A2*Uricm»r EWming, Saturday, Hatch 26. 1994 (Continued from Pag* A 1) study, is still wide open for new findings. As a practice, pasturing is closer to a form of art, and in the end may require more mental energy and attention than more widely prac ticed methods of livestock production. On Tuesday, during an all-day seminar of pasturing held in a meeting room at the Farm Show building in Harrisburg, four pro fessional agronomic experts work ing for Penn State University or the USDA provided a basic framew ork for understanding the basics of pasturing. In addition, two dairymen who practice pasturing as a controlled form of supplemental feeding of cattle, presented their views and opinions on the practice and how it fits into their individual opera tions. They were Forrest Strieker, of Berks County, who has milks about 60 Holsteins and has been pasturing for a year to provide fresh forages, and Tom Williams of Dauphin County, who has been pasturing his Jersey herd for eight years. If anything was concluded at the end of the seminar, it was that pas turing has the potential to reduce overhead costs in a number of areas of animal husbandry, and raise net gain, but the extent to which the practice can be used is farm and farmer specific. The seminar was sponsored jointly by the Penn State Universi ty Extension, the USDA Soil Con servation Service, and the Pen nsylvania Forage and Grassland Council. Speakers included Paul Craig, an agronomist who serves as Dau phin County Extension agent; Dr. Marvin Hall, an assistant professor and forage agronomist at Penn State University; Dr. Jerry Jung, a senior researcher with die USDA Pasture Research Laboratory at State College; and Duane Pysher, a grassland management specialist with the USDA Soil and Conserva tion Service, in Harrisburg. 9Pmaaapnag (Na fflroiFMHil INC. \\fcg AUTOMATIC HEADGATE I Heavy Duty Latch jl For Positive .Locking No Wrenches g (ceded To Adjus K Back Set Open g ; ast. Easy adjustment On loth Sides So g mimal Size Can g le Adjusted g 'nder vP su landle To Help b Close For Slow g Or Homed Cattle g Adjusts to 7” (g ZIMMERMAN, INC. I Hours 295 Woodcorner Rd. Call 01 Write For Mon. Thru Frl. LHltz, PA 17543 Additional Information 7to 5 1 Mile West of Ephrata H And Your Nearest Dealer Sat. 7to 1 1 7 ( 7-738-7365 g CLOSED GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 1 i yitaaagaaa TZuaaatnaaa pi I PAUL B. Full Roof Cover For Outdoor B. PAUL Experts: Pasturing Is Agronomic Art Craig began the seminar with a talk stating that his specialty is the agronomics of soils and crop pro duction and how he and Fisher, after attending one of several other grazing seminars offered to far mers over the course of the past several years, decided to focus on the basics of forage production in pastures, such as considering soil fertility and weed control. Of the estimated 100 people who attended the seminar, about a dozen indicated they already prac tice pasturing as a part of their operation. Attendees came from all over the state and Maryland. And while the seminar wasn’t intended to focus on any specific livestock production, the most common use and interest of pastur ing locally has been in the daily industry. Craig said that in checking with the Pennsylvania Agricultural Sta tistics Service, there are about I.S million acres in pasture in Pennsyl vania. About 800,000 acres of that is classified as suitable for crop land. Another 400,000 acres are suitable for nothing but pasture, and the remainder is classified as woodland. About half of the acres consid ered pasture are not being maxim ized for production, he said. Craig said that poor soil fertility, weed problems and erosion are some of the major concerns with pastures, but it’s a Catch-22, he said. Poo* soil fertility leads to weed problems, which leads to poor ground cover, which leads to erosion, which leads to poor soil fertility, etc. The way to break the cycle is to understand the components of the pasture, and possible components of a pasture, before entering into a serious program of using pasture forages as a dependable source of nutrition for livestock. “If there is one thing you could do, it is to put a fence down the middle (of a pasture) and flip flop,” 4>e said. “I see fanners who know how to (Turn to Pag* A 29) Pressure From the left, epeakere at a pasturing seminar are Or. Marvin Hall, PSU assistant professor and forage agronomist; Dr. Jerry Jung, senior researcher with the USDA Pasture Research Lab at State College; Duane Pysher, grassland management spe cialist with the USDA Soil Conservation Service; and Paul Craig, Dauphin County Extension agent. LETS MAKE A CONNECTION... ""IT .. . |istier &' p: I* Thompson Inc..- > wm ' , -;;r< •pi m 7 10 - DAmyn . 'l* mm**'' ' ~ UROtA ' 'hone Patch • Many Accessories crisp sound of Motorola technology will meet ir needs. 3 Year Limited Warranty. gfflgjyag “WE KEEP BUSINESS TALKING” • TRIANGLE COMMUNICATIONS INC. 1-800-828-7716 lEW HOLLAND (717)856-2211 liut r*giai«r«d IrwWfTWht ol Moiorota inc READING (610)829-4211 (WESTFAUM ,mMUj . ' V* INC. WTBR
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers