Computers & crops
SOMERS, Ct. - The quality of
your dairy ration, to a large extent,
determines the quality and
quantity of your herd’s milk
production. With that in mind, the
Lipton family of Somers, Ct., has
fine-tuned cropping practices on
their 1,200-acre farm and installed
a computerized feeding system to
help boost production of their
partly registered Holstein herd.
Si Lipton and his sons. Bill and
Jeff, who operate Pleasant View
Farm, make quite a team. Si and
Jeff handle the cropping aspects
while Bill is responsible for the
dairy. The rolling herd average for
their 225-cow herd is 19,500 pounds
milk with a 3.7-4.02 percent but
terfat average well above the
state’s average of 13,122 pounds
milk and 3.62 percent butterfat.
Like Bill, Si and Jeff also have
impressive records to show for
their cropping efforts. They won
first place m the 1982 National
Corn Growers Association yield
contest in the Class A non-irngated
division, with an entry of 144.6
bushels per acre. Their yield may
have been higher, but a heavy ram
and wind storm prior to harvest
damaged 20 percent of the crop,
which couldn’t be picked with the
combine.
Their ability to produce only the
best quality grain and forage
contributes significantly to the
success of the dairy. “High-quality
forage and grain are the most
important keys to producing high
quality milk,” observes bill.
“Our cropping program and the
dairy complement each other,” Si
agrees. “We provide good feed so
our herd can produce at high
levels.”
High quality forage
According to Bill, it’s possible to
have two balanced rations that are
identical, except one has higher
quahty forage. “Cows fed higher
quality forage will produce more;
there’s just no comparison bet
ween the two. And I depend on my
dad and brother to grow a good
quality crop,” he says. To do that
they must keep the weeds and bugs
out, and harvest the crops at the
right stage.
Si and Jeff pay as much attention
to their regular cropping program
as they did to their award-winning
NCGA plot, which was planted to
Northrup King PXB7 on May 4 of
that year. The Uptons used a plant
population of 27,500 and 30-inch
rows on ground that had been
moldboard plowed and disked
twice in the spring. To produce
their winning yield, they plowed
down fertilizer with an actual
analysis of 175-0-230 along with 1
ton of liquid lime, 100 pounds of 8-
40-5 starter fertilizer and 60 pounds
of liquid nitrogen. Furadan was
also used for insurance against
insect infestations.
Using liquid nitrogen as a
carrier, the Liptons surface ap
plied a tank mix containing Lasso
plus Bladex to control their main
weed threats of foxtails,
crabgrass, lambsquarter and fall
pamcum as well as to reduce
competition from velvetleaf.
Using similar cropping prac
tices, the Liptons raised 500 acres
of corn in 1983. That same year
they also raised 300 acres of
alfalfa, 250 acres of mixed hay and
40-50 acres of rye. The remaining
land was in pasture.
Silage yield
Much of the grain, silage, alfalfa
and hay raised on the Connecticut
River Valley farm is consumed by
the dairy herd. But the Liptons,
who have built a reputation for
quality crops, also sell some of
concern are keys to dairy gains
their excess yields to neighbors.
“Usually we chop 300 acres of
silage and harvest 200 acres of
gram corn. However, it was dry in
1983. We had no rain from June 28
to the end of August, so we cut it all
for silage,” notes Si. “We had
insured our corn under the Federal
crop insurance program and all
fields were checked at harvest.
However, we still got 16-18 tons of
silage per acre because of ex
cellent weed control.”
Although the state’s average is
16.5 tons silage per acre, the
Liptons average 25-30 tons per acre
in a normal growing year. One
reason for their silage-growing
success is the careful attention
paid to soil fertility and weed
control.
“Our fields are soil-tested on a
regular basis, and corn fields are
fertilized to produce 28 tons of
silage,” explains Si. To reach that
goal, the Liptons broadcast 175
pounds of nitrogen and 220-230
pounds of potash after spring
plowing. The fertilizer is harrowed
in and N-Serve is also applied when
the threat of leaching is of concern.
They planter-apply an 840-3
starter fertilizer along with
magnesium, sulfur and zinc. In
1983 the Liptons seeded NK PXB7,
PX9527 and Agway 650 and 600 in
30-inch rows at a population of
28,000 in May.
Weed Control
Last year, the Liptons surface
applied a tank mix containing
Lasso plus Bladex or Lasso plus
atrazine using liquid nitrogen as a
carrier to control weed problems
similar to those found in their
NCGA plot. On fields with nutsedge
infestations, the Liptons Surface
Blend one of the two tank mixes,
using Lasso at a higher labeled
rate.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 28,1984—D9
k
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Si Lipton, of Somers, Ct., checks some of the corn silage
used in dairy herd ration.
“Our Lasso fields were in good
shape,” reports Si. “And because
we often seed com ground to small
grain or alfalfa, we don't have to
worry about carryover with Lasso.
“Weed control is important
whether you sell your crop or feed
it,” continues Si. “Weeds steal
nutrients and moisture from your
com crop if not controlled. We’re
satisfied with Lasso; it does a good
job.”
Silage is cut in early September
when com is near the dent stage.
High-moisture com is usually
harvester at 24-28 percent
moisture and then stored in
Harvestores. Despite the drought,
the Liptons harvested 16-18 tons of
silage per acre, while in 1982 they
harvested 30 tons per acre, Si
recalls.
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