ot\ Dairy I Pipeline *«k» I Adjusting to Droughts and Tight Feed Supplies Fanners who anticipate feed shortages should make alternative plans early in the season. Some ideas are discussed below, and more detailed information is avail able from Penn State Cooperative Extension offices in counties throughout the state. Planting Emergency Crops Planting crops during drouthy conditions is risky due to lack of sufficient moisture to germinate and sustain the crop. Thus it makes good sense NOT to invest in a lot of fertilizer and chemicals; they can be applied after establishment, if warranted. To help preserve soil moisture, maintain a firm seedbed. 1. Soybeans are fairly drought tolerant. To mature before normal frost dates, short season varieties need to be planted before mid July in S.E. Penna. They are not toler ant of triazine residues. 2. Long season com planted by FARM BUILDINGS NEED PAINTED? Let Seal Crete iBRIGHTEi "The Farm Painting Specialist" Since 1961 kl«. in ••{ »«• Ml —■ - OUR SPECIALTIES ARE* AGRICULTURE • COMMERCIAL - INDUSTRIAL - CHURCHES • Barn Painting • Milk House • Roof Coating • Water Proofing Silos • Stucco Farmhouses Paint It Now, Before The Snow Flies! The Job Must Be Done To Your Satisfaction By Glenn A. Shirk Extension Dairy Agent mid to late July can make good stalk growth providing there is suf ficient moisture. Planted late, it won’t produce ears, but it can make silage that is comparable in quality to sorghum. 3. Sudangrass and sorghum sudan hybrids are fairly tolerant of hot dry conditions, and can be planted as late as mid to late July in S.E. Penna. They may tolerate tria zine residues but now Prowl and/or Bladex. 4. Brassicas can be planted in July and August. They do not tol erate triazine residues. They can be direct-seeded into a firm seedbed, or no-tilled into dormant pastures, stubble or old sods. About 30-40 lbs. of nitrogen can be applied at planting time and another applica tion can be made later if rains encourage more growth. Competi tion from weeds and sod crops can be controlled with bum-back herbicides. Rape and kale are leafy brassi cas that produce top growth for grazing. For FREE Estimate CALL Seal Crete Ine. PAINTING & WATERPROOFING RD 2, Box 417, Ephrata, PA 17522 • 717-859-1127 Turnips and swedes are root brassicas that produces top growth and tubers; animals usually learn how to pull out and feed upon the tubers. Rape and turnips reach maxi mum yield in 90 to 100 days. Both are capable of making regrowth under proper management. 5. Small grains such as barley, oats, rye and wheat can be seeded in July mid October in S.E. Pcnna. to provide some fall grazing and additional feed the following spring. Wheat for grain should not be planted before the Hessian fly free date. Managing Present Crops 1. Com. Temperature and mois ture stresses can cause the follow ing grain losses per day: 3 to 4 weeks before silking Tasseling, silking and pollinating Grain filling period Stress that occurs on com about a month before silking affects stalk growth and silage yield more than it affects grain yield. If one acre-inch of water can be applied at a cost of $25, about 8 bushels of shelled corn and 1 ton of silage would be needed to cover irrigating costs when shelled com is $3 per bushel and silage is 525 per ton. Don’t be in too big a hurry to ensile stressed fields of com, unless the ground is needed for another crop. If the leaves unroll at £ up Your Life We Are The Fussy One's night, the crop is still finding mois ture, and is still accumulating dry matter and nutrients. Ensile stressed stands when the leaves fail to unroll at night and the margins of top leaves begin to brown. At this stage, the crop probably won’t recover, nor benefit from irrigat ing. Check the moisture content of the plants and ensile the crop before it becomes too dry and fiber quality detcriates. Also refer to item 4 on nitrates. Evaluate grain fields closely. The edge of com fields may look OK, but pollination may be poor in the center due to heat buildup. Many stalks may not even develop an ear. Salvage these fields by ensiling them - before the crop'' becomes too dry. Nutrient wise, Mild Stress 2% Severe Stress 3% barren stalk silage might be worth about 75% the value of well-eared silage; dry silage might be worth only 50% as much. Also adjust prices for quality and harvesting costs. About 1/5 of a com crop’s yield is cob and 1/2 is fodder. When feed is scarce, cobs and fodder are worth harvesting. Cobs are a good source of digestible fiber, and fod- MILLER DIESEL INC. 6030 Jonestown Rd., Harrisburg. Pa. 17112 „ 717-545-5931 - Interstate 81 Exit 26 FUEL INJECTION & TURBOCHARGER SPECIALIST GASOLINE TREATMENT FPPF Fuel Injector Cleaner is effective in keeping all injectors in new, dean condition. In addition, FPPF Fuel Injection Cleaner will dean already fouled injectors within one to three tankfuls. ADDITIONAL.BENEFITS; • Reducts caibutelor ind port futl in|ector* Reduces engine stalling due to caiburetor Jeposils (Cleans up and keeps clean) icing • Reduces intake valve and port deposits • Reduces PCV system deposits • Prevents rusting and corrosion ol the • 8 02s. treats 30 gallons Available in 8 ozs futl system 2M gallons and 55 gallons Auto Tune-Up Available Call for Appointment PERKA BUILDING DISPLAY A' THE AG PROGRESS SHOW Exhibit Location: W. Eighth Street ASK ABOUT OUR AG PROGRESS SPECIALS) Lancaster Farming Saturday, July 30, 1988-Dll < der can be used as a roughage for low-producing and non-producing cattle. 2. Alfalfa. To encourage new growth from the crown buds, cut established stands of alfalfa at ear ly to mid bloom maturity or 35 days after last cutting, whichever f comes first- regardless of its height. Delay cutting new stands and stressed stands unti mid bloom or later. Cutting or gazing young alfalfa shoots or established stands before the bud stage can weaken the stand. Control pests, especially leaf hoppers; they can severely weaken already-stressed stands and reduce forage quality. Wait for sufficient soil moisture before making summer alfalfa seedings. Help alfalfa stands overwinter. Permit at least one of the cuttings to reach bloom stage of maturity. Give stands an opportunity to make at least 3-weeks growth before the normal date of the first killing frost. If more forage is needed, vigorous stands can be cut after a killing frost, but leave at least 4 inches of stubble. 13% 4% 3. Put up top quality feeds. Harvest at optimum maturity for maximum nutrient yield. Fill silos rapidly, harvest at the proper mois ture levels and cut at the proper length to help ensure good packing and good preservation. Ruminants need highly digesti ble fiber in a form that is effective. Don’t destroy the effectiveness of VISIT THE (Turn to Pag* 012)
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