Pay Extra Attention To Swine During Winter UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre too much heat.” and you must assume that every each pound of gain, Kephart said, too cold. “Watch the pigs as they Co.) Because winter weather Observation will tell you if too possible disease will be there. “But when pigs arc so cold they sleep.” Kephart said. “If they’re can increase the likelihood of sev- little air is moving through your Don’t wear any clothing you’ve shiver, the feed conversion rate tri- spread out on their sides and quiet, eral hog health problems, swine facility. “If you’re moving a lot of worn into a packing plant or mark- pies—it takes nearly 10 pounds of they’re comfortable. But if they’re producers need to keep their ani- air and the pigs are huddled cling area into your bams unless feed for each pound of gain. You fussing and fighting with each mals warm and well, said an expert together, they’re too cold,” they’ve been laundered.” can’t make money under those other for a place to sleep, and if in Penn State’s College of Agricul- Kephart Said. “On the other hand. If your herd stays outside, be conditions, no matter how strong p i gs crawling on top of each tural Sciences. if your eyes water when you walk sure to keep them as warm as pos- the market is.” other and piling up, they’re far too “Respiratory problems, viral in, there’s too much ammonia in sible or their feed efficiency will Observing the outside facility cold, which means'they’re burning infections, and feed inefficiency the air and not enough fresh be severely inhibited. “When pigs when the pigs are sleeping can up a ’ j ot 0 f feed.” are just a few of the concerns pro- air.” are outside in cold weather, they reveal whether your animals are ducers should be aware of during Sweating walls also can reveal need more feed than normal winter,” said Dr. Kenneth Kephart, inadequate ventilation. “If you see because they bum more energy associate professor of animal sci- an insulated wall sweating, it’s an just to keep warm,” Kephart said, cnce. “Keeping a careful eye on excellent sign you’re not moving “The amount of feed a pig needs to your animals will help them stay enough air,” Kephart said. “It’s stay in good flesh doesn’t have to healthy and help keep your opera- natural for windows to sweat, but get out of hand unless you’re not tion profitable.” not for insulated walls or ceilings.” using enough bedding and the pigs Avoiding swine respiratory The risk of viral infections also aren’t warm enough when they problems can be a major challenge increases during winter. “Viruses sleep.” for producers during winter, parti- survive better in cold tempera- Winter is an ideal time to feed a cularly when pigs are housed tures, so producers must be high-fiber diet. “When an animal indoors. Poor air movement in extremely vigilant about biosecur- digests fiber, the digestion process confined spaces can cause or ity,” Kephart said. “During the generates heat,” Kephart said. Pro aggravate ailments such as chronic winter months, your chances of viding plenty of bedding material pneumonia and rhinitis. spreading transmissable gastroen- also will help, as will building a “During winter, producers tend teritis, pseudorabies, and other vir- hovel. “If the weather is extremely not to move much air through their al diseases increases. cold, consider building an area to facilities,” Kephart said. “They “When you go to a packing plant trap heat down at the pig’s level,” slow ventilation fans down to or marketing area, wear disposable Kephart said. Place straw bales on retain warmth and minimize heat- overalls and boots, or make sure planks or plywood, creating a ing bills. But when air quality suf- you launder that clothing before miniature environment that will fers the pigs suffer, too. The object entering your own facility," he keep the pigs warmer, is to find a happy medium between said. “You’ll be in contact with Normal feed conversion is moving enough air and not using pigs from many different places, ■ roughly three pounds of feed to No other battery can match John Deere RlltfPvlpC Strongßox batteries for long-life O U Ui IXUIUI lvO« • • perfonnance. Here’s why. G00(1 for Ufo! • “Dry-chaiging” means we add the electrolyte die day you buy, so you get a fully charged battery eve • Exclusive grid design delivers cranking amps and better oorrosi resistance. • Anti-vibration features withstand the toughest industrial-type conditions. 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TY21735 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 21, 1991*821 0» —pt ai „ sacri fice lot, left, at the Roudabush farm, the rotational lot man agement system was observed on two dairy farms in the central Shenendoah Valley of Virginia during a recent Pequea-MIII Creek Project tour. Mill Creek Project Harold Roller, ag extension agent in Rockingham County, Virginia, explained the Rockingham County poultry manure ordinance. The ordinance outlined mini mum setbacks, acreage requirements, and nutrient man agement requirements for new and existing poultry facilities. Farmers in the Pequea-Mill Creek area of central Lan caster county who may be interested in trying the rotation al lot management system can contact Jeff Stoltzfus or Frank Lucas at the Pequea-Mill Creek Project, 31 IB Air port Dr., P. O. Box 211, Smokelown, PA 17576-0211, (717) 396-9423. Indiana Senator Urges Quick Action WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar urged USDA officials to expedite disaster payments to farmers hurt by drought this year, proposing that the two month sign-up period for disaster relief—possibly commencing as late as February 1992 be shortened to one month. Lugar from Indiana proposed a shorter sign-up period to speed disaster assistance payments to farmers. “We ought to get 1991 disaster payments out to eligi ble farmers as fast as we possibly can, consistent with running a sound program,” Lugar said in a letter to USDA Secretary Ed Madigan. “It seems to me that one month might be sufficient for collecting (disaster assistance) applications. This way, farmers could receive payments a month sooner than would otherwise be the case. “I understand that there is some minimum amount of time required to implement the disaster payment program if it is to be done in a responsible manner. But I cannot stress enough my own view that we ought to minimize the waiting time for farmers,” Lugar said. The Congress passed and President Bush signed into law a $1 billion drought disaster package to help those farmers who lost more than 35 percent of a crop this Sum mer, according to Lugar, who proposed the assistance in September. Payments will be made based on the extent of damage to a crop. Farmers with crop insurance would qualify for payments on losses above a threshold deductible of 35 percent of the average yield. Those without insurance would qualify if they lost more than 40 percent of a crop. For example, an insured com farmer would receive $1.13 for every bushel lost to drought above 35 percent of his expected crap, which is based on historical averages for yield in the county. (Continued from Pag# B 20)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers