A2O-Lancttter Farming, Saturday, July 8,1989
Newspaper
(Continued from Pago A 1)
then spread on the fields.
Further research at Penn State
has shown that there is a very low
concentration of heavy metals.
PSU researchers found there was a
higher level of heavy metals in the
manure from straw bedding than in
the manure from newsprint
In other studies it was shown
that mastistis bacteria grew slower
in kiln-dried sawdust and in news
paper than in other types of
bedding.
“Straw doesn’t keep the cows as
dry as the newspaper,” said Berry.
“Newspaper really soaks it up.”
Berry prefers a mix of newspap
er bedding and straw or com fod
der. Bedding which is 70 percent
shredded newspaper and 30 per
le-year ago . jrry bought this small bale chopper
for nearly $1,500. Paper Is loaded directly Into the bln. Berry
prefers a mix of 70 percent paper to 25 percent straw or fod
der. The m lx of other bedding material helps to keep the fluf
fy bedding In Its place In the bed.
- « . - > chopper newspaper and blows plenty of clean,
dry, fluffy bedding inti freestail area in minutes. Berry is anxious to use more new
paper for bedding, but" needs a' steady supply of newspaper.
Bedding Makes Dollars
cent com fodder or straw or some
other material works best for
Berry.
“Where I used four bales of
straw, now I use newspaper and
one bale of straw. And if you are
looking at $lOO a ton for straw or
prices are high for sawdust that’s a
big savings,” explained Berry.
“In my pens and freestalls I like
to blow in the newspaper and then
blow in com fodder or straw on top
of it. Then when the cows walk on
it they mix it up,” said Berry.
For $1,500 Berry purchased a
small bale chopper. Newspapers
(newspapers only, no magazines)
are dropped directly into the bin
and in a few minutes thirty stalls
are covered with a thick, fluffy dry
bedding.
Although other types of paper
have been tested for bedding there
are some problems. Magazines,
especially high-gloss magazines
have a higher residue of heavy
metals and trace elements.
There is also the problem of sta
ples found in some magazines and
cardboard. For information on
using other materials such as Xer
ox paper and computer paper con
tact your local county extension
agent
Berry has found that the mix of
newspaper with other materials
makes the bedding less fluffy and
keeps it in place. Fluffy bedding
has tendency to not stay in the
beds. This is the only disadvantage
of the newsprint Berry has found.
Recycling Newspapers Benefits
Everyone
Mandatory recycling in some
communities has increased interest
in newsprint for bedding in animal
agriculture. Recycling newspapers
helps farmers by providing a low
cost bedding while it relieves the
overburdened landfills from thou
sands of tons of paper.
Pennsylvania Act 101 of 1988,
The Municipal Waste Planning,
Recycling and Waste Reduction
Act, requires 407 Pennsylvania
municipalities to recycle. Com
munities gearing up to meet this
requirement usually include paper'
as part of their recycling program.
These communities as well as
communities in several other states
requiring recycling programs have
placed huge quantities of paper on
the market Presently many recy
cling coordinators are looking for
new uses of this material.
According to the Department of
Environmental Resources Bureau
of Waste Management the aver
age Pennsylvania family of four
produces about three tons of gar
bage per year. At this rate the Com
monwealth’s 75 landfills will be
filled to capacity less than five
years.
A Snyder County dairyman who
has used paper bedding for eight
years reports he uses 300-400
pounds per day for 170 free stalls
housing his herd (2-3 pounds per
animal per day).
At a rate of 2-3 pounds per day,
if all dairy and beef producers in
the Commonwealth recycled
newspaper for bedding it would
utilize only one-third of the states
total of 3.S million tons of used
newsprint.
(Turn to Pag* A 22)
/ * -
t '
Chopping paper to this size makes it easily dissolved Ir.
the manure system and spreads well In the field.
Interested In
Newspaper
Farmers interested in recyl
ing newspaper for bedding
should contact their county
extension agent. Agents can
discuss use and preparation of
newsprint.
Contact local solid waste
officials. They have a large
source of newspaper available
for recycling and the newsprint
may be available free of charge.
However, the farmer may incur
costs for local hauling.
Also, recycling centers may
shred newspapers and offer
bales for a small fee. Although
some commercial recycling
centos no longer accept news
papers for recycling because
there has been no outlet for
them, if they know there is a
market for them they may be
able to provide a collection and
processing point for newsprint
recycling, 'they can be found in
the yellow pag&sof your tele
phone book under‘recycling’.
According to county exten
sion recommendations, strips
8-10 inches long and about 1/4”
to 3/4” wide work best. Longer
strips track or move too mhch
with animal movement, while
shorter ones pose a blowing
problem in the bedded area.
Heavy-duty paper shredders
are available for use by paper
processing centers. If further
processing of these bales is
needed small bale busters or
shredders, as used for straw or
com fodder, may be employed
at the farm.
Bale choppers can cost
between $1,500 and $5,500. If
necessary, forage harvesters
may be used at the farm to pre
pare newspapers for bedding
with some modifications to pro
duce bedding of desirable
proportions.
For further information on
recycling newspapers for bed
ding contact yqpr county’s
recycling coordinators or the
one closest to you;
Allegheny
Donald Berman, (412)
355-5594.
Armstrong
Jeanine Wolanski, (412)
458-3223.
Beaver
Richard Packer, (412)
728-5700.
Bucks
Chuck Raudenbush, (215)
249-0487.
Cambria
Bradford Beigay, (814»)
472-5440.
Centre
Irene Ferrara, (814)
238-7005.
Chester
Bedding?
Paul Bickhart, (21S)
431-8464.
Clinton
Fred Teti, (717) 769-6977.
Cumberland
Robert J. Middleton, (717)
240-6379.
Dauphin
Keith Ashley, (717)
234-1850.
Delaware
Tom Kelber, (215)
891-4668.
Fayette
Vincent Vicites, (412)
430-1210.
Greene
Valerie Cole. (412) 852-1171
Indiana
George Hurd, (412)
465-3870.
Lancaster
Jim Warner, (717) 397-9968.
Lawrence
Amy JoLabi'Carftndo, (412) '
658-2541.
Luzerne
Frank Chadwick, (717)
825-1560.
Luzerne
Wilkes-Bane
John Bergold, (717) 826-8287.
Lackawanna
J-pyce Hatala, (717)
963-6810.
Lehigh
Patti lannelli, (215)
437-7760. %
Lycoming
Robert McCullough, Jr.,
(717) 327-2360.
Montgomery '
Michael Stoked (215)
278-3729.
Monroe
Jane Meeks, (717) 421-7301.
Montour
Stephen Bennick, (215),
686-8298.
Northern Tier
David Terrill, (717) 638-2107
Philadelphia
Dezzi,
Alfred
686-8298.
Potter
Lowell
274-8254.
Somerset
Ayers,
Frank Burggraf,
445-7301.
Susquehanna
Lee Benedict,
278-4600.
Washington
Marlene Hohn,
228-6811.
Wayne
Veronica Haberthuer, (7L7)
278-4600.
Westmoreland
Lynn Showalter, (412)
834-2191.
York
Mary Jane Rodkey, (717)
845-1066.
(215)
(814)
(814)
(717)
('412)