Cfrlineaswr PwWngf aroftdiy;2ori9SS
Clark Slothower, right, is service manager of the tractor
service department at C B Hoober & Son Inc. He replaces
Eby Hershey, left, who is manager of Hoober’s recon de
partment.
Service Management
Changes At Hoober’s
INTERCOURSE (Lancaster
Co.) Charles Hoober, Jr., presi
dent of C B Hoober & Son Inc. has
announced the appointment of
Clark Slothower as the service
manager of the tractor service de
partment, replacing Eby Hershey,
who moved into the new position
of manager of Hoober’s recon de
partment.
Clark Slothower joined C B
Hoober & Son Inc. in April 1993
as assistant service manager, trac
tor service. A graduate of lowa
State University, he was employ
ed by Sperry New Holland from
Bendorf
AFGC
SHAWNEE MISSION. Kan.
Hank Bendorf, general man
ager of private brands for ABI Al
falfa, was recently honored by the
American Forage and Grassland
Council during its annual awards
banquet in Lexington, Ky.
Bendorf received the presti
gious AFGC Merit Award for his
numerous contributions and years
of service to forage-based agricul
ture. One of Bendorfs nomination
supporters wrote, “Hank is a total
ly honest seedsman who is dedi
cated to the welfare of the farmer
who depends upon forages for a
living.”
As general manager of private
brands for ABI Alfalfa, Bendorf
works with numerous and diverse
seed companies to provide them
with marketing support and high
quality alfalfa seed to sell under
their own label. Bendorf also
works closely with ABI research
and development staff, including
Dr. Jim Moutray in Napier, lowa,
to continuously develop and refine
alfalfa varieties with better winter
hardiness, increased disease and
insect resistance, and higher yield
potentials.
Bendorf’s contributions and
service to agriculture began some
SO years ago during his childhood
on a general crop and livestock
farm in Eastern lowa. Bendorf
continued with his agricultural
training at lowa State University,
where he received a bachelor’s de
gree in agronomy in 1961 v Over
1980 -1992. From 1992 until join
ing Hoober’s. Clark was the busi
ness administrator at Lancaster
Covenant Church.
“Used equipment preparation
and reconditioning is also critical
to the success of our business,”
said Charlie Hoobeir, “and we ask
ed Eby Hershey to accept the chal
lenge of managing this new de
partment. Eby has worked for us
since 1964 and managed the trac
tor service department since 1979
His experience will be essential to
making the needed improvement
in used equipment turnover.”
Receives
Award
the years, Bendorf has contributed
heavily to agriculture both in the
work place and with consistent as
sociation support. He is the chair
man of the farm seed division of
the American Seed Trade Asso
ciation (ASTA), the development
officer for the Forage and Grass
land Council, a member of the
Kansas Forage and Grasslands
Council, and is on the board of
directors for the'American Forage
and Grasslands Council.
Dairy Specialists
Complete
SHIPPENSBURG (Cumber
land Co.) David Livermore of
Shippensburg and Gerry Potter of
Carlisle, both dairy specialist, at
Cumberland Valley Co-op sue-
David Livermore, left and
Gerry Potter recently com
pleted the Penn State Dairy
On-Farm Problem-Solving
Teleconference.
Nitrogen
LEOLA (Lancaster Co.) —
Nitrogen management has always
been a key concern for farmers.
Some of the previously used man
agement strategies farmers have
employed involve soil testing to
monitor organic matter levels in
the soil, crop rotations, and man
ure management.
Since it is known that given
amounts of nitrogen will become
available from decomposing
organic matter in the soil, using
soil testing to measure organic
matter levels can help predict nit
rogen that will be released over
the growing season.
Today we have new technology
that takes the art of soil-available
nitrogen prediction and brings it
even closer to a true science. This
involves the use of a hand-held
digital readout meter called the
Cardy meter, which is about the
size of a standard pocket calcula
tor and is available from Gro-Mor
Plant Food Co. in Leola, (800)
270-0047. These handy meters
can provide instant, accurate
nitrate readings from water, liquid
fertilizer, liquid manure, and soil
samples.
All the operator needs to do is
place a drop of a solution on the
meter’s lens and observe the digi
tal readout to determine the PPM
(parts per million) of nitrate. To
test a Held for available nitrogen, a
standard soil sample is taken rep
resentatively throughout the field,
mixed in a bucket, and scooped
into a specially designed filter bag
that comes with the Cardy meter.
It is then mixed in the bag with
about one cup of a distilled water
solution and shaken for one
minute before the bag is squeezed
at one end to allow several drops
of clear solution to drop onto the
meter’s lens (the muddy water
stays in the bag) through the built-
Air Drill Offers
Strength, Durability
,A **r
ASS ARIA, Kan.—The new
Great Plains 1150 Air Drill of
fers strength and durability
without excessive weight. Its
28-Inch underframe clear
ance and three ranks of hoe
openers easily handle resi
due in chem-fallow fields.
Program
cessfully completed die recent
Penn State Dairy On-Farm Prob
lem-Solving Teleconference.
“Dairy On-Farm Problem Solv
ing: The Process,” is a satellite
program in which ag professionals
learn a systematic approach to on
farm problem-solving. The day
long program provided the oppbr-*
tunity to review farm records and
inspect animals, housing, and
feeding facilities. Introductory
techniques in a cooperative prob
lem solving process were demon
strated and applied to assist in
identifying, quantifying, and de
veloping responses for a client’s
problems. The satellite program
format allowed for dialog between
extension specialists at Penn State
University and participants at the
downlink sites.
Soil Test Saves Money
in filter opening in one-comer of this service provided for them
the bag. should call Gro-Mor today for the
' Those who wish to purchase a name of a representative in their
meter for their own use or have area.
Signs Present Opportunity
To Manage Medullary Bone
ROANOKE, Va.—The onset of
sexual maturity signals a “window
of opportunity” to manage a pul
let’s medullary' bone before she
"roars into production,” according
to management consultant Gil
Dedrick of Global Poultry Mark
eting, Burnsville, Minn.
Managing the medullary bone,
from prelay through the laying
cycle to molt or cleanout was the
theme of Dedrick’s presentation at
the Virginia Poultry Health and
Management meeting here
recently.
“During the early stages of lay,”
Dedrick said, “pullets are in a
negative calcium balance which
can’t be alleviated simply by rais
ing calcium levels. Since feed
intake is low at this stage, to pro
duce a good eggshell the bird must
mobilize medullary bone to meet
her calcium needs.”
Dedrick said the onset of sexual
maturity signals a physiological
process that induces the formation
of medullary bone. “You won’t
pick up these signals on the laptop
computer,” he said. “Look for
swelling and color changes of the
comb and wattles.
Fretts Becomes
UNIONTOWN (Fayette Co.)
Donald C. Fretts of Scottdale
has been awarded the status of cer
tified fair executive (CFE) by the
International Association of Fairs
and Expositions.
Single point depth control
sets the planting depth for
the entire drill and the star
wheel metering system deliv
ers even and consistent seed
flow. Central filling and an
optional auger make loading
and unloading the bin faster
and easier.
The 1150 Air Drill is avail
able in 45-foot and 34-foot
widths and folds hydraulical
ly to 20 feet fbr transport. For
more information, contact
Great Plains Mfg., PO Box
218, Assaria, KS 67416, (913)
667-4755.
Recognizes
‘This is the time to add some
oyster shell to the diet and step up
calcium levels to 3.3 to 3.5 of the
ration to form adequate reserves
of medullary bone.”
Other recommendations of the
speaker included routine specific
gravity testing to monitor eggshell
quality before problems develop
and testing feed for calcium
separation.
Dedrick said he uses the percent
“floaters” in a room-temperature
salt solution of 1.08 specific gravi
ty as a guideline in making adjust
ments in the level of oyster shell
needed rather than making
changes simply based on the age
of the bird.
According to the speaker, feed
samples taken at the hopper outlet,
the far turn, and .the return side of
long cage rows often show a wide
range of calcium levels. Some
birds may be getting too much cal
cium, while others are deprived of
enough to make-a strong eggshell.
A calcium source such as oyster
shell with a specific gravity simi
lar to that of a typical com/soy
layer ration is less apt to settle out
in long feeder lines.
Fair Executive
Tho certification is based upon
a rigid scorecard of management
skills, education, and leadership.
The award designation was made
in Little Rock, Ark., during the
lAFE membership’s Annual
Spring Management Conference.
Drawing from more than 3,200
organized fairs in the United
States and Canada, 12 fair execu
tives qualified for the coveted
CFE award in 1995. Since 1979,
only 152 persons have qualified
for CFE status, seven of which
now have been awarded to Penn
sylvanians.
Fretts is a native of Scottdale,
and has served the Westmoreland
Agricultural Fair since 1975 as a
director, treasurer, president and
most recently as executive direc
tor/manager. Fretts is consulting
with the Westmoreland Fair and
others in the southwest Pennsylva
nia area.
In January, Fretts joined the
staff of Penn State as extension
agronomist, and works in Fayette,
Greene, Washington and Alle
gheny counties.
Grain
Systems
E,M. Herr
WILLOW STREET (Lancas
ter Co.)—Grain Systems, Inc.
(GSI), a leading manufacturer
of grain storage and handling
equipment located In
Assumption, 111., has recog
nized E.M. Herr Equipment,
Inc. for outstanding sales and
service In 1994.
E.M. Herr was recently pre
sented with the Gold Award
and State Award for premier
sales In GSI equipment.
Pictured are Richard Burk
holder, left, grain equipment
sales for E.M. Herr and Robert
Mitchell, district manager tor
GSI.