D2-Lancaster Farming Saturday, January 18,1986
U. of Del. offers broiler
computer programs
BY DAN H PALMER with the basic input information
University if Delaware and continues to update the values
NEWARK Del Ad- ©flchyear.
proximately 200 new broiler houses . Eacb program is based on 19
were constructed on Delmarva in or values. Each value may
1985. Most grow-out companies are be c^}S one at a time, to
anxious to see an equal or greater re * lect the e *f ct situation of the
number of houses constructed in person using the computer. Items
1986. The future looks good indeed cov®/*®** “ the analyses are:
for the chicken meat industry. "“**» ° f u houses - capacity per
When viewed from a broad house, batches per year cost per
perspective, new broiler housing is house, years house financed,
definitely a good decision for equipment cost per house, years
Delmarva. However, each grower equipment financed, interest rate,
must look at his special set of utmties P® r P* bouse,
circumstances before deciding to repairs per year per house, taxes
build. First-time growers have and hisurance per year per house,
even more homework to do than required capital improvement per
existing producers who wish to y ea r. cleanout per year per house,
expand. It can sometimes be hard contract psypent per bird, per
to assemble and analyze all the cent infl3tion per contract
information you need to collect percent inflation per
before the construction crew costs, number-ef years, beginning
arrives. This is where a computer y? ar ’ and house labor per thousand
can help. ' birds. .. . .
Defmarva farmers are 0006 the t valu f /° r a % l \ en
especially fortunate to have a B r ° wer I s entered, the computer
strong poultry industry during snslyze the information and
these times of low grain prices. Pf 1 ”* * be results. The prmtout
Broilers offer the opportunity to £ lv f y^ l ? totals ' costs P® r W”
diversify and to make more ef- birds, costs per square foot,
ficient use of existing farm labor, cumulative totals and net income
In the face of today’s high fertilizer P® r bouf lubor. The printout can
costs and low crop prices, poultry this for each year up to a total
manure has acquired greater of , ,
economic importance. And l^ us information can be
existing farm equipment can be ava^ab e you ve made any
better used in handling this commitments regarding financing
valuable by-product. The trick is to ? r construction. There’s no charge
put dollar figures to each of these *? r th® service and you may keep
potential benefits. 0,6 ? r stad y and fut «re
University of Delaware farm use - Naturally, Uie university
management specialist Dr. Don respects the confidentiality of
Tilmon has developed computer an y° ne using the service,
programs designed to help people t U J m re mterested in using one
interested in putting Gp new of these programs contact me at
poultry housing. The programs are the University of Delaware College
for broiler, raster and comish of Agriculture Sciences Research
production. The Grower Com
mittee of Delmarva Poultry In- J! 16 Substation), TO 2, Box 48,
dustry, Inc. (DPI) assisted Tilmon DE 19947 • Tele P hon e
(oOZ) oOd-7ouo.
Chester D, Hughes
Extension Livestock Specialist
Cooler Nurseries Can Pay
It may pay to turn down night
time heat on nursery pigs if
buildings are dry and draft-free.
Three studies, in which night-time
nursery temperatures were turned
down for periods of four, eight, 12
and 16 hours, showed tem
peratures could be turned down
from 92 degrees beginning five
days after weaning with no ill
effects. It is critical though, that
the pigs have that five-day ad
justment period after weaning to
keep them comfortable so they will
start eating.
Studies at Kansas State
University looked at continuing the
temperature reduction in weekly
stages, both night and day, until
the temperature was dropped nine
degrees every week for five weeks.
The control temperature was
maintained at 90 to 92 degrees.
The pigs developed a longer hair
coat and were rougher in ap
pearance, but they showed pp
Livestock Ledger
basic difference in performance on
mortality at the end of studies
conducted last winter.
The heating cost to maintain 100
pigs for five weeks in the building
at 92 degrees was about $l,OOO. In
the study in which the temperature
was reduced weekly, heating costs
were reduced to $137. In studies in
which temperatures were reduced
at night and increased during the
day, the heating bill was cut by
about half.
Keep in mind that turning down
the temperature it not worth the
saving in energy costs if the pigs
get sick or eat mpre feed to
compensate. You can check for
drafts in your nursery by following
smoke from a smoke bomb. Also,
nurseries with expanded metal
flooring will keep pigs healthier at
lower temperatures than those
with damp and cold concrete
floors. It may be worth a try, but
use caution.
Lamb Management before
weaning - It has been established
that lambs can be weaned at 60
days of age and continue to grow
well, providing a proper ration has
been formulated. However, this is
not a routine practice for too many
producers at the present time.
Normal development of the
stomach is related both to age and
to feed. If lambs are to be weaned
early, they must be given a source
of palatable feed as early in life
and as long before weaning as*
possible. Thus, creep feeding is
essential for early weaning.
Creep Feeding - Lambs will
begin to nibble at gram and hay
when they are about a week old, so
you should provide access to creep
feeders in grouping pens seven to
10 days after birth. Although lambs
will eat only small amounts for the
first three or four weeks, that early
creep feeding will establish both
rumen function and the habit of
eating.
Feeds for lambs - Grains are the
major source of energy and
usually are the most costly feeds.
In developing “least cost" ration,
you need to consider all alternative
energy sources and keep in mind
the optimum level or limit for lamb
feeding that may apply to a
specific ingredient.
Corn or barley can be used to
supply the total gram portion of the
ration for lambs, but wheat
appears to give the most consistent
results when it makes up 50 per
cent or less of the grain portion.
Dried molasses beet pulp and oats
may be fed to lambs. Both add bulk
to grain rations which can be
beneficial in certain feeding
programs. Peas, beans, rye, and
other energy sources, may also be
incorporated in lamb rations, in
limited amounts, if costs warrant
their use.
Liquid molasses may be used in
limited amounts to reduce dust and
bind fine feed particles together
Molasses can also increase
palatability of a feed.
Roughages - Alfalfa hay is an
excellent roughage for lamb
feeding. It is plentiful in most
areas of Pennsylvania and usually
is high in protein, minerals
(calcium), and vitamins. Corn
silage and haylage are highly
palatable lamb feeds, however
they should be fed in limited
amounts due to their bulkiness and
lower levels of both protein and
energy. Consequently lambs
cannot consume enough* energy
and protein to make maximum
gams.
Former Ag Secretaries to speak
ST. WUIS, MO - The ap
pearance of three former U.S.
Secretaries of Agriculture on the
same program will be a highlight
of the 1986 American Pork
Congress, March 11-13 in St Louis.
Former Secretaries Earl Butz,
Orville Freeman and Clifford
Hardin will discuss how to build a
sound agricultural economy for the
future during a General Session on
Flock
Forum
by
Clair Engle
Penn State Extension Sheep Specialist
Methods of feeding - The most
efficient method of feeding weaned
lambs will depend on yout
facilities, flock size and the cost
and availability of both labor and
equipment. You will not need
elaborate feeding or feed
processing facilities.
Producers often “hand-feed”
small groups of lambs, feeding
given amounts of grain and
roughage separately. Under these
conditions, processing the feed
ingredients is usually not
justifiable. If processing equip
ment and labor are available on
the farm, semi-automated hand
feeding twice daily in fencelme
feeders may be an economical
feeding system for you.
Feed processing - Processing
gram is not required for lambs
after 60 days of age, especially if
they have been on a creep ration
The primary function of processed
feeds is to prevent lambs from
sorting and selecting their
preferred grains, and also to
permit a uniform blending of a
complete ration. Processing can
also make the feed easier to store
and handle mechanically. Coarse
grinding, cracking, rolling and
pelleting are all common forms of
feed processing that work well in
preparing complete sheep feeds.
Finely ground (dusty) feeds are
known to reduce palatability, lamb
gains, and feed efficiency.
Facilities - For feeding, watering
and housing weaned lambs, you
will need:
Ingredient
No. 2 shelled corn
Ground ear corn
Oats
Alfalfa hay
Dehydrated alfalfa
Linseed meal
Liquid cane molasses
Feed grade limestone
Trace mineral salt
Salt
Vitamin A (IU) »
Vitamin D (IU)
VitaminE (IU)
Antibiotic*
Calculated analysis (%)
(Air-dry basis)
Protein
TDN
Calcium
Phosphorus
* Add a prescribed antibiotic in consultation with your Ver
tennarian.
at Pork Congress 'B6
the morning of Wednesday, Mar.
12. At a separate program later
that day, John Chrystal, a well
known lowa banker, will discuss
the present farm credit crjsis and
the future of the family farm.
The Congress is the pork in
dustry’s largest annual event. It
includes a trade show, featuring
the latest equipment and services
available to pork producers from
• Fence-line feeders, 12 inchei
per lamb.
• Self-feeders, 1 to 3 inches pei
lamb.
• Dirt feedlot, 20 square feet pei
lamb.
• Paved feedlot, 10 square feet
per lamb.
• Barn area (winter), 10 to 12
square feet per lamb.
• Shade (summer), 4 to o squaie
feet per lamb.
• Fresh water, 0.5 gal. per lamb
per day. Allow one foot of open
tank per 10 head of sheep, or one
automatic bowl per 20 head.
Suggested creep and finishing
rations - Feed a simple grain
mixture with quality .alfalfa hay
for roughage. Following are three
rations and some feeding direc
tions for growing and finishing
home-grown lambs. Since both
rations are complete, that is, they
contain all the primary
ingredients, we recommend they
be pelleted or ground using a 3/8
inch screen.
Feeding directions -1) Hand
feed small amounts of the com
plete rations at least twice daily to
lambs when two weeks of age.
Clean troughs before each feeding
so that feed is palatable to lambs.
2) Grind and mix only small
amounts at first when lambs are
small and eat only small amounts
3) A 3/8 inch screen may be
required in the mill for best
results. Vitamins and minerals
should be mixed with supplement
first and then with the other
ground ingredients. Mix
thoroughly Make sure feed is
fresh and palatable. 4) When
lambs are eating well, the com
plete ground mixed rations may be
self-fed. They may also be hand
fed but kept before the lambs at all
times in a bunk or trough. 5)
Rations are medium energy
rations. It may be advisable to
vaccinate lambs for en
terotoxemia. 6) Ration 2 may be
most useful when good quality hay
is not available. 7) All rations
contain adequate minerals,
therefore, it should not be
necessary to provide mineral
supplements. Free-choice loose
salt may be provided. 8) Provide
plenty of clean, fresh water. 9)
Rations 1 and 2 could be used as
performance test rations for ram
lambs.
Lambs start
to 55 lb. Lambs 55 to Mkt. Wt.
Ration 1
(lb )
1,060
300
300 365 200
100 100 100
15 15 10
10 10 10
15 10 10
3,000,000 2,000,000 2,000,000
200,000 400,000 200,000
5,000 5,000 5,000
50 gr 50 gr 30 gr.
16.0 16,0 15.0
72.0 64.1 69.2
0.64 0.58 0.55
0 37 0.32 0.31
various companies. The trade
show will be open all three days of
APC at the A.J. Cervantes Con
vention Center.
Attendees can save $2.50 off the
on-site registration fee of $lO by
sending in a pre-registration form
with proper payment by February
14. Pre-registration forms may
also be obtained by writing; APC
’B6, P.O. Box 10382, Des Moines,
lowa 50306.
1,200