Dl2-L«nc«ster Farming Saturday, July 30, 1988 Daily Pipeline (Continued from Page Dll) the fiber by letting crops get too mature by ensiling them too dry or too wet, or by cutting and grinding them 100 finely. Remember, drought striken crops are lower in moisture content and will dry down more rapidly than usual. 4. Nitrates and silo gasses can be a problem with annual crops and weeds such as com, sudan grass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, johnsongrass, pigweed and lambs quarters. The problem is more severe in fields fertilized heavily with nitrogen and manure, and in the first 3 to 5 days following a drought-recovering rain. Ensiling suspect feeds and allowing them to go through a nor mal 3 to 4 week fermentation may reduce nitrate levels, but it increases the risk of silo gasses. If nitrates are expected to be high, test the water and forages, and monitor total nitrate intake. To prevent low-level, chronic poison ing, especially in cattle cattle that are already stressed, some dairy scientists suggest keeping levels in the total ration below 1200 ppm (0.12%). Intakes of 1/4 to 2/3 lb. of nitrate per day can be acutely toxic to mature animals that are under going abrupt changes in their /gcjv Grain Systems Incorporated JQP THE TOP DRY DIFFERENCE! •540T0 2100 BUSHEL BATCH CAPACITY • 18'THRU 36' DIAMETERS • USES GRAVITY AS AN ENERGY SOURCE We Have Been Selling, Installing And Servicing This Very Dependable Type Of Drying System For 15 Years. Con tact Us For Free Quotation. LOUCKS ration and experiencing digestive upsets. Animals that are healthy may be able to tolerate levels that are 3 to S times higher, especially if they are acclimated to nitrates gradually over a period of 3 to 4 weeks and if their rations are prop erly balanced. 5. Prussic acid (HCN) levels in sudangrass and sorghum-sudan hybrids may be a problem in dry seasons. The levels are highest in the young, rapidly growing shoots of plants, in the first 3 to 5 days fol lowing a drought-recovering rain, and in plants injured by frost To help prevent prussic acid poisoning, do not graze or harvest sudangrass until it is at least 18 inches tall; sorghum-sudan hybrids should be at least 30 inches tall. Levels can be reduced by cut ting and drying the crop, or by ensiling it. Wait at least one week after a killing frost before ensiling. 6. Keep animals off dormant pastures; permanent pastures that are not overgrazed respond better to fertilizer applied later in the season. Feeds and Feeding Adjustments 1, Whenever making adjust ments to the dairy ration in an attempt to stretch feed supplies, be sure to meet cows’ minimum for age needs. At least 50% of the total dry matter intake should be in the form of good quality forages. This level may be reduced temporarily to 40% for periods of 90 to 120 days. When forage intakes are held to minimum levels, incorporate more high-fiber concentrates and roughages into the ration. Acid • DOUBLES AS A STORAGE BIN • ITS AFFORDABLEI • EASY TO OPERATE • LOW MAINTENANCE GRAIN EQUIPMENT INC. R.D. #l2, Box 307 York, PA. 17406 717-755-2868 detergent fiber (ADF) content of the total ration should be 18 to 20% on a DM basis. For conventionally-fed herds, cows shold consume 1.35 to 1.55 lbs. of forage DM per cwt of body weight 2. Make the best use of your feeds. Give the best feeds to your best animals. Store feeds separate ly, by kind and quality, so you can access the kind of feed you want when you need it. Use of silage bags may help you accomplish this. Maintain high levels of efficient production - not necessarily the highest level of production. High producers give a better return on feed than do low producers. Cull poor producers, problem animals and replacement animals that have questionable potential. If culling jeopardizes cash flow and milk bases, it may be beneficial to purchase a few good animals to replace some of the culls, especial ly if the price is right and there is little or no risk of introducing dis eases to the herd. Reduce feed spoilage and was tage - in the field, in storage, in the bunk, and in the animal. For greater feeding efficiency, balance rations for different pro duction groups, for dry cows, and for different groups of heifers. Avoid nutrient deficiencies and costly frills and excesses. Also consider the quality of protein, fib er and carbohydrates when balanc ing rations. Grind, chop, roll or crimp feeds properly to improve digestibility. Use a total mix ration. Or, blend the forages, feed some forages before feeding grain. AMENT No 4.137.M3 4,480,634 Stretch Your Feed Dollars With A RISSLER TMR FEED MIXER m *£ #■ , «; \ I • Accurate Beam Scales w/Signal • Stainless Steel Floor And Auger Trough $2OO OFF ON EVERY SIZE MODEL 55 MODEL 105 MODEL 300 w/Scale & Motor w/Scale & Motor w/Scale & Motor 55 Cow Herd (2 Groups) 90 Cow Herd (2 Groups) 250 Cow Herd (2 Groups) w/3% CASH DISCOUNT w/3% CASH DISCOUNT w/3% CASH DISCOUNT 8 Sizes - Prices Starting At $3,201 Up To $8,536 These Prices Good Till September 1, 1988 Also Available - TMR Hydrostatic Drive Feed Carts Authorized Dealers .. XT _ AT . Selinesgrove. Pa. Lelytinon, Pa. WILLIAM ROMBERGER AUTOMATIC FARM 717-374-2314 SYSTEMS 717-364-5460 717-274-5333 Towi ida. Pa, Quarrvville. Pa. SYLVAN RESSLER 717-786-2103 and restrict the amount of grains and concentrates fed per feeding to 8 lbs. 3. Consider using alternative feeds that are more economical. Small grains such as barley, oats, rye, triticale and wheat can replace some of the com in the ration, and they may be a better buy than com. Ear com may be a better buy than shelled com. Allow new grain to cure about 3 weeks before feeding. Soybeans and cottonseed, are high in oil content Remember, excess fats and oils are toxic to the rumen. Therefore, limit daily intake to about 5 to 7 lbs. per day; this keeps fat and oil intake to a safe level of no more than 1 lb. per day. Feeding levels need to be further restricted if the radon con tains other sources of fats and oils. Non-protein-nitrogen (NPN) can be an economical source of soluable protein - IF fed properly. Cows need about 30% of their pro tein in a soluble form, and NPN is an excellent source of soluble pro tein. Many feed companies offer several lines of feeds, some of which are more economical and contain NPN. NPN is also present in forages, especially legumes such as alfalfa; levels generally increase when the crop is ensiled. Two common sources of NPN are urea and anhydrous ammonia. The use of NPN is best suited for normal, healthy, adult cattle, and for corn-based rations that are properly balanced and have a sour ce of readily available energy. Tot al daily intake of NPN by dairy cows, under normal conditions, should be limited to 0.4 to 0.5 lbs. • 1/4-3/8 Steel Reinforcements • Fast 2-3 Minute Mix Time • Low Power Requirements • Discharge Chute w/Magnets (Formerly Burkholders) Middlebure. Pa, RAY ESBENSHADE 717-837-5146 per 1000 lbs. of body weight (0.56 to 0.70 lbs. for a 1400 lb. cow). Mature cattle need to be gradually acclimated to NPN over a period of about 3 to 4 weeks. If cattle are sick and experiencing digestive upsets, it may be necessary to withdraw NPN from their ration. Do not feed NPN to young cattle under 4 to 6 months of age. Farmers can add urea to their grain mixes. To avoid palatability problems, initial levels should be limited to 0.3% of the finished mix. If cows are in normal health, and if they are gradually accli mated to NPN over a 3 to 4 week period, levels may be increased to a maximum of 1.5%. Because of the acclimation time required, urea should also be included in the ration of dry cows and springing heifers. Proper muting is very important to prevent toxic pockets of concentrated urea. Urea should not be added to rations containing raw soybeans. Farmers can also add urea or anhydrous ammonia to their com silage - providing they are not feeding NPN via grain mixes and purchased concentrates. Moisture level of the silage should be between 60 and 70%. The rate of application is about 10 lbs. of urea or about 7 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia per ton. At these rates, the protein content of com silage is increased from its original level of about 8.5% to a level of about 12 to 13%. In addi tion to providing protein, anhydr ous ammonia is an excellent silage preset * alive. It is also a hazardous material. By-product feeds, such as wet (Turn to Pag* Dl3) SB I.H. Rli iSLER MFG. Ci Mohnton, PA 215-484*0551
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers