* » •y Farming, Saturday, February It, 19*4 a: Ag seminar stresses dairy, livestock efficiency BY LAURA ENGLAND BLUE BALL Increasing profitability in the feedlot and in the dairy herd, and determining how much debt an individual farm can support were the topics discussed at an agriculture seminar held Wednesday in Blue Ball. Sponsored by the Blue Ball National Bank, Lancaster County, the seminar was open to farmers and featured speakers Cheryl Fairbairn, Chester County ex tension agent, Glenn Shirk, Lan caster County extension agent, Fred A. Hughes, Penn State farm management specialist and Senator Noah Wenger of the 36th District of Lancaster and Chester counties. The seminar opened with a talk on factors affecting profitability in the feedlot by Cheryl Fairbairn. These factors include market prices, the farm debt load and steer performance in the feedlot. Most importantly, Fairbairn said, is that farm operators are excellent managers and know the ultimate importance of steer performance in the feedlot. “He knows that steers must gain weight as radpidly as possible,” she said, “and in the least amount of time on the least amount of feed. “The less weight a steer gains each day the longer he must (Turn to Page 842) Participating in an agriculture seminar sponsored by Blue Ball National Bank are, from left, Ken Overly of Blue Ball National Bank, Senator Noah Wenger, Penn State farm management specialist Fred Hughes and Lancaster County extension agent Glenn Shirk. Also participating was Cheryl Fairbairn, Chester County extension agent.
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