014—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, October B, 1983
3
Daily
ms*' f •. !
' i Pipeline
•agf*, By j
Glenn A. Shirk j
Extension
M Dairy
Agent j
88SSM»Sg8^S^»SSSS^B«SMMSCTBSgsy
The present dairy and feed
situation is forcing many
dairymen to change gears. When
feed prices, and other costs are
going up, and when milk prices
decline, adjustments have to be
made.
One place we can start is to look
at where we can cut costs. With
feed being the largest single item
of expense, that's a logical place to
start. If this is an area for im
provement ask yourself the
following question; what is the
cheapest feed 1 can feed the most
of - safely? What supplements do 1
need to purchase to balance the
ration when I use this "cheap”
feed. If the cost of the added
TRACTION
MASTERS, INC.
Grooving, Grinding
and Texturing
The TMi "EDGE” provides clean, straight grooves
in feed alleys, freestalls, holding lots and corners for
improved traction, heat detection and drainage and
the reduction of broken bones and splitting.
Group rates available!
Merle Becker Dari M. Packard
224 S. Market St. 1514 Hollins St.
Ephrata, PA 17522 Baltimore, MD 21223
(717)738-1359 (301)945-7313
T3sP<
<*' - ’V'fr's
CONSTRUCTION
FARM BUILDINGS - EXCAVATING
MANURE PITS - SEPTIC TANKS
SPECIAL FARM PRICES
DYNAMIC MASONRY
CONTRACTORS
Mike Fisher
(717) 687-6801
After 6 PM, Coll (717) 687-7217
supplements, or the risks
associated with the change, are too
great, the change may not be
worth considering.
Chances are, the cheapest feed
on most farms is home grown
forages. Generally, when the milk
to grain price ratios narrow, as
they are presently, doing - and
rapidly, it pays to feed more forage
and less gram. True, you might
lose some production and have a
smaller milk check, but you might
have more returns over feed costs,
and that’s what pays the bills. In
addition, as a bonus, you might
eventually discover that you have
a healthier herd - less vet ex
penses, less culling, and possibly a
CALL OR WRITE:
Ks>WbS
SPECIALISTS IN:
• RESIDENTIAL SEPTIC
SYSTEMS
• FARM WASTE SYSTEMS
• COMMERCIAL WASTE
SYSTEMS
-FREE ESTIMATES
Gordonville, PA
Septic Tanks
Larry Herr
higher fat test. Some cows that had
been overfed gram - and we seem
to have a lot of them - might ac
tually end up producing more milk
because they are healthier.
Remember, recovering six points
on fat test will offset the two ac
cent milk price deductions.
If you can keep those good cows
in your herd longer, that’s worth a
lot - especially now! It used to take
almost two lactations for a cow to
break even in her lifetime. Good
cows will do it slightly sooner. With
the margin of profit shrinking, it
may now require three lactations. -
The important point to remember
is, every lactation you can keep a
cow beyond her break even point is
an extra opportunity for her to
return a profit to you.
So, take the time and effort
necessary to keep those good cows
healthy. It might mean feeding
more forages or paying attention
to all those little, but important,
details such as observing heats,
keeping records, preventing
mastitis, treating infections,
providing good ventilation, vac
cinating and dewormmg, im
proving sanitation, caring for feet,
etc. The list goes on and on.
Look for good buys in feed,
consider alternative feeds, and
avoid unnecessary frills. But make
any changes carefully and slowly,
and know what you are doing.
Keep the ration properly balanced
to keep yourself out of trouble and
to help you make most efficient use
of the feeds you have or purchase.
ssow
rs a
Schoessow’s Versatile SLANT Bar Feeder Bunks
; ■
- •• ■ ....-vavJsa
a ■- : h*t- :~T‘*
y , y ;
y
Full Sized Bunk
Gat Provan Daalgn and tha
Ruggad, Waldad Slaal Construction IN BRIARTON iT~ n
from tha Laadara In Faadara ROUTE 2 I g
Schoessow, Inc.
Distributed By:
CUMMINGS & BRICKED
100 Stover Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013
*' 717- 249-6720 '
(Save the best feed for the best i her stall, and that lost income is
producers, and don’t waste feed on! probably the larger of the two
cattle that aren’t worth keeping, or costs.
on extra heifers. Keep fewer
heifers, and feed them better.
Look at what cows are filling
your stalls. It’s expensive to feed a
low producer, or a cow that will
remain dry for a long period of
time, especially if you can find a
better cow to fill her stall. You not
only have the cost of feeding her,
you also have the loss of income
when you deny a better cow to fill
NY Holiday Heifer Sale Dec. 3
ITHACA, NY Nominations for
the Holiday Heifer Sale Dec. 3, co
sponsored by the New York
Hereford Association and the New
York Polled Hereford Association,
are now being accepted.
The sale, which will be at the
Livestock Pavilion on the Cornell
Campus, Ithaca, will feature
registered Polled Herefords and
Herefords. It will include heifer
calves, open and bred heifers, and
a select group of steer calves.
Performance requirements have
FEEDLOT USE BY ALL LIVESTOCK SIZES
V'* •••• -* - - - - ■
FARMERS’
FAVORITES
Schoessow’s
SLANT
BAR FEEDER WAGONS
Will feed chopped green feed,
large round or square bales,
regular bales, silage, haylage,
chopped hay or ground feed. 40,
30, 25, 20, 15 or 10 foot lengths.
Schoessow’s SLANT Bar Feeder Panels
Pick a feeder panel to fit your needs ...
% 1 f> T.
V' |.jW|
FEED EFFICIENT
i* m
ALL PURPOSE FEEDER WAGONS
Easily Movable
Trailer Bunk
When gram was cheap, it was
profitable to "push” cows, as long
as it didn’t result in excessive herd
health problems and cow turnover.
When the price of gas skyrocketed,
it became more efficient not to
push the pedal to the floor. The
same may be true of cattle now
that the price of their fuel is on the
increase. Push the pencil carefully
to decide what is best for you.
been established and all heifers
consigned that are more than 15
months of age will be guaranteed
safe in calf.
Nominations will close Nov. 1
and entry forms may be obtained
from Robert Generaux, Rt. 9
County Road 18, Canandaigua,
N.Y. 14424 or from Raymond
Clark, Box 123, Clinton N.Y. 13323.
Working with Generaux and Clark
on sale arrangements are
Theodore Kriese, Cato, and Montie
Soules, Millbrook.
' I
Mini Bunk For
Calves and Sheep
/nt feeder
panels
as a
wee line
f eeder
OR