C3B—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 9,1981 BY HERB JORDAN &OWEND. KEENE Penn State Poultry Science UNIVERSITY PARK Here is one method of answering the question, “Should I home-mix feed on my farm?” Answer each question one at a time. 1. Do you feed a minimum total of 600 tons of mixed feed per year on your farm’ If the answer is no, stop here and buy mixed feed. If the answer is yes, go to number 2. 2. Do you have a commercial mill within 100 miles of your farm that can mix what feed you want in the quality, volume and tune frame you need it? Also, can you purchase this feed at $lO to $2O over ingredient cost? If the answer is no, go to numbers. 3. Do you have someone on your farm who has the management ability and the knowledge to buy, store and mix, blend, or grind ingredients properly to generate the final mixed feed in the quality, volume, and time frame you need it on the farm? If the answer is no, stop. If the answer is yes, then go to number 4. 4. Does this farm feed manager have one hour or more each day to spend with the feed business? If the answer is no, stop. If yes, go to numbers. 5. Does this feed manager have the very superior ability to buy or grow all quality ingredients at the right price or cost to the milling operation? Many farm mixing operations have been closed due to the inability of the manager to obtain ingredients in the quality, volume price and tune frame necessary to home-mix feed competitively. If the answer is no, stop. If yes, continue to number 6. 6. Are you prepared to sp«nd $50,000 or even triple this amount for a home-mix set up in cluding a scale, a mill, a horizontal mixer, gram dryer, storage bins, transfer auger and a truck? If no, stop. If yes, proceed to number 7. 7. Are you prepared to persuade big grain companies that your small account is worth it to send you their finest quality grains and feedstuffs at the lowest price per ton in truck load lots? If no, stop here and buy mixed feed. If yes, go to number 8. 8. Are you prepared to grow large quantities of gram if necessary (say 500 to 3000 acres of corn) to attain the position of having an alternative to $4,00 per bushel com? In times like these a far mer can utilize manure to replace some fer tilizer to grow com to feed to poultry if he has the soil, machinery, labor and other necessary inputs. If the Should you be home-mixing poultry feed? answer is yes, go to number 9. 9. Are you prepared to have $lOO,OOO or more tied up in feed ingredients at one tune to even out the highs and lows in the market? If the answer is no, stop. If the answer is yes, go on to number 10. 10. Are you prepared to buy secure and store all dangerous chemicals used in feeds (such as coccidiostats) so that large quantities are not mixed mto the feed by mistake? Are you prepared to deal with the Pennsylvania State Department of Agriculture as well as the FDA, USDA and OSHA in meeting requirements of mixing feeds on the farm? If the answer is no, stop. If the answer is yes, go to number 11. SEE WENGERS FOR YOUR TRACTOR PARTS & ACCESSORIES SEAT CUSHIONS To Fit Most Mokes And Models of Form Tractors and Industrial Equipment WENGERS INC. So. Race St. Myerstcwn. PA 17067 i Ph: 717-855-2135 | * DEALERS WELCOME ★ ff O£S(|tt|ot 5 MARKET INC TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: 1755 W. Main St. 222 E. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 Campbelltown, PA 17010 Located on Route 322 Phone (717) 838-6021 Phone (717) 738-1131 11. Do you have a source of knowledge of ration formulation, least cost formulation, problem solving when quality goes bad and how to handle a mistake in a batch? Do you have a consultant in nutrition who can keep your mixing operation guided in the right direction? If the answer is no, stop. If yes, continue to number 12. 12. Are you prepared to spend $lOO to $2OO per month for feed ingredients and finished feed quality control testing. This determines that you are buying good quality ingredients. Also it tells you if the ingredients are being mixed properly. If the answer is no, stop. If yes, continue to number 13. 13. Are you prepared It’s Tiller* Trade-up Time! end tiller has shaken enough! Trade up ROY-BILT Tiller and east $75 for your old today for a free mstration and see ;he TROY-BILT Tiller make your gardening igam l to purchase, design, install, adjust, main tain, operate, manage and repair feed storage, weighing, grinding, mixing, and transfer equipment so that: -out of commission time or out of com mission for main tenance time is less than two days? -equipment is easy to operate, lubricate and maintain? -equipment will last for at least ten years? -equipment will not malfunction very much? -equipment will measure, grind and blend ingredients properly? -equipment will pass all local, state and federal ordinances? What are the disad vantages to home mixing? IMMEDIATE DELIVERY Feed quality control problems are common. Buying right on ingredients puts most out of business if errors Makes good silage better. See your Pioneer salesman today The Limitation of Warranty and remedy appearing on the label is part of the terms of the sale. 1 •Registered trademark of Pioneer Hi-Brad International, Inc., Oes Mo/nes, lowa, U.S.A. MUELLER ■ " '■ Coolers' i.jFree Hot Water EHPerForm Cooing SJMueiter-IVialic Washing .. .Why settle for less! FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: RUFUS BRUBAKER REFRIGERATION 614 Penryn Rd. 717-665-3525 • Authorized Mueller Dealer • Dependable 24 Hr. Service • Mojonnier Paris Available USED TANKS AVAILABLE... • 300 Gal. Mojonnier • 500 Gal. Tank * 400 Gal. Sunset • 600 Gal. Girton • 500 & 600 Gal. Steinhorst • 1,000 Gal. Mojonnier are made. Mistakes in amounts of con centrates and additives mixed are common. You must usually SILA-BAC. BRA N O SILAGE INOCULANT ... only from Manheim. PA 1754! evaluate and buy i equipment to make investment low eni (T ufn to Page C 42) / . r •
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