D22—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 8,1983
Anyone using feed for livestock
is going to shudder at the feed
price-milk or meat price ratio this
winter. It will probably be the
poorest relationship we have seen
since 1973-74. The tendency will be
to “economize”. I put that in
quotes because sometimes
economizing is a more genteel way
of saying “starving”.
Let’s look at some ideas of true
economizing.
1. Practice a stringent culling
program. For dairymen that would
include cows with a long dry
period, a history of mastitis,
breeding problems, health or
physical problems as well as low
production. A predicted 305 day
Fish dust patty
slow, and only after six months
does any measurable flavor loss
occur.
Studies of granulated fish
muscle using chemical and sen
sory procedures showed no serious
flavor problem, even under poor
recovery conditions. To monitor
flavor and texture changes during
storage, a fish patty test product
was battered, breaded, and deep
fried. Results showed GFM, whole
muscle, and minced fish patties
falling in the middle of the ac
ceptable flavor range, with whole
fillet patties at the top.
Brockett’s Ag Advice
By John E. Brockett
Farm Management Agent
Lewistown Extension Office
production level under 15,000 for a
cow over 4 years of age and under
13,000 for heifers would be low
production.
2. Use DHIA for management
purposes not as a brag stat. Let
someone else top the DHIA list for
the next 3 years. How many dollars
does being top dog make you?
(Now quit lying to yourself - be
realistic).
3. Use forage testing and a good
feeding program as a guide not an
absolute. My suggestion for
dairymen: feed cows a forage
ration that would give them at
least 2 pounds of hay equivalent
per 100 pounds of body weight (a
good forage test tells you the hay
(Continued from Page D2l)
Fish patties made from 70
percent granulated fish muscle
and 30 percent whole muscle were
tested by a trained sensory panel
at Penn State and found acceptable
for both flavor and texture.
Granulated fish muscle has good
storage capabilities, Mac Neil
reported. In fact, while the texture
of minced fish declines during
storage, the texture of GFM does
not. Evidence suggests a “finning
up” of GFM while m storage.
However, its fine structure will
limit its uses to fish products such
as patties, sticks and sauces.
equivalent of all forages). Then
feed cows in the first 90 to 120 days
of lactation as much grain as they
will handle. After that put them on
a much more restricted ration (1 to
5 for cows and 1 to 4 for heifers).
After 200 days cut this even fur
ther. Of course you will have to
offer some extra forage as you
reduce gain. WARNING: make
sure protein and mineral levels are
kept in balance with energy.
4. Analyze your farm business
looking for soft spots that could be
improved. Many times these soft
spots could be improved at no cost
expect to a person’s pride. This is
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★
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RD2, Box 267. East Earl, PA 17519
Call us for low prices -
(717)354-7561
no time to worry about pnde -
remember that pride goes before a
fall. We will lose a lot of farmers in
the next few years. Many of them
will fail because of a misplaced
pride - “no one can tell me how to
farm because I have been farming
all my life”.
Keep the best records you have
ever kept in your life. However
don’t wait until these records are
complete to do a business analysis.
Do that with 1983 records whether
they are good or bad. Your
analysis can help you see where to
improve records as well as your
management.
6. Get soil tests for every field. If
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available cash is not enough' to
fully lime and fertilize each field,
set some priorities. Put the full
amount on new seedings and your
best com fields. Keep some old hay
stands for one more year using
lime and possibly nitrogen on
them. One important point is to
keep nutrients in balance even if at
a reduced rate.
7. Set up a spending budget
based on what you will need. Then
try to use it.
Set up a family spending budget
based on what you will need. Then
stick to it. Difficult? Yes but this is
a mater of survival in the farming
business. Can you do it?
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