NEWARK, Del. People have plenty, of opinions about. what makes- a good* dairy operation. Some insist thermal! farm has the advantage because the farmer can keep better tabs on each animal. Others are justas certain that only the large-scale operation can succeed in today’s economy..- In an attempt to find out who is right, University of Delaware' Extension dairy specialist George Haerilein examined the Dairy Herd Improvement Association statistics for the northeastern United States. At present there are 6,414 Holstein herds on official DHIA test m the region, with an average of 69 milking cows per herd. With the help of a computer, Haenlein divided these herds into two groups: those that are larger than the average, and those that are smaller. The smaller herds average 35 cows, while the larger herds average 123. Perhaps surprisingly, Haenlein found few differences' in produc tion averages between the larger and smaller farms. Average milk production per cow and average butterfat content were almost identical in the two groups. It seems, then, that the size of herd didn’t make any difference in the individual cow’s ability to produce. There was a difference- in the way the herd managers of large versus small herds fed then' cows, though. On the average, the larger herds were fed at 120 percent of the cows’ requirements, which was heavier than the rate of feeding of the smaller herds. Cows in larger herds were given hay but more silage, including wiaylage, and more gram. Thus the larger farmer may have had lower feed costs and potentially higher profits. Some of these profits might have been offset,- however, by slightly less efficient breeding on PARMER BOY AG INC. DISTRIBUTORS FOR: BEACON STEEL PRODUCTS Adult T urkey Feeder Featuring Equipment For: Broiler Pan Feeding System MS wine and Poultry Systems VA RMER BOY Mi. ma . Best in Design, Price and Experience 457 E. MAIN AVE., MYERSTOWN, PA 17067 V 2 Mile East of Myerstown Call 717-866-7665 For An Appointment or Stop By Our Office. Our Trained Staff Will Do Their Best To Assist You With Layout And Design. <2 ♦''% "-v « ■*** t* « s;* r •■'■‘*2, Dairy cows 6 are what they eat 9 larger farms, as judged by con ception rates, number of services per conception, and tune between pregnancies. Culling was heavier in the'larger herds, so the average age of animals was lower in the larger herds. Large and small herds did an equally good job of bringing in replacements heifers, at an average of 28 months. The only apparently significant difference, according to HaenJein, was that large farms were using more home-grown feeds. Managers of small dairy herds could increase their profits by adopting this practice. If the rate of milk production doesen’t depend on the size of the herd, then what does make some herds better producers than others? -To answer this question, Haenlem divided the Holstein records for the region into two groups: those jvith above-average milk production leveraging 18,107 pounds) and those with' below average production (averaging 12,869 pounds). He found no differences in the tat content of the milk produced by the two groups, but big differences in feeding patterns of high and low producing herds. Many low producing herds were being fed too much of an unbalanced ration, thus wasting protein or energy and potential profits. High-producing herds were fed one-third more energy feeds than the low-producing herds. The high producing herds were also fed more silage and less hay. The high milk-producing herds were also more efficient calf producers, the study showed. They , had a shorter calving interval. The high-producing herds were also culled more severely and thus tended to have younger animals on average. “45 Years of Manufacturing For The Poultry Farmer” TURKEYS AND BROILERS Mr Survey shows startling statistics ★ DICKISON C&A LAYING CAGES . NPB) * DICKISON BROOD \f«M OOlS»lMU«f«ei\ jka A p«l Vi — —?.A GROW CAGES 19 years of Manufacturing Experience of Poultry Equipment and will Custom Make to your Specifications ; ! y ’’ Efficiency of breeding was as much a key ta profits as was the rate of milk production. To find out what set apart the more efficient breeders from the less efficient. Haenlem sorted the Holstein herds into two groups according to whether they were above or below average in breeding efficiency. The efficient breeders averaged 1.3 services per conception, while the less efficient breeders required 2.2 services per conception. Haenlem found just as many large herds as small ones among the efficient breeders, which showed that herd size alone did not make a difference in reproductive efficiency. Other factors such as rate of feeding, breed of cows, and management decisions also played apart. Making further use of the computerized records, Haenlem took a look at the other breeds in the Northeast. There were 175 Ayrshire herds on official DHIA test in the region. When divided into two groups, the high producers averaged 14,600 pounds, and the low producers, TO,OOO pounds. Between the high and low producing - Ayrshire herds, Haenlem found no differences in fat content, in size of herd, or in breeding rate. The age of the first calf heifers tended to be older in the lower milking herds, though, indicating less efficiency. Haenlem also studied the records of the 128 Guernsey herds on test m the region. The low producing group averaged 9,666 pounds, as compared to 13,200 ror the above-average group. Again there were no differences in herd size or- butterfat, content. Guern seys were next to-Jerseys m fat content. But conception rates for Guernseys were lower than for the other breeds, averaging two services per conception. Pullet Grow Cage System Flat Chain Feeding System Lancaster Farrtiing.Saturday, Sep|epiber 12,1981—83 As with -Ayrshires, the average age of first calf heifers was older in the low-producing Guernsey herds than m the higher-producing herds. - Looking at the 370 Jersey herds on test m the region, Haenlein found much the same story. However, Jerseys had the best conception rates of any breed, in both low and high-producing herds. Only red-and-white Holsteins had equally good con ception ratcc, h”. f f b<>re were only USDA grain official visits Japan, China WASHINGTON, D.C. - • U.S. Department of Agriculture grain inspection official Kenneth A. Gilles - visited the Far East recently. He addressed a meeting of the Japan Section, American Association of Cereal -Chemists and met with Japanese govern ment officials'. He visited China to discuss grain inspection and,other matters with government and grain trade officials. Gilles was invited to visit China by that country’s import and ex port commodity inspection agency. Officials of that agency visited the United States last summer and USDA 'officials escorted them on a tour of grain growing and exporting facilities throughout the country. “Exports of U.S. grain to China have been growing recently, and there is potential for even greater trade between our two nations,” Gilles said. “We roust make every effort to ensure understanding of each other’s inspection philosophies and methodologies, so that our business dealings will not be jeopardized by unnecessary misunderstandings ” five such herds on official test in the entire region. Looking at the overall picture, Haenlein has concluded that neither large nor small herds are necessarily better. Furthermore, the right feeds and balance can mean production and profits, but if the cost is lower rates of reproductive efficiency, the farmer must decide whether or not it’s worth it. Through April of this year, U.S. grain exports to China totaled 4.6 million 1 with 4.2 million tons for ail of 1960, and USDA Deputy Secretary Richard Lyng recently estimated this year’s total could top 8 million tons. Under a bilateral grain agreement, China has agreed that 6 to 9 million tons of its annual grain imports will be of U.S. origin. Accompanying Gilles on the trip were • USDA officials Robert Zortman, deputy director of the inspection division, and William Shey, chief of the international monitoring staff. In addition to the talks in Beijing, the team visited Dalian, Shanghai and Hangzhou. In addition to addressing the cereal chemists association, of which he is former president, Gilles, while in Japan, with government and grain trade of ficials. Among other things, he discussed the results of a soybean sample exchange between the ’Federal Grain Inspection Service, and the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
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