QUARRYVILLE The ninth annual Solanco Young Fanners banquet was held Thursday, March 24, at the Memorial United Methodist Church. Axel Linde, Oxford, was recog- mere annual banquet are, left to right, Marty Greenleaf, Dwayne Pelfer, Larry Aaron, Grant Troop, and Ed Zug. BY OWEN D. KEENE Associate Professor of Poultry Science Penn State University Biosecurity Emergency and common poul try diseases are caused by microor ganisms (microbes). They are invisible except when viewed under a microscope. In less than a day a single microbe can repro duce to a number greater than the number of people on earth. When these microbes cause disease they threaten the health of your flock and the success of your business. Keeping the disease-producing microbes away from your flock by using a defense plan is called biosecurity. Biosecurity or effective disease prevention is the only way to deal with emergency diseases such as avian influenza, exotic Newcastle disease and duck plague enteritis. These are emergency diseases because they must be reported to state and federal authorities when diagnosed. There are no known effective cures for these diseases. They cause epidemics, long expensive quarantines and flock depopulation resulting in severe personal and financial loss. Biosecurity also helps to pre vent the spread of other common poultry diseases such as fowl chol era, laryngotracheitis, mycoplas ma and paratyphoid infections. These diseases are very contagious and result in poor growth rate and egg production, reduced product quality and chronic economic loss in poultry flocks. Microbes travel from place to place by chicken crates, egg filler flats, trucks, other equipment and people. They can be found on your hands, hair, shoes and Clothing. They are found on the skin and hi Solanco Young nized as the Outstanding Young Farmer under 30, and Karl Herr, Christiana, was selected as the winner in the over 30 category. A. Dale Herr, Kirkwood, received the active member award Lowdown on Layers by Owen Keene Associate Professor of Poultry Science Penn State University the digestive and respiratory organs of dogs, cats, rats, mice, and wild, free-flying birds. Flies, beetles and other insects are also notorious spreaders of disease causing organisms. To avoid bringing disease to poultry, change to fresh, clean coveralls, hats and boots when vis iting a farm. Equipment such as chicken hauling crates, egg filler flats, delivery trucks, toolboxes, vaccine sprayers and debeakers need careful attention when you are using them on different farms. Be alert to all ways that disease can spread to your farm. These are just a few of the ways that disease can be prevented. Biosecurity, in simple terms, is informed common sense. Informa tion on biosecurity has been recen tly published in a brochure on Biosecurity for Poultry by MACE (Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Exten sion) Poultry Health and Manage ment Unit The publication covers, in greater detail, many of the points I have discussed. It outlines biosecurity insurance programs for home poultry flocks, commercial flocks, live markets, auctions, farm visitors, catching crews and truckers. MACE is a cooperative effort between extension specialists in poultry science and veterinarians of the land grant universities in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Vir ginia. Penn State is part of this effort of MACE to promote biose curity management practices. If you would like to have a copy of the brochure on Biosecurity for Poultry, contact your county agent or write to Owen D. Keene, 224 Henning, University Park, PA 16802. We should have ample quantities by April 15. Farmers Honored At Ba for his enthusiasm and involve ments in local chapter activities. This year’s appreciation award f was presented to James Huber, Triple H Equipment, Peach Bot tom, for his contributions and sup port of the young farmer program. Mr. Huber received an engraved plaque in appreciation for his support. The following com awards were presented to winners in the annual com production contest Dwayne Peifer, Kirkwood, produced 179 bushels of shelled com per acre to win the grain division. H. Grant Troop, Quarryville, was second with 171 bushels, and C. Martin Greenleaf, Jr., was third with 164 bushels per acre. Dwayne Peifer, Kirkwood, received the award for the highest grain average for the past three years with 161 bushels. In the com silage division Edward Zug, Peach Bottom, placed first with 25.2 tons per acre of 65% moisture com silage. Dwayne Peifer, Kirkwood, was second with 24.9 tons per acre and Lany Aaron, Quarryville, placed third with 24.7 tons. Larry Aaron also received the trophy for the highest silage average for the past three years with 24.5 tons per acre. The following dairy production awards were presented. Robert Kauffman, Jr., Peach Bottom, received all the Holstein awards. His herd average was 21,121 pounds of milk and 796 pounds of fat He also had the high cow for milk with 30,434 pounds and the high cow for butterfat with 1,080 pounds! J. Marvin Herr’s Holtwood herd of Jerseys took top honors with 13,767 pounds of milk and 659 Annual Old-Fashioned Days CALEDONIA. NY On Sun day, April 24, the public is cordial ly invited to the hillsides south of Scottsville, as the Western New York Draft Horse and Pony Club presents its 12th Annual Old Fash ioned Days at Honey Locust Farms. More than 100 draft ani mals in teams of two, three, four and five, will pull plows and plant the fields with oats and potatoes, in a fashion reminiscent of a by-gone era. Demonstrations begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue throughout the day. Free horse-drawn wagon rides will take visitors into the fields to watch at close range the work being done. There is no charge for admission and there will be plenty of free parking. Refreshments and a chicken barbeque will be available. Also on Sunday, there will be sheep shearing demonstrations and a craft sale. Members of the Draft Horse and Pony Club travel from all parts of Western New York to participate in this event Honey Locust Farm is located off of Maxwell Station Road south of Scottsville. Take West River Road north off of Route S west of Avon. Turn left on . Herr,. and the Appreciation Award was presented to James Huber. pounds of fat. His cow, with 908 of milk and 729 pounds of fat. Lin pounds of fat, also took the top denhof also had the high cow for award for butterfat production, milk with 17,920 pounds and-the The cow owned by George and high cow for fat with 887 pound. Doris Hough, Peach Bottom The most improved herd for topped the milk production of the milk and fat was the Holstein herd Jersey’s with 18,894 pounds. of Willis and Jim Krantz, Quarry- ville. Their milk production was Lindenhof Farm, Oxford, U p 2219 pounds and butterfat up received the award for the high 110 pounds over last year’s Guernsey herd with 15,807 pounds production. orse Club To Hold NY Cameron Road and then right onto then left onto Maxwell Station Maxwell Station. Or, take West Road. For more information call River Road South out of Scottsvil- either (716) 538-6288 or (716) 1c; turn right onto South Road and 889-3164. LIVESTOCK LATEST Lower Returns For Hog Producers ers are likely to experience the The profitability of. U.S. hog largest year-to-year declines in operations diminished in fourth- profitability, with higher feed quarter 1987 and will probably costs and lower pig prices squeez continue lower through most of h,g ma rging. Finishing operations this year. Net returns ut 1988 will should fare somewhat better, as be down substantially and may reduced feeder pig prices help average only slightly above offset a decline in hog prices, breakeven, unlike the relatively Fixed costs per head may be good years of 1986 and 1987. slightly lower as a greater share of Lower hog prices will account for slaughter animals comes from the bulk of the decline, although large production facilities. If so, higher feed costs will contribute. the breakeven point may be lower Increased pork supplies will than last year, limit seasonal price retails. Of all Reprinted from the March hog operators, feeder pig produc- issue of “Agricultural Outlook.” Broiler Production May Be 7% Higher Broiler production during 1987 chick placements suggest that was estimated more than 9 percent first-quarter 1988 production may above 1986. The quarterly broiler be 7 percent larger than a year ago. hatchery supply flock estimates/ Production during all of 1988 is which correlate with first-, second- projected only 5 percent above last , and third-quarter 1988 slaughter, year, mainly because of narrowing were 15,13, and 8 percent greater profit margins, than in 1986, respectively. Reprinted from the March issue Monthly hatch and weekly of “Agricultural Outlook.” et CE CCE3
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers