GEORGE F.W. HAENLEIN Extension Dairy Specialist University of Delaware NEWARK, Del. On the nutrition, feeds and feeding at least. This is not a commercial or an endorsement. It’s simply a review of probably the most comprehensive and up to-date source of information dairy producers can find any where, and at a bargain price of only $l5. I am looking at the 1993 Feed stuffs Reference that was just issued as volume 65. number 30. Published by the Miller Publish ing Co. in Des Moines. lowa (P.O. Box 11652, 50340-1652). the reference contains 278 pages. Four sections of this volume USDA Extends Insurance DAUPHIN (Dauphin Co.) The USDA has extended the deadline until the end of the month for purchasing multiple per il crop insurance for crops grown during the 1994 season. According to a news release this week from the Dauphin County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), the closing dates have been extended to Oct. 31 for wheat, barley, oats, and rye. "In order to be eligible for 1993 disaster benefits, Dauphin County producers should purchase 1994 crop insurance if it is possible that the 1993 loss for the commodity for which payments are being sought is greater than 6S percent of the expected production,” stated the news release, giving no specif ic attribution. However, according to the news J¥OW OPm PENN STATE SEED Co. Kord Containers, Annin Plastics, Sunshine Mix & Other Leading Horticultural Products • Vegetable Seeds • Flower Seeds • Greenhouses rirl PEKOKf iMTE (Da. ; 224 MAPLE AVENUE F — BIRD-IN-HAND, PA 17505 ■■■■ 717-295-9808 • 800-917-7333 Ask Me A Question, I’ll deal with all possible and related aspects of animal feeding: feed marketing and distribution, animal nutrition and health, feed milling, buyers guide and directory. Like most dairy farmers, I am most interested in the nutrition and health section. It contains chapters and exten sive tables on the latest feed anal yses, covering 12 minerals includ ing copper, zinc and selenium; gross nutrients: specific energy values for ruminants, poultry, swine; 10 vitamins; and 12 amino acids in 368 feeds. The feeds section will be of par ticular interest for dairy farmers who try to formulate their least cost rations with maybe unusual but sometimes bargain feeds'such as bakery byproducts, canola Deadline release, buying the insurance does not lock a producer into actually carrying it through. “Insurance purchased to meet the multiple peril crop insurance requirement can be canceled if it is later determined that crop insur ance is not required.” The notice is clear that those who may be considering delaying application for disaster benefits until after the deadline in order to escape the requirement will not find relief. “Producers cannot avoid the crop insurance requirement by delaying the filing of a request for disaster benefits until after the crop insurance sales closing dates.” Those who feel they may qual ify for 1993 crop disaster pay ments should contact their local ASCS office. In Dauphin County, the telephone number is (717) 921-2378. 224 MAPLE AVENUE, BIRD-IN-HAND, PA 17505 (At The Former Geo. K. Groff Location) Official Distributor Of: It Will Be Our Privilege To Service All Of Your Greenhouse & Nursery Needs! • Containers • Coverings • Equipment meal, vegetable fat, feathermeal, poultry manure and sorghum. There are even browse feeds that dairy goat farmers want to know more about, such as acorns, apples, apple pomace, banana skins, cabbage, grape pomace, pumpkins, sagebrush, sunflower seeds and tree leaves. The tables and discussions are logically followed by chapters and tables on the nutrient requirements of swine, beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, goats and sheep, horses, dogs and cats, as elaborated on in National Research Council bulle- tins and other recent research publications. Also covered are diseases of swine, cattle, poultry and cultured finfish. Each chapter is authored by internationally known experts in their respective fields, like Drs. D. Bath, University of California; T.W. Perry, Purdue University: D, Hillman, Michigan State Univer sity: E.A. Ott, University of Florida. The marketing section fur* nishes valuable details about trends in feed prices, feed con sumption, production and animal statistics both in the United States (by state and region) and worldwide. Do you know which livestock in the United States eats the most commercial feed? In 1992, poultry consumed 25.3 million metric tons; hogs, 23.3; and beef 19.2. Dairy cattle con sumed only 11.1 metric tons, even though 152 billion pounds of milk were produced, measured against 41 million pounds of red meat and 25 million pounds of poultry. Any more arguments on who is most efficient in the conversion from non-edible feeds to human foods? Which state has the most milk cows? Wisconsin, with 1.7 million head followed by California, 1.2 • Herbicides • Fungicides • Insecticides Look It Up million. Which state has the most dairy farms? Wisconsin, followed by Pennsylvania and Minnesota. The farm product that also interests Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania farmers is broilers, but Arkansas has the most, with 1 billion. Maryland is 7th, with 280 million broilers; Delaware is Bth, with 246 million; and Pennsylva nia ranks 14th, with 117 million. However, Pennsylvania comes in 2nd, behind California, for lay ing hens 20 million and is Bth in turkey production, with 8 million. Delaware and Maryland don’t rank in the top IS leading states for layers or turkeys. The feed milling section of the 1993 Feedstuffs Reference offers abundant information on termi nology, ingredient definitions, federal and state feed regulations, feed labeling, custom feed mixing, medicated feed regulations, qual ity control and mycotoxins in feeds an extremely important chapter for today’s dairy producer. This section also contains con version formulae for metric to bushels, inches, pounds, gallons, • Growing Media • Fertilizers • Heaters & Parts Servicing Southern PA, MD. DE. Northern VA, and WV From Btrd-In-Htod and apparent densities of dry feed ingredients in pounds per cubic foot The latter chapter is very useful for dairy farmers who must formulate rations for high-milking dairy cows. These cows require a much greater nutrient density than the usual farm ration composed of hay, silage and pasture. Finally, section 4 has extensive directories on every possible feed supply company, association, pro duct, service and equipment, with only a minimum of advertisement. The 1993 Feedstuffs Reference is a highly useful resource, even the chapters on disease. These include cattle diseases: the cost per animal for certain treatments and practices, along with the expected return; an annual herd health calendar that lists by month as well as disease organism, including internal and external parasites: a list of drugs approved for milking cows plus minimum hours of withholding times; and formulations for fly and other insect controls. Every livestock fanner, espe cially those with dairy animals, would benefit from having this reference within easy reach. ‘Buffalo AUCTION and FESTIVAL HOLLOW HILL FARM Paint Bank, VA (38 miles northwest of Roanoke, VA 2 miles west of Paint Bank on Route 600) 2nd Annual PURE BUFFALO Production Sale October 23, 1993 Selling 60 BISON at 1 P.M. Terms: cash or check (with notorized credit limit) BUFFALO FESTIVAL Includes: Educational Seminars on raising buffalo. MAD ANNE RIFLES Mountain Man Black Powder 1840 Rendezvous Camp featuring black powder shooting, tomahawk and knife throwing Native American Dancing and Crafts Old Time Band Competition Starting at 9:00 A.M. Can (703) 897-5786