VOL. 36 NO. 15 National Corn Growers Recognize Farmer For Outstanding Yield An experiment to see how “the better acres could do’’ in a tract of land turned out to be an award winner for Gerald Hoffer, left, with his wife, Connie. “It was planted right along with the rest (of the acres), fertilized right along with the rest, and there wasn’t anything done different to that field,” he said. Photo by Andy Andrews. Animal Issues Featured At Holstein Convention EVERETT NEWSW ANGER Managing Editor READING (Berks Co.)—Under the panel discussion title, “Hols tein Breeders-Supporters of Ani mal Welfare,” four prominent agri cultural leaders brought their knowledge and opinions to the start of the Pennsylvania Holstein Con vention this week at the Sheraton Inn. The panelists are Dr. Stanley Hog Farmers Should Stop Health Problems At The Source ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff CAMP HILL (Cumberland Co.) A pump agitator clearing out a manure pit suddenly stops. A 21-year-old farmer’s son climbs down the shaft into the pit and is suddenly overcome with the fumes, falling into the tank, unconscous. The boy’s 23-year-old brother goes down after him and encoun ters the vapors, falling uncon scious to the ground. The 56-year-old father of the two sons also goes down into the pits, and also falls to the ground, unconscious. A hired hand sees what’s hap pening, but there is no way he’s going to climb in. Instead, he calls the emergency rescue service. After they arrive, the rescue team brings all three men out —who die before arriving at the hospital. Classic example “This is a classic example of hydrogen sulfide poisoning,” said Kelly Donham, DVM, lowa State U. professor of preventive medi cine and environmental health. Donham spoke to about 120 far mers attending the Keystone Pork Congress on Wednesday. Five Sections department head, dairy and ahlfllaf science, Penn State Univer sity; Dr. Mabel Owen, director, division of animal health, Boston, Mass.; Dr. Thomas Hartsock,' extension livestock specialist, Uni versity of Maryland; and Dr. Linda Detwiller, senior staff veterinarian, USDA, BeltsviUe, Md. Walter Wurster, Chester Co. agent, was the moderator. Curtis said that in case we haven’t believed the animal wel Donham spoke about human health risks in swine facilities, and how hog producers can counteract those risks to workers and animals. The above tragedy occurred in a “It came down to the last three questions,” said Ken Wlnebark, Lebanon County agent, third from left, after the Lebanon County team won the Keystone Pork Bowl Wednesday. Tied through two rounds, the Lebanon team won during the “toss-up phase," beating Chester Co. 185-155. From left, Jon Harnlsh, Amy Harnish, Wlnebark, Dan Atkins, and John Risser. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 23, 1991 fare issue is a real one, the national corn growers, at their convention this week, scheduled their leading debate on the subject of the care and treatment of livestock. Because the livestock- industry uses a lot of com, the com growers said they need to be proactive on the animal welfare/rights issue. “When the com growers make the subject their lead seminar, we can agree the subject of animal (Turn to Pag* A 23) town in north lowa in 198 S. A far mer and his family were killed by toxic hydrogen sulfide poisoning when they were trying to phase out a building and were agitating a 500 Per Copy ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff FONTANA (Lebanon Co.) An experiment to sec how “the better acres could do” in a tract of land turned out to be an award winner for Gerald Hoffer, who was awarded a first-place fin ish in a yield contest sponsored by the National Com Growers Asso ciation (NCGA). Hoffer, a cash cropper who raises dairy heifers on Con-Gcr Farms, said he was interested in seeing what one of the farm’s bet ter acres could do. “It was planted right along with the rest (of the acres), fertilized right along with the rest, and there wasn’t anything done different to that field,” he said. Hoffcr used 4472, a Funk G brand hybrid from Ciba-Geigy, to produce a yield of 174.92 bushels per acre. The seed was planted April 25 last year on a l-V* plot near his residence. LF Writer’s Extensive Research Needed To Find Pasteurized Eggs LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Fanning Staff LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) To reduce the threat of sal monella poisoning, health officials warn, “Don’t use raw eggs.” But what do you do if you like lemon meringue pies, chocolate mousse, and home-made ice cream made with raw eggs? Pasteurized eggs are the answer. They are safe and easy to use. Real eggs, not egg substitutes, are used to make the pasteurized product. manure pit—a dangerous thing to do, according to Donham. “We measured the levels of hydrogen sulfide just by starting up the agitation of that pump and it $15.00 Per Year Hoffer, who operates a com, soybean, wheat, and oat cash cropping operation on 650 acres (585 rented and 630 tillable), said this was the first year he planted that variety. This is the number “My salesman is my neighbor right back here,” said Hoffcr. “I told him I’d like to enter one of his corns in the National Com Grow ers Contest. And he said this is the number that can do it for you.” Although the entry called for an “irrigation class,” Hoffcr said that he did not have to irrigate to enter the class. “I entered the class and Mother Nature did the irrigating this year. ’Cause, hey, it never showed any stress whatsoever. It seemed like it rained every time it needed it and it just punched some com out,” he said. (Turn to Pag* A 29) Many of our readers have asked where pasteurized eggs can be pur chased. After a futile search in loc al supermarkets, numerous calls to egg companies, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and to the organizations that are telling us to use pasteurized eggs in place of raw eggs, I have found that pasteurized eggs are not available in grocery stores although the eggs are sold to hospitals and restaurants. (Turn to Pago B 12) was like 1,500 to 2,000 parts per million (ppm),” he said. That high dose is lethal to humans. Hazardous gas ‘‘Hydrogen sulfide is an extremely hazardous gas,” he said. According to the researcher, the substance is similar to hydro gen cyanide used in gas chambers during World War 11. “It causes you to slop breathing almost immediately .” During the past six years, Don ham said the state of lowa lost 19 people to hydrogen sulfide poison ing. And not only were humans affected (in addition to five dairy farmers last summer in Michigan and three from Ohio), but hogs are also lost about $ 1 million worth every year in lowa. Working with hydrogen sulfide is dangerous. When farmers agi tate liquid manure, "it’s like play ing with gasoline,” he said. “If you do it right, you’re going to be okay. But there are problems if you don’t do it right.” Farmers should stay out of the building during agitation and watch the animals to see if they show a reaction. If they do, stop, because the gas will stop “almost immediately,” he said. (Turn to Pago A3O)
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