Lebanon extension w,. Year-round . lambing brought to light should have disposable John Deere month for 120 long months, he said. H , ACU , NrmN tractors,” he said. “Maybe debt is not sinful, but 15 WASHiiNCrlow, He asked fanners if they could percent interest makes it almost exposing sheep afford to finance a machine sinful,” he said, designed to last 10 years on a 1000 Freund offered figures showing acre midwestem farm which will that 15 percent interest payments work only seven years on a 100 over seven years mean nearly 25 acre Eastern farm. percent in fixed cost. ‘Can you He said some farmers are so hack it 9 ” he asked, intent on doing $3.50 an hour labor He recommended farmers avoid they forget they are running a purchases of large equipment, that million dollar business. they finance less of their pur- t ■ Tune spent on management will return an average of $5O an hour versus that $3.50 for labor,” he said. He noted that refinancing a $5OO a month loan at 15 percent interest for an extra 10 years will net a farmer $l5OO additional capital. Warren Bucher, left was honored Tuesday night by the Lebanon Extension Association for his leadership in extension activities, and role in promoting wise land use and farmland preservation. Bucher has served the Lebanon Extension for 30 years. Making the presentation is Capital Region Assistant Extension Director Marion Deppen. ★ OPEN HOUSE DISCOUNTS ON CASH SALES WALK BEHIND MOWERS s loto *2O OFF OUR EVERY DAY DISCOUNT PRICES SMALL ENGINE SPARK PLUGS 90' chases, care for what they have better, pay it off quicker, and use it longer. “Or else,” he warned, “we are going down the tubes.” County Ag Agent Newton Bair’s presentation followed similar lines USEJ* MARCH 25. 26. 27 & 28 WED.. THURS. & FRI. 8 AM to 9 PM - SAT. 8 AM to 5 PM —W SEE OM6 OF THE LARGEST DISPLAYS lIM LANCASTER COUNTY • Mowers • Tractors • Riders • Tillers • Shredders • Chain Saws • Generators • Carts • Trimmers • Sprayers • Engines 1 LAWN BOY 2 CYCLE OIL 6 Pack 5 2.99 Power Equipment Eft H RIDING MOWERS *25 to *95 OFF OUR EVERY DAY DISCOUNT PRICES FREE COFFEE & DONUTS Bair said he doesn’t fear for the well-established dairyman who can tighten his belt and hold on. "My fear is for the young dairyman who is committed to high interest with the bank,” he said.” Do not expand in numbers of cattle but expand in efficient management, he advised. Bair said good records are important, and noted there is room for more dairymen in Lebanon County’s DHIA program. Home Economics Agents Karen Sandoe and Extension Director Alletta Schadler both reviewed extension programs designed to save the homemaker money. In addition, nutrition aides reviewed their programs to en courage wiser spending of homemakers’ food dollars. Economic success story of the evening was delivered by 4-H Agent Linda Rohrbach who reported an $BOOO net profit on the one-day 4-H sub sale held last year. The overflow crowd of extension service committee people and other guests also elected officers. Jams Horst, Rl Newmanstown, was re-elected president; Harold Bollinger, Rl Newmanstown was re-elected vice president; and Dorothy Moyer, 1915 N. 7th Street, Lebanon, was re-elected secretary. Newly elected treasurer is Alfred Brandt, 1825 N 7th Street, Lebanon A retired farmer, Brandt is a past president of the state DHIA, past president of the extension executive committee, and currently is president of the North Lebanon Township Board of Supervisors GARDEN TRACTORS *B5 to *2OO OFF OUR EVERY DAY DISCOUNT PRICES D.C. -- By to artificial lighting conditions that simulate the' .fall - breeding season, researchers have successfully induced Spring and Summer matings. This could change lamb production from a seasonal to a nearly year-round operation, says Science and Education Ad ministration physiologist Bruce D. Schanbacher. “Nature programmed sheep to be short-day breeders,” Schan bacher explains. “The gradually shortening day-length, or photoperiod, of Fall triggers complex hormonal responses initiating their annual sexual cycle. However, rams can be led to believe it’s the October breeding season in May, inducing them to approach their autumn readiness to mate successfully ” Schanbacher simulated the response usually produced by Fall’s short days by maintaining five Suffolk rams under a photopenod of 8 hours light and 16 hours darkness from late February through a 3-week breeding season in May. The Suffolk is one of the breeds most affected by photoperiod. Yet, the short-day rams sired 2% tunes as many lambs as five Suffolk rams kept outside, where the Spring days were getting longer, the physiologist reports. The rams were exposed to 300 Finnish Landrace crossbred ewes in which out-of-season heat (behavonal estrus) was induced by treatment with reproductive hormones. “Since sheep are short-day breeders and an average gestation of 150 days, lambs normally arrive in April or May,” Schanbacher says “Exposing both rams and Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 21,1981—D3 REGISTER FOR DOOR PRIZES: 2 Vi GALLON GASCANS (Plastic Jerry Jugs) Reg. $6.95 $ 4.99 ewes to artificial photopenods may be a useful management tool for distributing the lamb crop- at predetermined times of the year. ’ ’ Producing two lamb crops a year, under confinement or senuconfmement managemenet, would make full use of the ewe’s reproductive capacity, expand marketing period, equalize lamb labor requirements, increase utilization of lambing facilities, and consequently lower the producer’s overhead costs per lamb. Schanbacber, at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska, is investigating the photoperiod effects on ram reproductive performance as part of a team effort to determine whether out-of-season matings in sheep can be made a practical management practice. The effects of photopenod on estrus activity in ewes and on sperm production and breeding performance in rams were documented 15 to 20 years ago. More recently, French resear chers showed photopenod affects levels of certain reproductive hormones in rams. Photopenod also affects testis size, which is an indicator of mating success SADDLE UP! J#® TO BETTER EQUIPMENT FM H la taacasfar hnabf'i ChnMM Pefm*. ? T , IST PRIZE: 6 H.P. TROY TILLER *BOO VALUE * Plus 6 Other Prixes PENNZOIL #3O Reg. $1.29 99c