AlB-Lancaster Farming,, Saturday, March 4,1995
Industry Trends, What Can We Do?
DAVID SLUSSER
Pa.DHIA Manager
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) The dairy industry in Pen
nsylvania is facing rapid changes.
We can react to these changes
and live with what happens, or we
can plan for the future.
Let’s Erst look at the “big pic
ture” of world milk production, the
trends of United States milk pro
duction, and trends in Northeast
ern dairy production.
Wenced to project what we feel
will occur over the next 10 years in
the Northeast, and how we can
positively affect these trends for
the benefit of the dairy fanner in
the region.
World Markets
As the nations of the world
How Does Your
STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) —These data are calculated using
information pulled from Pennsylvania DHIA’s mainframe computer
each week. It is a one-week summary representing approximately one
fourth of the herds on test, as they are tested monthly.
These data are valuable from a business management standpoint and
can be used for comparing your operations to the averages from about
one-fourth of the herds across the state.
DHIA Averages for all herds processed between 2/11/95 and 2/18/9S
Number of Herds Processed
Number of Cows Processed
Number of Cows Per Herd
Milk Per Cow (Lbs)
%-Fat
Fat Per Cow (Lbs)
%-Protein
Protein Per Cow (Lbs)
Avenge Days in Milk Per Cow
♦Value for CWT Milk(s)
♦Value for CWT Grain(s)
♦Value for CWT Hay(s)
♦Value for CWT Silage(s)
♦Value for Pasture Per Day(s)
♦Value for Milk Per Cow Per
Ycar(s)
♦Feed Consumed Per Cow Per
Year(Lbs)
A: Grain
B: Hay
C: Silage
D; Day Pasture
♦Feed Cost Per Cow Per Ycar(s)
A: Grain
B: Hay
C: Silage
D: Pasture
♦Total Feed Cost Per Cow Per
Year(s)
♦lncome Over Feed Costs Per
Year(s)
♦Grain to Milk Ratio
♦Feed Cost Per CWT Milk(s)
Avg Level For 907 SCC Herds
♦Membcr-gcncraM flgura*
Average Farm Feed
Costs For Handy
Reference
To help farmers across the state to have
handy reference of commodity input costs in
their feeding operations for DHIA record
sheets or to develop livestock feed cost data,
here’s last week’s average costs of various
ingredients as compiled from regional reports
across the state of Pennsylvania. Remember
these are averages so you will need to adjust
your figures up or down according to your loca
tion and the quality of your crop.
Com, No. 2y - 2.36 bu. 4.22 cwt
Wheat, No. 2 - 3.54 bu. 5.91 cwt.
Barley, No. 3 - 1.87 bu, 4.00 cwt
Oats. No. 2 - 1.57 bu. 4.88 cwt.
Soybeans, No. 1 - 5.27 bu. 8.79 cwt.
Ear Com 60.68 ton 3.03 cwt.
Alfalfa Hay • 98.75 ton 4.94 cwt
Mixed Hay - 94.00 ton 4.7 cwt
Timothy Hay • 94.00 ton 4.7 cwt.
develop their economic systems,
consumption of milk and other
dairy products will increase.
Milk is high in nutrition, espe
cially proteins and calcium, and,
because of new technology and
management skills, is very effi
ciently produced.
The dairy cow is a very efficient
source of complete protein, both
from milk and beef, and is very
adaptable to many different cli
mates and geographic conditions.
Dairy cows can play a major
role in soil erosion control,
because of their ruminative nature
they can digest a wide variety of
forages, which include grasses.
These forages blend well in crop
rotation programs, and grow well
on land not suited for row crop and
Herd Compare?
1,006
61,482
61.1
18,726
3.72
697
3.21
602
318
13.08
8.18
4.28
1.56
.27
2.450
6,989
2,084
15,067
74
572
89
235
20
916
1,533
1:2.6
4.90
329,596
food crop production.
Animal waste can be recycled to
the benefit of the soil.
Presently, the United States
holds the leadership position in
dairy farm management skills, and
in dairy cattle genetics.
New Zealand can produce milk
cheaper than the United States, but
only because of the climate
they can pasture dairy cattle year
round. However, die island is
small and can only produce a lim
ited portion of the dairy products
needed by the world.
The next most abundant source
of economically produced milk is
the United States.
The adoption of GATT (General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade)
hopefully will change the protec
tionist policies of Europe and Asia
over the next 10 years. The United
States government and the dairy
industry need to work as partners
to develop world markets for dairy
products and dairy cattle genetics.
Our DHIA cooperatives must do
their part to make sure our mem
bers will maintain this world lead
ership position in management
skills and superior genetics.
National Trends
The dairy industry in the United
Synchrony and STS
States has changed over the last 10
years. Wisconsin is no longer the
number one dairy state. California
Dairy cow numbers are growing
the most in the Western and South
western states, while in the upper
Midwest and in the Northeast they
are declining.
Western dairy farmers can grow
or purchase top quality forage
from irrigated land, and their man
agement skills are outstanding.
Cow numbers continue to
decline nationwide, while milk
production continues to increase.
Improving management skills,
improving genetics and new tech
nology (such as BST) will con
tinue this change at an ever
increasing rate.
‘the Du Pont Company
Dixie L. Burris,
Membership Development
Call ISOO-DHI-TEST for information
Penniylvania Dairy Herd Improvement Amodation
DHIA Service Center, Orchard Road, Unlvenity Path, PA 16802
For top yields plus the benefits
of Synchrony STS, there's just no
better bean than A 4045.
The move from government
support programs to the free mark
et economy will add speed and fuel
to these changes.
Northeastern Trends
The Northeastern United States
dairy industry appears to be faring
better that the upper Midwest,
however it is still losing ground to
the West and Southwest
The top five dairy states are
California, Wisconsin, New York,
Pennsylvania and Minnesota. As
you see, two of those states are in
the Northeast.
Cow numbers will continue to
drop, however total milk produc
tion will probably continue to
grow.
There's )ust No Better
Seed/Heibidde
System.
Your seed/heibidde system is only
as good as your seed, lb get the full
benefits of Synchrony STS herbicide,
your seed should be AsgrowA4o4s.
A 4045 is a new variety that has
shown high yields. It delivers
excellent emergence and standability
for maximum harvest potential.
A 4045 also offers enhanced
tolerance to sulfonylurea herbicides
like Synchrony STS.
Synchrony STS controls die
broadest spectrum of btoadleaf
weeds and also offers the widest
window of application. One rate,
one adjuvant with no crop stress
to A 4045 and no carryover to
rotational crops.
Call DuPont 1-800-GROW-SIS (476-
9787) for a FREE information kit on
Synchrony STS herbicide and the en
tire Synchrony STS seed/herblclde
ayatem.
Synchrony and STS ara trademark* of
tha DuPont company
Call Saadway For Aagrow STS
Soybean Information:
Saadway 1-800-836-3720
980 Loucka Mill Road
York, PA ■ 17402
ASGROW.
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