DlO—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 4,1984 ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The high price, scarce supply and sometimes poor quality of com this summer have prompted many hog producers to search for cost efficient, top-performing alter native rations in their finishing units, where about 80 percent of all feed in a typical farrow-to-finish operation is consumed. Dr. Gawain Willis, senior swine nutritionist for Ralston Purina Company, offers producers several tips on how to cope with this summer’s grain situation, without sacrificing performance. Feed Wheat High com prices and scarce supplies this summer have made wheat a viable, economical alternative to corn-based rations. In wheat-rich areas, when com is 90 percent or more than the per bushel price of wheat, take ad vantage of this edge. Wheat may be used to supply 100 percent of the gram portion of hog rations. To attain optimal feed efficiency with wheat-based rations, grind or roll the grain to a coarse to medium particle size. Finely ground wheat is powdery, and may cause pigs to reduce feed intake. Wheat should also be mixed with a supplement specifically for mulated to take advantage of wheat’s higher levels of lysine and available phosphorus. Feed Completes If both com and wheat are Which Box Gives You More Great Features as Standard Equipment? able-speed unloading with a 4-cham bed conveyor A separate beater clutch And a smooth, worm-gear drive that elimin ates surge Features that make this a one man machine 4 J&i Forage Blower nr ROME, PA DAVID D. DIETRICH PHONE Rte 5, Box 758 (703)667-3787 Winchester, VA 22601 (703) 667-0363 Centers 717-744-2371 SHIPPENSBURG, PA GREENWOOD, DE WAYNESBORO, PA Witmer Impl Delndge Supply, Inc B Equipment, Inc 717-532-6139 302-349-4327 717-762-3193 FREDERICK, MD RISING SUN, MD LEBANON, PA Knott and Geisbert Ben Haines Evergreen Tractor Co. 301-662-3800 301-658-5359 lnc feeding tips outlined unavailable, or of poor quality, a f° r leakage and for clogged feeder top-performing complete feed may holes. be a viable option. To compare the Let feeders run empty cost-effectiveness of completes, periodically to prevent stale or calculate the actual grind and mix moldy feed. Between groups of manufacturing cost, (including hogs, feeders should be emptied, producing, storing, grinding and cleaned and refilled with fresh mixing) as well as performance rations from grind and mix corn-based rations, versus the cost and per formance of a given complete. Especially in grain-deficit areas, or where com is of poor quality and high priced, completes may be more efficient and less costly. A complete ration that out performs traditional corn-based grind and mix rations like Purina’s Super High Octane Completes for grower and finisher hogs, may be more cost-effective overall. In one test, this ration delivered average daily gain of 2.17 lbs., and a 2.12 feed conservation ratio for one group of boars and raised in total confinement. The most feed needed to produce a pound of gain on this ration so far was 2.87 lbs., with a set of market hogs raised on dirt lots Hog It’s critical to control direct feed waste. Self feeders waste 10 per cent of rations if not regularly adjusted. That loss almost imperceptible to the eye can wipe out a performance gain. Regularly lift feeder lids to check can move up to 120 (on* of corn silage an hour with our IS4 Forage Blower Hs 54 fan and specially designed tem keeps material moving evenly into the silo Oper 540 rpm with optional heavy-duty PTO shaft for large Big 12*inch auger has single-lever shutoff control with jted hopper makes it easy for wagons to reach un isKion CONTACT YOUR ARTS-WAY DEALER AREA REPRESENTATIVE Monitor Feed Waste STANDARD PLUS 9 flexible front conveyor chute exlen sion ■ Rugged wood box (hat stands up to rough field use better than all steel boxes ■ 4-cham bed conveyor and more - all STANDARD equipment NEUHAUS’ES York, PA 717-428-1953 Sell Feeder Pigs Depending on the market, and corn price and supply, producing feeder pigs may be an economical alternative to a farrow-to-finish operation. Pigs weighing up to 40 lbs. consume a fraction of total feed in such operations, and thus require less grain. Ship Lighter Hogs Depending on the packer, lighter hogs may be in order. Hogs weighing over 220 lbs. don’t ex perience the same growth rate as those under that weight. However, some packers dock for lighter hogs, so be sure to check their policy before shipping animals under 220 lbs. ' ■** k ), It sure is nice living here in this well constructed fully ventilated building built by Hershey Equipment Co. I feel this equipment is the finest made. It really helps me avoid the stress of con finement. I couldn’t be more content. Get Real Seal savings TOWSON, Md. - Kids under 12 who love milk, cut “REAL” Seals from two dairy packages and bring them to Kings Dominion will get in for just $6.95. That’s a $7 saving off the regular $13.95 admission price just for eating real dairy products. This special offer is good through Aug. 19,1984 and is being promoted with television and radio com mercials and point-of-purchase materials at the supermarket dairy case. The “REAL” Seal/Kings Dominion promotion is jointly sponsored by the Advertising and Promotion Agency of the Middle Atlantic Milk Marketing Area, Towson, Md. and Kings Dominion, Doswell, Va. The “REAL” Seal is your assurance of a REAL dairy food. Delaware dairymen to tour NEWARK, DEL. Delaware dairy farmers will have a chance to pick up some useful new management and housing ideas when they visit Pennsylvania Aug. 14 and 15 on an overnight bus trip. - The tour, which is sponsored by the Delaware Cooperative Extension Service, will stop by dairy farms in Lebanon, Dauphin and York counties. Among other things, par ticipants will visit a new maternity barn, a farm which is managed by computer, several manure management systems, and a unique stanchion barn in which ■ jiF * s Pennsylvania farms cows are raised six to eight inches higher than normal in a herringbone arrangement. One of the farms on the tour uses only trench silos for storage. Tour members will spend the night at the Sheraton Harrisburg East. Cost of the trip si $55 per person for transportation and a double occupancy room, not in cluding meals. Registration deadline is Tuesday, Aug. 7. For further in formation contact Dave Woodward or Mary Lou Perry at the Kent County, Delaware, extension of fice, (302) 736-1448. ■« JP^ * 3 * * < Your assurance of a REAL dairy food. *Wncss c Dominion fiflS It Can't Be Any Plainer Than That!