D26—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 16,1984
BBrockett*s Ag Advice
By John E. Brockett
Farm Management Agent
Lewistown Extension Office
SILO-GARBAGE
Don’t put garbage or junk in the
silo. Every year I work with far
mers who • put old hay crop
material in the silo because they
don’t know what to do with it. As
hay it could be fed to heifers or dry
cows in cold weather or used as
bedding or fed on pasture. At any
rate animals could pick and choose
leaving the worst parts. As silage
they have to eat it all. In addition,
it may be the main forage fed.
Poor quality haylage seldom
makes you money. It reduces the
digestibility of other feeds that are
fed with it. It reduces the
palatibility of the ration. End
result it reduces pounds of total
feed eaten by a cow as well as
reducing the pounds of nutrients
consumed in each pound of feed.
Question
Which cow will produce the most
milk? The 1,200-pound cow that
eats 36 pounds of dry matter (grain
and forage) per day averaging 60
percent digestible nutrients and 18
percent protein or the one that eats
HAY WAGONS FOR SALE
3 Sizes Available...l6’, 18’, 20'
with or without running gear
• Also will fit sides onto your flat wagon
Compare the Stoltzfus
Woodwork Calf Hutch
Lifting Hook Simple, efficient
for easy handling One Sheet eyebolt and pin
(Option”* ,Opt ' on \ m“ /-"-.or
1
T -ErHK
Sturdy 2x4
construction
Treated skids
exterior
plywood _
„isa^
Lebanon County:
UMBERGER'S MILL
Rt. 322. RDM Lebanon. Pa
717-867-5161
Virginia
D.J. IMPLEMENTS
RD 2 Box 395
Dayton. Va. 22821
703-879-9926
STOUZFUS WOODWORK
MFD.
BY;
48 pounds of dry matter (grain and
forage) per day averaging 62
percent digestible nutrients and 18
percent protein? Question two -
which cow will produce its milk the
most economically? Question
three - could something as simple
as forage quality really make the
difference between a profit and
loss situation?
Answers to the first two
questions are cow number two of
course. Answer to question three is
emphatically YES. Practically
every dairyman who produced
milk for less than $l2 per cwt in
1983 had top quality forage.
Practically every dairyman with
costs over $l5 per cwt in 1983 had
low quality forage.
Get that first cutting made now.
In central Pennsylvania, hay crops
made after June 15 will be going
“over the hill”. Alfalfa hay should
be made before you see any
flowers. Grass is way ahead of
alfalfa this year. If you put hay
crops in the silo for next winter’s
Wood or Steel
s Tilt Out Feeder for/
easy access
TRACK FOR FASTENING CALVES'
CHAIN TO CEILING OF HUTCH
Berks County:
JOE RUTH
RD #4133 Fleetwood, Pa 19522
215-944-7571
Adams County:
HAROLD OEARDORFF
Rt. 1, Fairfield, PA 17320
717-642-8722
Maryland:
LEROY HILDEBRAN
Woodsboro, Md
301 8458929
RD 2, Box 2280, Gap. PA 17527
717-442-8972
What To Do
36” or 50” high wire
enclosure (Option)
feed, don’t put any in after June 20
or be reconciled to a rather
mediocre forage feed.
Last year those who had the first
cutting done by June 10 had a
reasonably good crop of hay
despite the drought. Those who
waited until they were assured of
good weather had poor quality plus
low yields. Don’t make that
mistake this year.
There Is A Way
Sometimes farmers become
despondent especially when the
weather doesn’t cooperate. Before
this happens sit down and do some
thinking. When it comes to idea
development, farmers are tops if
they will think things out. Where
there is a will there is a way. So if
the weather is against you, you will
have to think a litter harder. Put
that crop in the silo - apply acid to
it as hay when you bale it • wrap it
up as a large round bale and put it
in a plastic bag. These are three
ways farmers have used to get an
edge on the competition.
Competition
Be constantly thinking “I have to
do my best because only 80 percent
of the farmers who were in
business in 1981 will still be here in
1986 - 1 want to be one of the sur
vivors”.
I LIVESTOCK MISTING SYSTEM;
1. AMBIENT AIR (indirect) Install along eaves of building to I
cool the air flow. ■
2. DIRECT COOLING Install in vicinity of stock for more rapid |
cooling with direct mist. i
3. EVAPORATIVE COOLING Install to spray on roof-top |
against side curtains or with forced air cooling apparatus. i
4. Feeder lines can be mounted inside on wooden
beams or iron structures. Heads are run from W
line on V«” line to any position inside the building.
IT l-(e©UMf f LEBANON, PA 17042
c whup ck? (717)274-3488
W / Cmww iJ Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:00 to 4:30
Keep cows comfortable
during hot weather
NEWARK, Del. Hot, humid
summer weather usually means
production slumps for dairy cows.
These drops can be minimized,
however, with some management
changes, according to University
of Delaware extension dairy
specialist Dr. George Haenlein.
Haenlein says hot weather can
affect milk production in several
ways by its direct physical
action on the cows, by reducing
pasture quality and by increasing
the number of insect pests.
High air temperatures cause a
cow’s body temperature and
respiration rate to rise, make her
uncomfortable, slow her down and
reduce her appetite. Haenlein says
body temperature can be reduced
by feeding the cow a lower fiber
ration during hot weather. Such a
ration is easier to digest. However,
be careful not to reduce fiber
below 21 percent acid-detergent
fiber (17 percent crude fiber) or
milk fat levels are likely to drop,
he cautions.
The specialist advises changing
the feeding schedule if necessary,
Poultry And Hogs
COOLS 3 WAYS—
For
CONTROLS DUST
rpcr
u
so that cows consume most of their
feed during cooler evening or early
morning hours. Add buffers such
as sodium bicarbonate and
magnesium oxide to the ration to
help keep them eating. Use 20 to 30
pounds of sodium bicarbonate and
10 to 20 pounds of magnesium oxide
per ton of grain mix. Be sure to
provide plenty of shade and
adequate ventilation, especially
where the cows normally rest and
eat.
If the herd receives a sizable
amount of pasture forage,
remember that most forages are
cool-season varieties which grow
poorly during hot weather. So
provide supplemental feed for the
better milkers.
Control flies and other irritating
insect pests by eliminating
breeding places such as ac
cumulated manure around the
barn and lots.
Be sure cows have free access to
plenty of clean, cool water. If an
outdoor trough is used, a small
shade on the roof over it will help
keep both the water and cows cool.
Evaporatlva
LING
:: • LINES SHOULD '• * » ■
« RE PUT ON INSIDE
• FOR EMERGENCY
DIRECT COOLING
AND OUST CONTROL
> s 7 TURKEYS AND
IROILERS
YOUR MISTING SYSTEM
CAN BE ADAPTED TO ANY
SIZE CONFINEMENT.
1. Can be mounted on cupolas at any
angle. Feeder lines may be
mounted under roofing or strung
inside on wire.
2. Dead spots in middle of roof are
covered by running heads from
feeder line to holder stake drilled
in stringers.
3. Feeder lines can be mounted
under eves with heads mounted on
roof clips and attached with V*"
tubing. Angle of mist is always
flexible.
SPRAY ON
EVAP<
SPRAY ON
PLENUM PADS