A32-Lancasttr Farming, Saturday, March 4, 1995 CAROLYN N. MOYER Bradford Co. Correspondent EAST SMTTHFffiLD (Brad ford Co.) A steady stream of farmers milled through the nearly 40 trade show exhibits and listened to informative speakers at the 199 S Bradford County Dairy Day. Held at SRU Middle School, on Feb. 20, visitors to the event tot aled well over 350, making the event a success, according to Lehan Power, area farm manage ment agent. Educational programs on dairy expansion and foot care were both well attended. Gary Snyder, farm business consultant with Farm Credit of Western New York gave the morn ing presentation. got to say, ‘Hey, I’m in an industry that’s changing every day.’ If you’re going to expand, go through the stages.” Snyder emphasized. The first stage in Snyder’s expansion plan was an investiga tive stage where one should visit as many farms as possible. “Don’t just lode at the physical resources,” said Snyder. “Stick around long enough to see how they get the jobs done right” Next on Snyder’s to-do list was budgeting to see if the project is feasible. “If you can’t budget, you can’t manage a big farm,’’ he noted. Establishing limits is one key factor in this stage. Snyder sug- SLINGER VACUUM 2700 & 3300 Gallon Models with 2700 & 3300 Gallon Models B tun-length Internal aucger ■ With reliable Jump vacuum pump Used. Knight 2250 Miser Feeder Excellent Cond., 1 Yr. Old SPECIAL $ 11,900 • Knight Mlni-Auggle w/elec eenlee, motor, complete, good cond. • 5-400 Bale Processor - Demo 11,450 • Wsightronle Scslss, Modsl 700 E, Fits Any Brand Mixsr, S Vr. Warranty (will taka trade-in) • VO 3000 Oal. Manors Tank, For Sale Or Rant • Van Oala Manure Pump A Agitator We Will Service All Brands Of Electronic Scales A Most Brands Of Mixers MILLCREEK farmPsystems 2285 Old Philadelphia Pike Lancaster, PA 17602 - (717) 396-8987 More Than 350 Attend Bra gests that farmers should “limit to their ability to handle change, limit to how many cows you will buy, limit to how much debt you can carry, and limit to how quickly you want to expand.” He also recommends being as organized during the transition as possible. Keys to remember are to start early, consider all environ mental factors, get permits and use caution when buying animals. Labor issues can also be a tough obstacle to handle. If the manager would rather milk the cows than manage his milkers, there could be a problem. “If things aren’t real good between dad and son, and you go into expansion, you’re going to magnify the problem. You need to be comfortable now and under stand where you are. Once you do that, you can go ahead with expan sion. A manager is able to marshal the troops to get those people to take care of the farm business,” said Snyder. Perhaps the most emphasized point in Snyder’s presentation was that farmers need to “grow in steps, but grow.” “A stairway expansion is best,” he said. “Your business has to / people enjoyed a lasagna dinner provided by the trade ahow exhibitors. Here, Curtis Scott, Duane Wilcox, Gerald Pratt and Matt Scott enjoy the food and fellowship. grow so you can remain competi tive in the national dairy business.” He explained that growing doesn’t only mean adding cows or more land, it means finding key areas where the business can get better every year. ‘There’s no one secret combina- The One Spreader Big Enough For Poultry litter, Rugged Enough For lime. The Stoltz Poultry Litter Spreader is specifically designed for the demands of this challenging job. The 20 foot hopper holds a whopping 400 cubic foot load, meaning fewer trips for you. The big 30-inch drag chain moves large volumes of litter fast. And the dual hydraulic spinners spread a wide, uniform pattern up to 40 feet wide. But its real beauty may be its versatility. Now you can spread fertilizer, stockpiled lime, compost, poultry litter and more, all with one machine. • Hydraulic spinners • PTO-powered chain • Spread stockpiled lime • Walking beam suspension • 4 sizes to choose from • Truck-mounted models available STOLTZFUS rd Da tion of factors that provides profi tability in a farm business.” he said. The focus of the educational programs changed from expanding your dairy to preventive medicine as Dr. Dale Moore DVM, with Penn State University took the 1 800 843 8731 Morgan Way, P.O. Box 527, Morgantown, PA 19543 Day “top-of-the-line” ag spreaders, many Stoltzfus Spreaders are still in use after 20 years. That makes a Stoltzfus Spreader preferred not only for quality and performance, but also for terrific economy in the long run. Sure you can settle for buying on initial price alone. But with a Stoltzfus Spreader you won’t be shopping for another spreader just a couple years down the line. Call today for free information. stage. “Lameness in cattle is the third highest cause of involuntary cull ing,” she said, as she began the afternoon program with a slide show. “Not only does lameness cost (Turn to Pago A 33) Long lered
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