E24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 5,1993
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Forrest Strieker, right, and his herdsman, Glenn Ocher talk about jnges they
want to make to the fencing and about an idea Strieker has for the rye field.
Intensive Pasturing Is Right Way For
CONNIE LEINBACH
Berks 60. Correspondent
ROBESONIA (Berks Co.) The sound of a herd of
cows munching on grass is music to Forrest Strieker’s
ears.
“It’s neat,” he said, noting that he had never really heard
it before he began a new nutrition program of intensive
pasturing, where a farmer relies chiefly on the nutrients in
various grasses to supply cows with most of their daily
nutritional needs.
It’s a method of farming Strieker embraces because it
uses what the earth has provided. “It all goes along with
stewardship of the earth, and that a cow eats grass.” he
said, nodding and smiling. “That’s what she was created to
do. Let the cow go out and graze.”
Before Strieker began relying on pasture for the bulk of
the nutritional needs for his 115 Holsteins, 58 of which are
milking, they used to mostly stay in the bam and were fed
a total mixed ration (TMR). Once a day he took them out
side for exercise and air, he said. Because he confined
them to one pasture, they overgrazed it.
It’s only been since April that he took the plunge and
began this new program. He is tentatively pleased with the
results so far, especially that his cows have held to the
same levels of milk production. Another farmer in Berks
County, Will Comley of Hamburg R.D. 3, also is using the
method, said Clyde Myers, dairy extension agent who is
helping the farmers.
Myers said farmers in the western part of the state have
used the method for a while and it is just now moving to
the southeast region.
It’s an old way of farming, but it has the added bonus of
our greater knowledge about the types of nutrients in
grass.
The way it works is simple: Move the milking cows into
a pasture where the grasses are six to eight inches high. Let
them chew it down until it is three inches high, then move
them to another pasture with fresh grass: Open and bred
heifers and dry cows can eat the older grass in other pas
tures because their nutritional needs are different. Calves
need high quality grass bust like milking cows.
The chief aspect of intensive pasturing is “controlled
grazing,” Strieker noted. It’s important not to let the cows
chew the grass down so far that they hurt shoots. That’s
what happened in the pasture where Strieker used to put
his cows; They chewed it so far down there wasn’t any
left.
Research has shown, Myers said, that grass at the six- to
eight-inch height is the most nutritious. It contains more
than 20 percent protein, so you don’t have to feed supple
mental protein.
“When feeding haylage and com silage you have to
feed them so much more to get the same amounts of ener
gy and protein,” Strieker said.
Before he began this program, he devoted only IS acres
of his 290-acre farm to pasturing. Now he devotes 50 acres
to grass with plans to expand that amount this summer.
Costs Strieker incurred to begin the program were
$4,000 for electric fencing, $l,OOO for an underground
watering system to supply water to every pasture, and, of
course, seed.
Strieker situated his intensive grazing pastures on hill
sides. Land that is marginal is good for this program,
Myers said. Strieker planted his com crop on more level
Helds.
Strieker fenced off the new pasture area in several strips
of about two to six acres each. Explaining that he is experi
menting with different mixtures of grass, he said the gras-
ru «*
>4
*' 4k vv%.'
ses he has planted are rye, orchard grass, bromegrass, and
timothy. He*s also planted New Zealand White Clover
and alfalfa.
Only one baler can keep up with Bill Buser
York area farmer Bill Buser makes a hefty
40,000 solid square bales a year. And 30,000
of those bales are straw...hard on even the
toughest balers.
What does he look for in a baler to keep
up with his busy work schedule?
Solid, square bales that stack like bricks.
“I truck nearly all my bales. Either to horse
owners in New Jersey or the Philadelphia area,
or to Lancaster hay auctions. John Deere
balers make nice, tight bales that
stack well for transport.”
v. -
SEE ONE OF THESE DEALERS FOR A DEMONSTRATION:
ADAMSTOWN
EQUIPMENT INC.
Mohnton, PA
(naar Adamstown)
215-484-4391
BARTRON
SUPPLY, INC.
Tunkhannock, PA
717-836-4011
CARLYLE &
MARTIN, INC.
Hagarstown, MD
301-733-1873
CLUGSTON FARM ENFIELD
EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT INC. GUTSHALL'S INC.
Naadmora, PA WhHalord.MD Bp «2 Box 74-A
717-573-2215 301-452-5252 Loyavllla, PA
fjr\
CLUGSTON AG
& TURF, INC.
Chambarsburg, PA
717-263-4103
DEERFIELD AG &
TURF CENTER, INC.
Wataontown, PA
717-538-3557
DUNKLE &
GRIEB INC.
Mill Hall, PA
717-726-3115
Strieker points out his free-choice mineral bin where
milking cows can sample 14 different minerals, plus salt, as
they desire.
Berks Farmer
“But I’ve found that they don’t like the alfalfa as much
as the others,” he said. “It shows you how much man
knows ...” One can see by looking at the pasture in
An even flow of hay. “I like the auger feed
on John Deere balers, too. It delivers a more even
flow of hay into the baler.” And that hay gets
packed into the solid, square bales Bill likes -
because John Deere balers pre-compress hay
inside a tapered chamber before it enters the
baling chamber.
Balers built for years of performance.
We designed John Deere square balers
specifically to meet demanding standards, like
Bill’s. If they can handle his heavy workload,
chances are they’ll do the job for you, too. Stop in
and check into letting a John Deere square baler
handle your baling needs.
EVERGREEN
TRACTOR CO., INC.
Labanon, PA
717-272-4641
FINCH SERVICES
HANOVER INC.
Hanovar, PA
717-632-2345
A.B.C. GROFF, INC.
Naw Holland, PA
717-354-4191
i *
* A
GUTSHALL’S INC.
Carlisle, PA
717-249-2313
HERMIT K.
KISTLER INC.
Lynnport, PA
215-298-2011
LANDIS BROS. INC.
Lancaster, PA
717-291-1046
LEHIGH AG
EQUIPMENT
Wescosville, PA
215-398-2553
LONE MAPLE
SALES & SERVICE
New Alexander, PA
412-668-7172
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MILL!
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