04-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January is, 1994
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Pennsylvania dairy far
mers can significantly increase
profits through intensive rotation
al grazing, says an extension spe
cialist in Penn State’s College of
Agricultural Sciences.
In intensive rotational grazing,
a pasture is fenced into small sec
tions. The dairy herd grazes one
section until it no longer gets an
adequate amount of high-quality
forage, then moves to the next
section.
“Intensive rotational grazing
increases usable pasture and cuts
feed costs,” says Dr. Steve Ford,
assistant professor of agricultural
economics. “Many Pennsylvania
farmers already use intensive
grazing as a major source of for
age. Studies indicate that using
pasture can increase returns per
cow between $B5 and $l6B each
year.
“The increase results from low
ered feed costs, so it depends on
commodity prices, production
costs, and the technology used on
the farm,” Ford says. “An average
increase of about $125 per cow is
a conservative estimate. A 60-cow
dairy would see increased profits
of about $7,500 under these
assumptions.”
Milk production per cow some
times declines when cows are put
on pasture, but farmers can come
out ahead even if it does. “With
savings of $125 per cow, farmers
can afford to let milk production
fall about 1,000 pounds per cow
per year at current milk prices and
still be as well off financially,”
Ford says. ‘To maximize profits,
producers should use supplemen
tal feeding to maintain high
production.”
Farming Requires Self-Analysis
(Continued from Page D 3)
Enter these changes in the change
column of the worksheet. Add
them to your current yr-to-date
totals on the left side of the work
sheet to get the yr-to-date totals on
the right side of the sheet. Then,
recalculate your costs and returns
per cwt. of milk.
Most of the figures on the left
side of the work sheet are 1991
averages for about 1,000 Pcnna.
dairy farms. In a few cases where
data was missing, some estimates
and assumptions were made.
The figures assume an average
herd size of 69 cows plus 55 heif
ers which calve at 27 months of
age. Cow turnover rate is about 36
percent, which means 25 replace
ments are needed per year.
These figures arc offered as an
example and as a basis for com-
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Intensive Grazing Can Boost Profits
Rotational grazing systems
require additional time and skills,
but farmers can spend less time on
other forage crop tasks. “Using
pasture cuts the need for stored
forage,” says Ford. “Also, less
labor is needed to feed cows and
do bam chores. A recent study in
Vermont indicated a SO- to
60-cow herd requires 2.S hours
less labor per day on pasture. That
labor can be used to better manage
cows, youngstock or the farm’s
crop program.”
The potential for increased pro
fits from intensive grazing has its
limits, Ford cautions, and pasture
will not be appropriate for all farm
situations. “Intensive grazing isn’t
a cure-all, but it can make some
farmers money,” he says. “Like
any management alternative, far
mers should carefully evaluate
intensively grazed pasture before
trying it.”
Ford recently surveyed 1,200
Pennsylvania dairy farmers about
aspects of their businesses, includ
ing feeding practices. “More than
29 percent say they use pasture as
their primary forage source during
the pasture season,” he says.
“About 16 percent use a rotational
grazing system.
“Farmers in Pennsylvania’s
western and northern regions
make the most use of pasture,”
Ford says. “In these areas, more
than 40 percent use it as primary
forage during pasture season and
more than 20 percent use intensive
grazing. But in southeastern Pen
nsylvania, less than 20 percent use
pasture as primary forage and
roughly 8 percent use intensive
grazing.”
The survey results suggest that
pasture use will rise in the future.
parison. Enter figures from your
own farm to see how well you are
doing.
The categories of costs at the
bottom of the worksheet can be
quite revealing and surprising. For
example, total feed-related costs
can be quite different from pur
chased feed costs, and from your
DHIA feed costs, because it
includes the cost of feeding dry
cows and heifers plus all crop
related costs.
You can calculate these cate
goried costs by adding the lines
indicated in parentheses. Keep in
mind costs shown in one category
may overlap with those in other
categories. These categorizations
of costs are meant to help reveal
clearly some of the major costs
associated with dairying and milk
production.
“More than 18 percent said they “Recent decreases in profit mar
intend to increase pasture use gins have forced dairy fanners to
within the next five years.” examine alternative production
Renewed interest in pasture systems,” says Ford. “And
stems mainly from economics.
Sire Power
TUNKHANNOCK (Wyoming
Co.) Seven young Holstein
bulls bred in Pennsylvania have
been acquired by Sire Power, Inc.
for the cooeprative’s Gold sire
development program.
Caernarvon SILVESTEk-ET
2231658, sireld by Singing-Brook
N-B Mascot-ET *TL was bred by
Andrew D. Stoltzfus of Morgan
town, Pennsylvania. His dam,
Caernarvon Star Shana-ET, sired
by To-Mar Blackstar-ET *TL, is
classified VG-86. She has PTA’s
of +2543M, +97F, +74P, and
+s3oB. She has a record at 2-2 in
305 days of 24,390 m, 3.6%, 868 f,
3.1% 76 Ip.
Afton-Springs HANNBAL-ET
2216915, sired by BCHNC Mark
Malachi *TL was bred by Afton
Spring Farm, of Waynesboro,
Pennsylvania. His dam, Art-
Acres Cleitus May 88, sired by
Bis-May Tradition Cleitus *TL, is
classified VG-87. She has PTA’s
of +1983M, +IO4F, +74P, and
+s2B7. She has a record at 3-6 in
305 days of 23.960 m, 4.7%,
1119 f, 3.4% 805 p.
Black-Pond Tesk AMTRAK
ET 2227054, sired by Tesk-Holm
Valiant Roctde *TL was bred by
Black Pond Farms of Saegertown,
Acquires Bulls
Pennsylvania. His dam, Black-
Pond Bell Admire, sired by
Carlin-M Ivanhoe Bell *BL, is
classified VG-87. She has PTA’s
of +1922M, +7IF, 67P, and
+5247. She has a record at 3-2 in
305 days of 24.257 m, 4.1%, 986 f,
3.1% 763 p.
Brooks-Twain LAINER-ET
2226368, sired by Ronnybrook
Prelude-ET was bred by Walter E.
Brooks of Springviile, Pennsylva
nia. His dam, Brooks-Twain Ned
Boy Lucy-ET, sired by Whittier-
Farms Ned Boy *TL, is classified
VG-85. She has PTA’s of
+1752M, +7OF, +62P, and +5222.
She has a record at 3-3 in 305 days
of 22,610 m, 3.8%, 865 f, 3.5%
785 p.
Misty-Crest Choice SARGE
ET 2228061, sired by The Choice
of Mark Adam-ET *TL was bred
by Dave & Dennis Hottenstein of
New Albany, Pennsylvania. His
dam, Misty-Crest Ned Boy Sandy,
sired by Whittier-Farms Ned Boy
*TL, is classified VG-86. She has
PTA’s of +1667M, +S4F, +66P,
and +s22o. She has a record at
3-10 in 262 days of 29,560 m,
3.3%, 976 f, 3.5% 1045 p.
Peachey-Elusive CALIBER-ET
You Are Invited To. .
AG RESTORK
WINTER SEMINARS
Thursday, January 27 • 9-3 PM
Anterim House Restaurant
Greencastle, PA
Call Larry Meyers 717-369-4568
Friday, January 28 • 9-3 PM
Yoders Restaurant
New Holland, PA
Reservations Needed By Monday, January 24th
DON’T MISS TfflS OPPORTUNITY
Feel Free To Bring Along Anyone Who You
Think Would Be Interested In Attending
These Seminars
- FREE LUNCH IS PROVIDED -
SPEAKERS
* Paul Homa General Manager of Agßestore
* Dean Gray - Farmer on Agßestore’s Restoration
Program from the state of Ohio.
* Maurice Sinan - Director of Livestock Trouble-shooting
the dairy cow
* Don Weaver - Area-Coordinator Nutrient Management
Contact your nearest dealer for Dennis L. Weaver
details:
Homestead Nutrition
Don R. Weaver
245 White Oak Rd.
New Holand, Pa. 17557
717-345-4398
a Melvin S. Stoltzfus
370 Faggs Manor Rd.
Cochranville Pa. 19330
215 869-9627
Agßestore, Inc.
Ummc* itt jUtdofunJ AyfuotULvt*'
94 E. Brenner Ave., Waverly, lowa 50677
research has shown that intensive
ly managed pasture can signific
antly reduce feed costs and other
expenses during the grazing
season.”
2217808, sired by Elusive Rotate
Duke-ET *TL was bred by Tho
mothy R. Peachey of Petersburg,
Pennsylvania. His dam, Peachey
Ned Boy Carla, sired by Whittier-
Farms Ned Boy *TL, is classified
VG-86. She has PTA’s of
+1530M, +47F, +6SP and +s2o6.
She has a record at 3-1 in 30S days
of 26,725 m, 3.3%, 876 f, 3.4%,
900 p.
Mr. Mi-Dream Reid NEON-ET
2225468, sired by Loganway Ro-
Denes Reid *RC *TL was bred by
Michael Swartley & Clair & Pat
Thrush of Ulster, Pennsylvania.
His dam, Wildmead Oscar Nina
Santa, sired by Art-Acres Ned
Boy Oscar-ET *TL, is classified
VG-85. She has PTA’s of
+1936M, +63F, +66P, and +s24o.
She has a record at 2-11 in 305
days of 25,150 m, 3.8%. 968 f,
3.4%, 857 p.
Approved Gold herds with
daughters from these bulls qualify
for the incentives listed in Sire
Power’s Gold Sire Brochure. For
further information on the Gold
sire development program, con
tact your Sire Power representa
tive, or the sire department at Sire
Power Headquarters, Tunkhan
nock, (717) 836-3168.
481 Ranckßd.
New Holland. Pa. 17557
717-355-2418
Paul J. Weaver
41 Woleberßd.
MyerstownPa. 17607
717 933-5003 or 933-4459