C2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 22,1984 Brocketf's Ag Advice - Feed Efficiency Will you waste feed this winter just because it is cheap? Too often this is what happens. Then those wasteful habits spill over into years when feed is expensive. “Waste not - want not” was an old adage when I was a child. It is still relevant today. Feed waste is one of the main reasons that some dairymen produce milk for 9 or 10 dollars per hundred while others need 18 or 19 dollars. Feed Waste Did you know that feed can be wasted by “underfeeding” as well as overfeeding 7 A farmer who shorts his or her young animals will waste feed because that young animal doesn’t grow out to its full potential. In addition, that animal will require more feed when it reaches adult hood, to gain back some of that lost growth. EXAMPLE: dairy calves fed poor quality hay to “fill them up” will be more subject to internal parasites because they soon learn to pick and scrounge. They also grow slower, so reach maturity later, or smaller or both. This results in reduced production or reduced dollars. Underfeeding also occurs when farmers force low quality, spoiled, off-flavor, or unpalatible feed onto cows. The cow will eat enough to curb her main hunger, but will stop short of eating the amount necessary to do the job. Some farmers feed their animals once a day. They put fresh material on top of the old feed in the trough or bunk. The next day there is more wasted feed as the new feed becomes contaminated with the old feed. I have heard farmers say “I’ll leave it there until they clean it up.” That really doesn’t work with kids either, but they just get upset. Cows reduce milk flow. Mixing hay with silage can cause feed waste because of palatability problems. Do you like stale or„ damp crackers? Some farmers say “well, they clean it up by mor ning.” That is probably no criteria. They will eat anything if it is left in front of them long enough. So would you if you were starving. What was the cost in reduced total feed intake (reduced production) incurred because they cleaned up feed they really didn't like. Take the leftovers from Vie high group and feed it to the low group or the heifers. What are you giving them? Is it good palatible feed or will they reduce total con sumption, which means reducing growth or production or both. Over Feeding /f I am amazed at the nuraoer of dairymen, who even by their own DHIA figures, over feed grain to cows. The actual picture is even worse than the DHIA figures look. I found that most dairymen ac tually feed even more grain than their DHIA records show. How LONG JOHN BALMER INSULATION RD 5 Box 610 Manheim PA ' (717)665-4132 By John E. Brockett Farm Management Agent Lewistown Extension Office much do you feed -1 to 3orlto 4. It appears to me that many dairymen are feeding a 1 to 2 or less. Cows are ruminants and should be able to produce a lot of their milk on forage. Actually, what happens in many herds is that the high producing cows do just that. THe low producers are the ones who mess up the average. EXAMPLE; I visited a herd where every cow got 1 pound of gain for three pounds of milk. Un fortunately, every cow did not eat 1 pound of grain per 3 pounds of milk. Cow A was producing 70 pounds of milk. She was fed 4 pounds of grain twice a day. Cow B stole part of Cow A’s feed. A reasonable estimate was that she ate 2 pounds per feeding. End result was: waste #1 - Cow A was being fed 1 pound of grain for 3.5 pounds of milk. The lost 4 pounds of grain represented 9 pounds of lost milk. Waste §2 - Cow B was being fed 1 pound of gram for 1 pound of milk. Total lost dollars was nearly 2 dollars per day. fun Warranty On Insulation P or 1 te Ot Mru( turf • Fully Insured • Free Estimates We C an Do The Job Now FARM BUILDINGS NEED PAINTED? Let Seel Crete 3BRIGHTEN k Ui 'The Farm Painting Specialist" Sinee 1961 NOW’s The Time To “SPRUCE UP” Your Farm’s Appearance The Job Must Be Done To Your Satisfaction AGRICULTURE - COMMERCIAL - INDUSTRIAL - CHURCHES • Barn Painting • Milk House • Roof Coating • Water Proofing Silos • Stucco Farmhouses OUR SPECIALITIES ARE; For FREE Estimate CALL WHAT A LLAND 892 HARVESTER List Price $14,900 Seal Crete Inc. PAINTING & WATERPROOFING RD 2, Box 417, Ephrata, PA 17522 • 717-859-1127 BUY! OUR PRICE We Are The Fussy One's $9,99 One Only Your Lift
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