iuii P' [try >0 Penn State Poultry | \ I 'T®' Pointers ! r DEFINING HOW MANY HENS TO PUT PER CAGE William B. Roush Associate Professor Poultry Science The number of birds in a laying cage can effect the economic returns of the egg producer. Unfor tunately. it has been difficult to make specific recommendations for the number of hens per cage due to the variety of cage configu rations used in the industry. The result is that recommendations are usually of such a general nature that poultry managers have little guidance to make decisions based on their own management situation. Research at Penn State has been To get a better washing system, you Munir have to be We know pipeline sanitation is rl |J important to you. We also know \ /I you want the flexibility to adjust your wash, acid rinse and sanitiz- ll" ing cycles the way you like them. And if you're like most dairymen, you don't mind a real bargain. AGWAY SERVICE CENTER E. College Ave. Pleasant Gap, PA 1-800-533-3866 QUARRYVILLE AGWAY WYSOX AGWAY DAIRY SERVICE FARM & HOME 27 East Fourth St. Box 7, Sullvlan St. Quarryville, PA Wysox, PA 717-786-2126 1-800-432-0027 UNION CITY AGWAY f * V FARM CENTER V AGWAY 1 West High St. Extension Union City, PA - J 1-800-328-7768 conducted to provide poultry man agers a tool that will give them an economic edge for defining popu lation sizes for various types of cages. The tool is decision analysis. Decision analysis is an impor tant technique that is used in large businesses for making strategic decisions. The decision analysis method is accomplished by listing the possible decisions that can be made, expressing the possible eco nomic costs and returns for each type of situation, and determining the possible economic returns associated with each decision. A key element that makes the poultry industry different from other businesses is that the poten tial profit is dependent on die bio logical responses of the bird to their environment. The biological response of the bird and the eco nomic return under different eco- J* surgeon. AGWAY DAIRY SERVICE Route 866 Curryvllle, PA 814-793-2167 nomic conditions can be made into a decision table. With this table, a decision strategy can be developed. The following example shows how a poultry manager can use decision analysis. In this example, it is assumed that the poultry man ager wants to decide how many hens to place in a poultry house with a fixed number and size of cages during a coming laying cycle. It is assumed that the mana ger will purchase started pullets. The important factors that are needed are the number of eggs pro duced and feed consumed per cage for the population sizes to be con sidered in the decision. This infor mation is probably the most diffi cult to obtain because it requires setting up an experiment involving each cage population density and recording the eggs produced and feed consumed per cage. These biological responses are important because they reflect how the envi ronment affects the performance of the birds. The next information that is needed is the projected economic conditions for egg prices and feed costs during the next laying cycle. From this information a decision table can be set up. The types of decisions to be made are based on the “risk” that a manager is willing to take. As each manager has a dif ferent ability to handle risk, the SCRUB ME NURSE. /C A For the best deal on the best washing system, clean up now at your Universal dealer. That’s why there’s no better time than now to buy the KLEEN-O-MATIC™ pipeline washing system AGWAY DAIRY SERVICE 409 B. Grant St. Chambersburg, PA 1-800-356-4572 zr Wrivtrsar Better ways to dairy better. © Copyright 1993 Universal Dairy Equipment Inc 53303 type of decision each is willing to make will probably be different. In the research at Penn State, the situation of placing three, four, or five birds in a 12” by 20” cage was considered. It was determined that the populations would produce 56.1,73.3, and 85.5 dozen eggs per cage and consume 198.8, 259.2, and 323.2 pounds of feed per cage, respectively. Based on the amounts of feed consumed and eggs produced, the profit potential (egg revenue minus feed costs) was determined for each economic situation and bird density. Mana gers may want to include other var iables and fixed costs in the equa tion which are appropriate to their management situation. A decision table was set up. Using decision analysis, it was New Cow Prep CAROLYN M. BURNS PSU Vet Extension STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) Pre-dipping cows with a disinfectant prior to milking is considered an excellent method of milking prep. But unless the cows’ udders are clean, pre-dipping may not lower bacteria levels on teat ends. A new variation of pre-dipping has been developed by extension personnel at the University of Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 5,1993-C5 determined that the best decision was to put four hens per cage in the next laying cycle. Although it may be difficult to visualize that fewer hens per cage can make more revenue, decision analysis objec tively showed that under the eco nomic situation considered, it was not profitable to consider putting five birds per cage. These results confirm the observations by Don Bell, a leading poultry specialist, that the extra bird put in a cage can be costly. For further information on the decision analysis method and how it can be set up as a computer spreadsheet for your operation, contact Dr. W. B. Roush, 204 Wm. L. Henning Building, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, office: (814) 863-0655 or fax (814) 865-5691. Minnesota. Although it’s called the one-step cow prep, it uses a combination of washing the teats and pie-dipping. Teats are sprayed or dipped with a sanitizing solution at the same time a gloved hand mas sages the teats and strips some milk. The rubbing stimulates milk let down and helps to remove dirt sticking to the teats. This should be continued until all dirt has been removed. Teats are sprayed or dipped for a second time, and the teats are dried with a single-service paper towel 30 seconds later. The milk ing unit can then be attached. One disadvantage to the one step cow prep is the added time for propping each cow for milking, but simulation of milk let-down has been improved by the mas sage, so cows are able to milk out in less time. Milk bacteria counts are low ered because dirt and organic mat ter are removed from the teats. CUSTOM MADE FEED BINS FOR FARMS FEED MILLS • Made of 13 gauge Steel • All welded seams • Gravity Flow or Auger Free Estimates Also • Steel Roof Trusses for Buildings • Portable Hog Buildings - Bucket Elevators - Grain Augers Distributors - Flow Pipes & Accessories We Sell, Service & Install Ph; 717-345-3724 Fax: 717-345-2294 STOLTZFUS WELDING SHOP Owner • Samuel P. Stoltzfus RO 3, Box 331 Pine Grove. PA 17963
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers