BY ROBIN PHILLIPS
Staff Correspondent
BERKS COUNTY - Colder
weather has finally reached us,
and another year is drawing to a
close. With most of the 1984 harvest
in bams and silos, dairymen must
take stock of their feed supplies
and needs for the winter months.
They should also be preparing
themselves for perhaps another 50-
cent drop in the support price and
even leaner times ahead. Little
management changes can help
reap big differences in production,
efficiency and cash flow. Belts
must stay tightened and operations
fine-tuned.
It is at times like this when the
attention paid to the nutritional
needs of the money-earners in an
operation can make a positive
addition to a hurting cash flow.
“Know your herd, your farm,”
many nutritionists, feed salesman,
and extension personnel advise.
Following is a question and
answer forum between an in
dependent nutritional consultant, a
nutritionist-feed salesman, and a
dairyman. Their generalized
advice and comments uniformly
stress saving money through in
creased awareness and better
management of a dairy herd’s
ration.
First, let’s introduce the forum
participants;
Dr. Carl Brown, Birdsboro, was
born and raised on his father’s,
Berks County dairy farm. With his
education in dairy science at Penn
State, genetics at Virginia
Polytechnical Institute, and a
Ph.D. in nutrition from VPI,
Brown has worked as a fieldman
for the National Holstein
Association, on the extension and
teaching staff at VPI, and
currently with his family’s feed
business in Berks County. He is
also well-known and liked for his
extensive work with 4-H, FFA, and
extension in Berks County.
His family’s company, F.M.
Browns Sons Feeds, is
predominant in Berks and ad
joining counties plus the northern
two counties in New Jersey. Brown
personally serves clients in the
Hamburg-Bernville area.
“We feel that the more a
dairyman knows about feed and
feeding programs the better we
can work with him,” Brown states.
Tim Kissling, Rl, Robesonia,
received his Bachelor of Science
degree in Dairy Production from
Penn State. He has a lifetime of
experience working with one of the
highest producing herds in the
state, the Hidden-View Farm herd
of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
The consultant
Tim Kissling began his independent nutritional consultation
work two years ago. Highly successful managing the ration for
his home herd, which has been tops in the county for the last
five years, Kissling stresses better management of available
land resources and feeding equipment lor his cSents.
A feedman, consultant and dairyman offer
Charles Kissling. As the high herd
in Berks County for either milk or
fat for the last five years, the
Kissling herd currently maintains
a rolling herd average of 21,300
milk, 3.9% and 841 fat on 65 cows.
Tim has managed the ration for
the past six years and the 170-acre
farm is operated by his parents,
his wife, and himself with some
part-time labor. In the past two
years, Kissling has set up a
private, independent nutrition
consultation business and works
with clients throughout Berks
County.
Kissling credits his wife and
parents for managing the home
operation while his independent
nutritional work takes him away
from the farm more and more as
he strives to improve his clients’
feeding efficiency.
“I look at what is currently
there, available facilities, and
land,” Kissling stresses in his
guidance. Before feeding
recommendations are made, the
entire operation is studied.
Glenn Seidel, Rl, Womelsdorf, is
the dairyman on the panel. Seidel
has put his Bachelor of Science
degree and Masters degree from
Penn State to good use in the
Heindel herd that he and his
father, George, have developed
into a top Holstein and Aryshire
herd. The Aryshires on Heindel
Farm average over 15,000 pounds
milk with a 4.2% test, while the
Holsteins tally in with over 19,000
pounds milk and 4.0% test.
Heindel Farms Inc. has main
tained the two breeds since 1958
and always believed in main
taining a high test. Twenty-four
Heindel Farms, Inc. bulls are
currently in A.I. service and
breeding stock is scattered in nine
countries across the world.
“A dairyman should be trying to
get the most back per dollar in
vested,” Seidel firmly maintains.
Proven successful m their
operations and businesses, they
have the following advice and
comments for dairymen.
QUESTION: What is the biggest
mistake dairymen are making in
feeding their dairy herds?
Brown: “The biggest mistake I
see is the constant shifting of
rations, particularly this year.
Dairymen ought to take stock of
their inventories and plan to last
the whole year. Not keeping up
with their rations during busy
seasons,” is another mistake
Brown also points out. “If a guy
has a consistent feeding program
of feeding the same roughage all
year around, he knows if they
(cows) drop, it wasn’t because of
the change in his feed. He can fine
tune his ration better.”
Kissling: “There is not enough
total planning done on a farm
where there is matching of land
types to forage.” Crops should be
regulated as to soil types and land
availability, according to Kissling.
Another problem, he said, is
“simply unbalanced rations.”
“Many feed additives are fed and
wasted because they are not
needed in all situations. “Ob
servation of and attention to
details must be done by the person
doing the feeding on a daily basis.
Farmers need to be able to follow
proper feeding recommendations
and spot problems and changes in
feedstuffs in order to maintain
high production.”'
Seidel: “The number one
mistake is not feeding high quality
feeds,” Seidel states. “The
problem is that you can’t always
get it.” Here is where profitability
comes in, according to Seidel. He
stresses a close monitoring of
“how much money you actually
take back over your input.”
“Strive for high quality feed
ingredients,” he adds.
QUESTION: Is there a problem
in feeding common to this area or
state?
Brown: “One of the major
problems is not enough emphasis
on quality forages - in not putting
forage production as the number
one priority.” Enough of one
Dr. Walter Kennett and Dr. Carl Brown use a computer to help them formulate the
rations for clients fo F.M. Browns Sons. Birdsboro. Each ration is individualized to the
particular herd by monthly visits from the salesmen.
From the left • George Seidel, Samuel Seidel, and . pr
gencrations that care for the high producing Holstein and Aryshire herds at Heindei
DAIRY EXCLUSIVE
forage is not made to last the entire
year, according to Brown.
“Consistent moisture levels in
forages” and “adjustments when
moisture changes” also need close
attention, Brown adds.
Kissling: “What always works in
one area doesn’t always work in
another area.”
Seidel: “With the size farms we
have today, it’s impossible to
consistently make high quality
forages in this area.” The weather
is one of the greatest limiting
factors too, according to Seidel.
QUESTION: What do you think
of total mixed rations as compared
to conventional methods of feeding
dairy cows?
Brown: “The thing that I like
about TMR is that you get much
more accurate information on
intake - what the cows are con
suming a day.” It also gives an
advantage in evening out the
amount of grain a cow gets in a
feeding, Brown adds.
“Rumen health is perhaps a
little bit better with TMR.-For
TMR to work properly, I think
grouping is fairly important,
whether in the barn or free stalls.”
There are also some advantages to
conventional feeding if the
management is there,” he adds.
The feedman
The dairyman
“A good manager can make any
system work.”
Kissling: “With TMR you gain
total control of the ration. A for
mulation can be mixed exactly to
specifications, eliminating the
guesswork of feeding by the
forkful. You also eliminate the
cow’s ability to pick and choose
what they want to eat. Less
stomach upsets and fewer off-feed
cows because cows cannot
overload on grain without con
suming any forages,” are also
some advantages according to
Kissling.
“You can eliminate palatibility
problems on certain feed
ingredients and during changes of
feedstuffs. It’s much easier to keep
cows eating well,” he adds. “There
is a certain gain in efficiency of
digestion when grain and forages
are consumed simultaneously. We
have been feeding TMR at home
for five years and I would never
again want to manage a herd of
cows without a mixer. ’ ’
Seidel: “There are good and bad
things to TMR.” “You can mix
good things with bad feed and get
something not as bad as before.
Inputs are greater with TMR,” he
explains referring to the equip
ment involved.