Swine
Management
News
Dr. Richard Barczewski
Extension County Agricultural
Agent
University of Delaware
A Trip To Rodale Farm
Every now and then I feel com
pelled to write about topics other
than pigs. Sometimes there are
more far-reaching issues that
affect all of us in agriculture.
Today I want to tell you about my
experiences on a recent trip to the
Rodale Experimental Farm.
Rodale is a name connected
with quite a bit of research in the
organic production of crops.
Along with other cooperative
extension colleagues. I toured the
Rodale Experimental Farm; which
is located just outside of Allen
town, Pennsylvania. Some of what
I saw was exciting. Other things
scared me.
Pint, the good news. One part
of the tour was viewing small
scale vegetable production using
organic methods. We talked with
the researcher who is looking into
the applications of organic pro
duction for vegetable crops. He
was objective in his perspective,
which engendered confidence in
what his results may offer. He
explained the different techniques
that they plan to evaluate in small
scale demonstrations and in large
scale, commercial trials.
These trials are a way to estab
lish which of the organic tech
niques could prove effective for
commercial use. While the
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researcher was hopeful that many
of the methods would work, he
was convinced that only objective,
properly designed research trials
could prove the effectiveness.
Here was an objective scientist
who was seeking methods to
reduce the use of pesticides and
fertilizers in vegetable crop pro
duction —not a bad goal for all of
agriculture if it proves to be cost
effective and proven by properly
designed research.
Now, the bad news. We also
toured some of the commercial
agronomic crop plots where com
parisons were being made
between conventionally grown
com, soybeans, and hay crops and
that which was organically grown.
My major concern about the
research trials I viewed was the
poor weed control in the conven
tional plots. Usually, we would
call the resulting weed control
poor. This control was purported
ly an example of “conventional”
farming practices.
My colleagues and I told the
researcher this was a poor exam
ple and asked her what the herbi
cide program on the soybean plot
was. She said she didn’t know but
claimed it was a standard recom
mendation from the land-grant
institution. She added that no post
emergent chemical had been put
on the field. When asked about
insect scouting of the field, the
researcher indicated that the only
pest insects she knew to affect
soybeans that were present in the
plots were Japanese beetles. When
asked about corn earworm in
beans, she seemed not to know
what we were talkiing about!
We pressed this researcher
further, asking again about herbi
cides, to which she replied she
didn't know much about herbi-
cides and had no desire to leam
anything about them. Keep in
mind, this person conducts
research comparing conventional
ly and organically grown field
crops.
Don’t get me wrong. We need
more research in the areas of
reducing or even eliminating our
agricultural inputs. All farmers
would love to reduce input costs
and maintain or improve the net
profit from their crop production.
But research done in these areas
has to be done by professionals
who know and understand both
conventional and organic growing
methods. At the very least,
researchers must be objective
about the results. Valid trials can
not be carried out by people who
have no desire to leam about alter
natives to producers they are
studying.
We in the American agricultur
al sector have done an excellent
job of producing an abundant and
safe source of food for our popula
tion. Trends reveal that consumers
want fewer chemicals used in the
production of their food. Because
farmers realize this, they would be
willing to adapt to never methods
of crop production, especially if it
is lower in inputs.
We can’t tolerate, however,
researchers who are not willing to
give the alternatives an objective
evaluation. It is commendable that
Rodale has initiated a major push
into evaluating these alternative
methods of production, but at the
same time, we must be critical of
any research that is not conducted
within the parameters of good
science.
L _ /
Lancaster Fanning Saturday, October 20,1990-D5
Livestock Notes
Proper Forage Sampling
Techniques
An essential component of for
mulating balanced rations is
knowing the quality of the forages
to be used in the ration. Accurate
ly knowing forage quality is the
result of accurate forage sampling
and testing.
Often forage testing is
neglected or forgotten. However,
returns from a good forage testing
program can average
$65/cow/year. Obtaining accurate
forage reports depends, to a large
extent, on using correct sampling
methods on the farm.
The following guidelines have
been established for sampling for
ages. These guidelines will help
ensure that your sample is rep
resentative of what you are actual
ly feeding.
• Silage - Upright Silos: 1.
Sample during filling so that the
forage analysis is available for
ration balancing when the silo is
opened.
2. Take several handfuls from
each load as it is being unloaded.
Make note of changes from field
to field. NOTE; Colored plastic
squares can be blown in between
loads from different Helds or
when changes occur within a field.
When feeding, the colored plastic
will denote a forage change,
allowing for ration adjustments if
necessary.
3. Composite samples by field
(or by parts of field if differences
occur within a field). Mix well,
subsample, and refrigerate in air
tight plastic bags.
4. Fermented silage should also
be tested, occasionally, as it is fed
out. Take several grab samples,
composite, and refrigerate in an
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airtight plastic bag.
•Silage Horizontal Silos: 1.
Rake the entire surface that is cur
rently being used.
2. Take several grab samples
from the raked material. (Enough
samples should be taken to get a
complete representation).
3. Mix thoroughly and subsam
ple. Seal in airtight plastic bag and
refrigerate.
4. In a horizontal silo, deter
mine drymatter biweekly as the
moisture content can fluctuate by
5-7 percent.
• Hay: 1. Obtain core samples
or pull a handful from center of
bale.
2. Sample many bales, to obtain
a good cross section.
3. Accurately identify sample
as either legume, grass, or mixed
hay.
4. Take samples that represent
different fields, cuttings, etc.
5. Samples can be taken both
when hay is put in and when it is
taken out of storage.
• TMR (Total Mixed Rations):
1. TMRs should be sampled once
each month.
2. Obtain fresh samples from
several feedings.
3. Composite and mix well,
place sample in airtight bag, and
refrigerate.
4. TMR testing can show errors
that may occur during mixing.
How often should forages be
tested? To keep rations well
balanced, sample and test
whenever a change in forages
occur. Test a minimum of four
times per year. Sample and test
haylage more often to check for
heat-damaged protein. Test for
ages anytime a nutritional prob
lem arises.