM BUILDING ★ PATIO
• 2xB • 6x6 ★ FENCE * POLE SHEDS
• 2xlo • 2x6 T&G * SUNDECK * OTHERS
■ IxB Bam Siding 6’ to 16’
■ 2xB T&G Yellow
Pine Bam Flooring
LARGE SELECTION OF
ALL DIMENSION LUMBER
1 x 6 Rough Cypress Boards
For Fence & Gates
For Low Prices on Roof Trusses
Check with Musselman
Large Selection of
LAWRENCE HARDWARE
• Door Hangers • Bumpers
• Brackets • Stay Rollers
• Track • Latches
FREE DELIVERY
MUSSELMAN LUMBER INC. °
200 BRIMMER AVENUE. NEW HOLLAND. PA
Phone 717-354-4321 j
Hours: Daily 7 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 7 AM to 12 PM
.o. / .
The increase in cow numbers
started in March 1980 and is
already larger than the 1978 herd
By March of 1981 it is expected to
be higher than the 1977 figure The
one percent increase in 1980 added
nearly 100,900 cows and the end
isn t in sight
Added to the number of cows is
the increasing number of heifers
As of January 1, there were a
record high 40 heifers in waiting
for every 100 cows in the milking
herd
The only steady trend you have
left is increasing production per
cow It has averaged two percent a
year for the last 14 years. But now
your annual increases are up to
three percent and last year
averaged nearly 12,000 pounds per
cow
Part of the reason was that
favorable milk price-feed price
ratio This is the number of pounds
of 16 percent dairy ration you could
buy with the pnce of one pound of
milk Back in 1977 it was down to
1 2 But in the last two years, it has
averaged about 1 5 with early 1980
coming close to 1 6 before gram
prices started to rise faster than
milk prices
EASY-COVER
by Ondulinc
FARM
ROOFING
SALE!
{nprrnr^
fi 1 V
1 y.
67' x 46 Sheet
• 25 Year warranty against
leaks
• Four colors in stock
SfV 1 '
IK SELECTION OF
if PANELING
As a result of the increasing milk
production and legislation passed
in 1977 that lequired a dairy pi ice
support at 80 pei cent of parity, the
Commodity Credit Corporation
stai ted buy mg inci easing amounts
of buttei, skim powder and cheese
in late 1979
„ '
; -Vi'*"*
f * V
£
y* v -4
That year they spent }>25D million
and bought the equivalent of about
one billion pounds of milk or Jess
than one percent of the total milk
production However, in 1980
largely because of increasing milk
production CCC bought $1 3 billion
worth of dairy products equal to
more than eight billion pounds of
milk or about fa 5 percent of all the
milk produced
Nothing in the year end statistics
indicates that any of these trends
started in the last two yeias is
going to change Another record
year of milk production is expected
in 1981 with increasing cow
numbers and production per cow
Higher feed prices may slow down
the increase, but unless there s
another severe drought they won’t
stop it
' f
4 yp
The present price support
legislation doesn t expire until
September 30 so CCC purchases
are expected to continue at present
high levels tostnve for a support
price at 80 percent of parity
What happens after that depends
on this session of Congress where
the present price support
legislation may be extended,
amended or ended
6u) Dutchman,- the Original
Big Dutchman cage systems are the “standard" by which all others are measured.
So why not start your cage shopping with the No. 1 company in the field
We can provide “all” the components that make up a complete cage system and
therefore are able to guarantee reliability, control, cost savings and one-source service.
And remember, once your Big Dutchman system is completed, the competently
trained staff of Hershey Equipment Company will continue to service it and provide
spare parts at DISCOUNTED prices as it has been for over fifteen years.
HERSHEY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, "WE SELL THE BEST & SERVICE THE REST "
LARGE
REACTION
: f
Designers of Qualify Systems for Poultry, Swine and Grain Handling.
Chester Extension
offers workshops
WEST CHESTER - The Chester
County Cooperative Extension
Service of The Pennsylvania State
University is offering classes in
rug hooking and quilting
The rug hooking classes will be
held on Wednesdays, March 4, 11,
18, 25, April 1, 8,15, 22 from 930 to
11 30 a m
The series of eight classes will
teach the skill of rug hooking
Everyone will be provided with
wool, burlap, and rug hdok to do
this traditional craft You will
make a traditional and con
temporary design the size of a
chair seat or wall hanging The
frame you need may be an oval or
round embroidery hoop, old pic
ture frame or 4 strips of wood
about 14”xl6” to form an oblong
The Quilting Course will be held
on Mondays, March lb, 21, 3U,
April 6 from 9 30 to 11 30 a m The
senes of four meetings will cover
basic techniques for handquilting
The instruction will include
making a pattern, use of applique,
and patchwork, and dealing a^
pillow top Instruction on how to
' make a quilting frame will be
demonstrated
There is a small fee for each of
these courses The courses will be
held at the Extension Meeting
STILL # 1
TU7
hershey equipment
[j I COMPANY, INC.
iz.
SYCAMORE IND PARK
255 PLANE TREE DRIVE, LANCASTER, PA 17603
(717)393-5807
Route 30 West at the Centerville Exit
Room, 235 W Market Street, 3rd
floor. West Chester For further
information call 696-3500
Microwave Cooking Course
The Chester County Cooperative
Extension Service will conduct a
Microwave Cooking Course on
Tuesdays, March 17, 24, 31, April 7
from 1 00 to 3 00 p m and 7 00 to
9 00 p m The same course will be
offered at two different times
Classes will be held at the Ex
tension Service Meeting Room. 235
W Market Street (3rd floor I, West
Chester
The senes of four meetings will
include basic cooking principles,
actual meal preparation,
discussion and demonstrations to
show how every member of the
family can prepare food in the
microwave
A variety of microwave ovens
will be used through the
cooperation of Gilbert’s Appliance,
128 W Market St, West Chester
The instructor will be Linda Z
Butler There will be a small fee
for the course Registration will be
due by Monday, March 9,1981
For further information call or
write the Chester County Ex
tension Service, Paul B Dague
Bldg , 235 W Market Street (3rd
floor), West Chester, PA 19380