24-Month Calving Is Okay LAWRENCE W. SPECHT PSU Dairy Specialist STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) Age at calving and production first lactation for Holstein heifers has been summarized from the it four years of DHIA tested herd information. Test Year # Heifers Avg Age at Calving 1987- 76153 27.0 1988- 78600 26.8 1989- 80403 26.7 1990- 79502 26.5 fhc average age at first calving for Holstein heifers has dropped by f a month in four vears. If there is a potential saving of from one to > dollars per day, this reduction in age at calving has saved Pennsyl lia dairymen from 1.2 to 2.4 million dollars in 1990-91 compared to 17-88. However, there is still plenty of room for improvement as the le below indicates: Age at Calving Months )l%jni4 Dairy Impruu'mvnl A»MKl«ilion Average Farm Feed Costs For Handy Reference To help fanners across the state to have handy reference of com- - modify input costs in their feeding operations for DHIA record sheets or to develop livestock feed cost data, here’s this week’s average costs of various ingredients as With production of 15,674 pounds of milk at 24 months of age and little change thereafter, it looks as if the recommendation to calve heif ers at 24 months of age is a reasonable one. FOCUS Managamanl Information For Bam Uaa compiled from regional reports across the state of Pennsylvania. Remember these are averages so you will need to adjust your figures up or down according to your loca tion and the quality of your crop. Com, No. 2y - 2.82 BU. 5.05 CWT. Wheat, No. 2 - 3.82 BU. 6.38 CWT. Barley, No. 3 - 2.11 BU. 4.52 CWT. 4031 15632 3212 15563 2429 15494 1939 15458 1429 15363 1215 15248 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 1, 1992-A43 564 484 564 - 483 561 482 559 481 557 480 552 476 WANTED For Stealing Feedlot Profits ■■■■■■ ‘Shifty Starling' 'Blackie Blackbird' Avftrol treated grain bads havt baan provan auccasaful year after year In removing peal birds from faadlota. " ERA Approved HESS AGRI RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDE MARKETING A^h/Al 21t Rockpolnt Road I fI fjl Marietta RA 17*47 (717) 426-3138 corporation > 1 All-Plant LIQUID PLANT FOOD 9-18-9 PLUS OTHERS! • Contains 100% white ortho phosphoric acid. Made in USA. • Non-corrosive. Won’t settle. • Top quality. Excellent service. • Newest equipment. • Financially sound... and growing l Dig Demand Requires More Distributors! □ I sell to farmers. How do I become your distributor? □ I'm a farmer. What’s the price? Where do I get it? CALL or SEND FOR FACTS: Phone 814-364-1349 ALL-PLANT LIQUID PLANT FOOD, INC. 821 State Rd. 511 N., RFD 3, Oats, No. 2 - 1.78 BU. 5.55 CWT. Soybeans, No. 1 - 5.57 BU. 9.30 CWT. Ear Com - 70.39 BU. 3.52 CWT. Alfalfa Hay -117.25 TON 5.86 CWT, Mixed Hay - 105.00 TON 5.25 CWT. Timothy Hay - 108.00 TON 5.40 CWT.