Editor’s Note: , The National Mastitis Council based in Arlington, VA, from time to time releases information related to dairy herd manage ment Here’s important inform ation about the operation of your milking machine. ARLINGTON, Va. The vac uum regulator on your milking system is one of the system’s most important components. It has two major functions: con trol the vacuum level and compen sate for many forms of vacuum usage in order to maintain the pre sent level. For example, it must compensate for the intermittant air admission of the pulsators, unit air bleeds and other unpredictable operator events such as put-ons and take-offs. Pressure (negative pressure or vacuum) changes within the milk ing system occur at very high speeds approximately the speed of sound (1,080 feet per second). The control must react to these pressure changes rapidly and correct for sudden air admissions. The types of regulators that respond rapidly to vacuum changes are the servo-diaphram • New Apralan controls E. Coli scours and helps you get healthier pigs. • Research proven. • Fastest start for baby pigs from 7 to 28 days. • A properly balanced ration with 20% protein and the proper amino acids and energy for fast growth. • 1.4:1 feed conversion the first two weeks in the nursery. Call Abe Fisher for additional information. Apralan® is the registered Trademark of Elanco, A Division of Eli Lilly and Company. kssANus ®* 6 S. Vintage Rd. Rt. 82 Paradise, PA 17562 Unionville, PA 18375 (717) 442-4183 (215) 347-2377 (717) 768-3301 * Registered trademark of Ralston Purina Company Check Your Vacuum Regulator types. They also are superior in load sensitivity characteristics. This means that the vacuum level is more constant under a wider range of air flow through the regulator. Spring loaded sleeve type regu lators are acceptable in perform ance. Dead weight controls usually are adequate for small milking sys tems. The lever weight controls are the least responsive and should be replaced for better system performance. Service the vacuum control on a regular basis. The operating vac uum level should be checked each day. Change filters on a regular basis. Keep the internal operating valve clean. A 30-day interval for servicing the operating valve usu ally is sufficient Regulator performance can be tested with the use of an airflow meter. Increments of 5 to 10 cubic feet per minute (CFM) are admit ted to the system. After each incre ment the vacuum level is noted and recorded. An excellent regula tor will sustain the vacuum level within Vi inch of mercury when 90 percent of the available vacuum reserve is admitted to the system. Introducing Baby Pig Chow®* with Apralan® If the vacuum level drops up to 1 inch of mercury, the regulator is marginal. If vacuum drops over 1 inch, the regulator should be replaced if a thorough cleaning and S— do=s not improve Bucks County A simple test can be made by the ITrfclcfpifl operator which will give some IlUlalclll ▼ V 11II1CI 5 indication of regular performance, WRIGHTSTOWN (BUCKS am Curly Hill Marvex Lou provided that vacuum supply is co.) — The Bucks County Hols- w U n lor^ H ,T l,,r 5^ f adequate Duplication of a fall-ofC tein Show> held at Middleton 1 is a good indicator of system per- Grange Fairgrounds hosted more 1 dvc, 2 Richard Moyer, a Carl slack formance. The test is done simply than 60 entries judged by Creedin w , nur by turning one or more units Comman of Just a Beauty Hols- 1 upside down and observing the te j ns j n Carlisle in York county. 1 Can slack, 2 can stack vacuum level. One unit for every 6 Capturing the Premier Breeder , E^^TSsn't£S.na « a to 8 units in the system is sug- and Premier Exhibitor Awards th is zabeth Wal,on ' 2 Ryan Wor,hir,fl,Qn ' 3 gested. The remaining milking y ear was the Delaware Valley Col umn should be pusatetUut do not j Delaware Valley College had make this test while milking cows. of the five mim^s se i ected Follow the same guidelines as from the show entries for above with respect to system per-. udders fonnance. For example, if two Ra ymond and Gross units are turned upside down with tQok the d champ i onship the shut-off vaves fully opened in rosette Grossl Chi J a parlor with 16 units and if the who alsQ was selected as havi vacuum drops only 0.4 mch of udder the show mercury excellent performance is Four . year . old is of indicated. ..... Grosslyn Astronaut Camille. She In summary, remember that the was b C arlin-M Ivanhoe vacuum regulator is one of the Bed most important components of the Thc college reserve Purina Mills Hi-Octane®‘ Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 5, 1987-A2l milking system. The filter and can be made by duplicating a unit operating valve must be kept prop- fall-off and observing the ability of erly serviced and clean. A regular the regulator to sustain vacuum check of regulator performance level. junior champion award with DVC Man Dingle, the first place winner in the junior heifer calf and took the number one spot in the best three junior females competition. The college’s entry in the junior two-year-old heifer class, won best udder in her class and went to become the reserve grand champ ion female. Produce of Dam went to Craig and Betsy Walton with Fountain Farm Jet Queen. Dam and Daught er went to Delaware Valley Col lege with the dam DVC Sexation Apple and in the number two spot was Stephen Worthington with the Cut Soil Erosion Losses LANCASTER Vast improvements in seeds, fertilizers and chemicals often hide losses in productivity caused by soil ero sion. Erosion that many times is so slight you never realize the soil is disapperaring. As a result, severly eroded knobs and hillsides simply don’t have the productive capacity of other land.. ~ According to Fpr. 1 . Lucas of the SoiT Conservation Service, this fact is very apparent now. Com growing on these severely eroded knobs and hillsides is showing the effects of prolonged dry weather. Much of this com has already stopped developing while com planted on the better soil is still SEPTEMBER MONTH FARMERS AgCREDjJ CORP 9 EAST MAIN STREET. LITIT2. PA Intermedia!* Yearling Heifer 1 Craig Walton, 2. J J Daabs, 3. Carl Slack Senior Yearling Heifer I. Terry Slack, 2 Stephen Worthington. 3. J. Daabs. Junior Champion Famala Craig Walton Rtaarva Junior Champion Delaware Valley College (open) Elizabeth Walton (4-H) Dry Cow- Flva Yaara and Over 1 Craig Worthington, 2. Raymond & Rachel Gross. Junior Two Year Old Halfar 1. DVC, 2. Kenneth Worthington, 3 Craig Walton. Senior Two Year Old t.BrendaSlack, 2. Ryan Worthington, 3 Har- Ann Farm. Three Year Old 1. Andrew Worthington, 2. HarAnn Farm, 3 Carl Slack. Four Yaar Old Cow 1. Raymond & Rachel Gross, 2 DVC, 3 Ryan Worthington. A gad Cow 1. DVC. 2. DVC. 3. Brenda Slack. 100,000 lb. Class 1. Ryan Worthington Bast Udder Class 1. Raymond Gross, 2 DVC, 3 Andrew Worthington. Grand Champion Famala Raymond ft Rachel Gross Rssarva Grand Champion Delaware Valley College Premier Braadsr/Exhlbltor Delaware Valley College Bast Three Senior Fsmalss 1. DVC, 2 Musicow Farm, 3. Curly Hill Farm Produce ol Dam 1 Craig & Betsy Walton Dam A Daughter 1. DVC, 2. Stephen Worthing, 3. DVC. growing. Lucas said that severely eroded soils tend to be more acidic, have lower organic matter and less water-holding capacity. They are also more subject to compaction. As a result crops on these soils are the first to show moisture stress in dry weather. Erosion steals the best portion of your soil first. Organic matter and the smallest particles of soil, which contain the most minerals and plant nutrients, are easily carried away by water runoff. Attached to those particles are pesticides and commercial fertilizer the landow ner has paid for and never received benefits. STRIKE IT RICH! SELL IT WITH A LANCASTER FARMING CLASSIFIED mL*