A26-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 2, 1994 As the 3rd Annual Animal Housing Expo approaches, my thoughts focus on the considera tions and decisions dairy farmers should make before starting a building project. First, if you are planning on making any changes to your facilities in the next couple years, be sure to travel to the Leb anon County Fairgrounds on eith er July 12th or 13th to hear some excellent speakers, see housing related educational displays and demonstrations and talk with com mercial exhibitors. No matter how large or small it is, when a construction project is undertaken on a farm it is an ex pensive investment that cannot easily be changed or rejected once completed. If your feeding pro gram is not working, you can change it tomorrow. If an alfalfa stand dies, you can plow it up and plant another crop. However, if your new bam does not suit your operation, a bulldozer and a jack hammer are not a very economical or logical alternative to solving the problem. It is important to have the project meet your needs as closely as possible when it is completed Now for some of my thoughts on how dairy farmers can plan and complete a successful building project and avoid expensive pit falls. QUALITY MIXER AT A QUANTITY PRICE ——i Reel Auggie BUY A 2000 Se “ s REAL knight Mixer Blender/Feeders Specializing In TUR Mixer Set-Ups. Call Us Today! Just what makss tha “Reel Auggie" better? You can finally mix and feed all of your ration Ingredients including long stem dry hay and other tough roughages that previously coul not be included in your mixed ration Used Knight 2250 Mixer Feeder Excellent Cond., 1 Yr. Old SPECIAL $ 11.900 • Rissler 190 Cu. Ft. Mixer - Part or Stationary • 5-600 Bale Processor - Demo $1,950 • Weightronic Scales, Model 700 E, Fits Any Brand Mixer, 5 Yr. Warranty • VD 3000 Gal. Manure Tank, For Sale Or Rent We Will Service All Brands Of Electronic Scales & Most Brands Of Mixers MILLCREEK farmTsystems 2285 Old Philadelphia Pike Lancaster, PA 17602 (717) 396-8987 Chester County Dairy Milk Lines Walter Wurster Extension Dairy Agent 1 - Decide what type of facility meets the needs of your operation and whether you would be com fortable working in the new or re novated setup. There are many al ternatives available that are func tionally sound, but maybe only one or two that you would suit your farming philosophy. 2 - In order to help in the deci sion making process, visit farms that have constructed the types of facilities that you are considering. And ask questions! What do they like best? What would they change? (No project is perfect.) Were they satisfied with their builder and equipment supplier? 3 - If you are looking at adopt ing a relatively new concept, con sider asking the farmer to let you work in his new setup for a part of a day. A typical example would be, before deciding on the new ef ficient parallel-parlor for your farm, milk in one at a neighbor’s. When you spend over $lOO,OOO for a parlor you use at least twice per day, you better enjoy working there. 4 - Collect all the information you can from builders and equip ment dealers at trade fairs and by personal contacts. Also talk to people that service farms who see ideas that work and ones that fail. These would include veterinar ians, nutrition consultants, A.I. personnel, and Extension Agents. 5 - As you begin putting your ideas down on paper, consider the following points that many farms get hung-up on: a - Keep some space between buildings to improve ventilation and Tire safety. SO feet should be a minimum distance between dairy bams. b - Design bams for summer conditions, have the ability to open them up. There are many more days during the year with heat stress than winter problems. Cows begin to be affected by heaet when the temperatures ex ceed 80*F. c - Don’t be afraid to remove a structure that does not fit your plans for the future. A 20-year-old feed bunk may have served your past operation very well, but today it is outmoded, in need of repair, and/or in the way for your new plan. d - Think about cow comfort and employee comfort in your de sign. They will pay off with more milk and satisfied, efficient long term employees. 6 - When it is time to select a builder and equipment supplier, solicit as many bids as possible and realize that the cheapest price may not be the best price for you. Again, ask questions! Where can you see examples of the type of project you want? Can they do it in a timely manner? How are change orders handled during con struction? What ideas would they suggest to make the plan better? 7 - Finally, begin the planning process far enough in advance of the desired completion date. Quick decision jobs are usually not successful. H6RSHGV SY 255 M S?ree RK Route 30 West SLANCASTER, PA 17603 Centerville Exit. ■ EQUIPMENT CO. (7i?) 393-5*07 The "Smart" Dryer Chester County DHIA • June 1994 Cows producing over fIQQ lbs. protein are: Ken A Marilyn Umble # Pixie Posh Tlmborview Farm Yolanda Marilyn A Duane Hershey Sugar Dana Ardrossan Farms BF-Vue Blrdeye Merle J. King Leona Dun wood Farm Sue Chris A Chester Stoltzftis Cass Tim A Phyllis Barlow Rosina Silk Betsy Charles J. Moore Capri Herman Stoltzfus Brandi Thunder Valley Farms 126 Dale Hostetler L-Bug Melwood Farm Louella Jana Dandy Watdat Breck-A-De Farm 58 Pei-Valley Farm 17 36 MMI Midyear Delegate Meets July 12 STRONGSVILLE, Ohio The date for Milk Marketing Inc.’s (MMI) midyear delegate meeting has changed from a Wed nesday to a Tuesday this year. MMI the region’s largest dairy producer-owned milk cooperative will hold its summer leadership gathering on Tuesday, July 12 at the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow, The Ohio State University, Co lumbus, Ohio. MMI Chairman Herman Bru baker and Chief Executive Officer Don Schriver will update MMl’s 250 delegates on the Association’s activities and programs and the dairy industry-related market, pro motion and legislative issues. The midyear business agenda includes Let Us Help You Make The "Smart" Choice For Grain Drying. Airstream's patent pending Electronic Monitoring Control System offers computerized monitoring and control of all dryer functions •Eliminates troublesome timers and mechanical controls •Provides instant dryer information on a large liquid crystal display •Memory features maintain a history of past dryer operation, dryer throughput and dryer service •Simplifies dryer operation, while enhancing safety /fiPSTPE** It’s really smart, A Division of (J3SJ) H 5-05 H 3-06 29,725 27,498 H 4-11 26,263 H 6-05 H 3-11 29,648 28,981 26,124 26,761 A 12-02 A 6-04 29,944 8-04 28,311 3-08 29,913 4-07 23,432 30,281 26.423 H H H 7-04 7-00 3-05 28,046 3-06 26,863 S-06 25,986 5-03 27,460 6-09 29,600 30,042 29,082 30,424 6-06 4-07 4-00 3-01 25,508 5-01 4-10 3-02 24,984 26,538 redistricting, market forecasts, the June 30 year-end fiscal report and more. MMl’s midyear meeting regis tration begins at 9 a.m. and the business session at 10 a.m. in the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow. The Fawcett Center is just north of The Ohio State Stadium, 2400 Olentangy River Road in Colum bus, Ohio. MMI is a 5,700 member dairy farmer owned cooperative encom passing an eight-sate Midwestern area including Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia. Last year MMI marketed more than 3.8 billion pounds or 442 million gallons of milk. ▲ -!***» . ■ at i woww” j „ The computerized dleplay of Alratream'a Electronic Monitoring Control System 962 948 929 930 862 1165 1098 1023 902 969 848 947 1142 1126 883 1097 1177 977 831 977 858 990 904 809 820 896 866 860 963 819 819 851 884 1327 921 952 973 1032 902 1180 1028 1138 946 802 886 90S 802 833
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers