AIQ-UncMter Farming, Saturday, December 14, 1996
' M
OPINION
Grazing In 1906
For everyone who enjoys fanning, the opportunity to page
through old farm publications is always fun. One of our Mary
land readers, Harvey Fristoe, sent us a copy of the November IS.
1906, issue of The Country Gentleman, published in Albany,
New York. At the time, this old publication was in its “seventy
sixth” year.
Since rotational grazing has become the “new” method of
choice today, we thought it was interesting to see what recom
mendations were given to farmers 90 years ago.
From the Inquiries and Answers column here are some
thoughts on the care of meadows.
The farmers in this vicinity are addicted to these practices: 1.
They plant and seed wheat and grass together. In July they
harvest the wheat, and in August turn their cows on the meadow,
watching, however, that they do not eat too closely.
2. Or they cut the grass and stubble in late August, and then,
after a little growth, turn their cattle on until the grass has been
browned by the cold weather.
3. Others let their meadows alone, never turning their cattle
on them.
Question: What do you you think of the above practices? Are
not 1 and 2 injurious to the meadows? G.D.H. Metuchen, N.J.
Answer: Nowhere in agriculture does the old saying “penny
wise and pound foolish” apply more thoroughly than to the man
who pastures his meadows, particularly the first year after seed
ing. On some soils, and under certain conditions, this practice
may not be suicidal, but we have never seen such conditions. We
are inclined to believe that the tramping of the animals and the
cutting and breaking of the new roots in the soft earth before the
sod is formed does more damage than the biting off, for we have
all noticed, as in a lawn, that repeated cutting seems really to sti
mulate the growth rather than to injure it; yet in that case we are
seeking a dense sod rather than a heavy tonnage.
On our eastern soils, the man who pastures under the condi
tions stated under the second point is picking up a few cents and
losing a number of dollars. In the case stated first, we should dis
like to trust any man’s observation to say just when the animals
should be taken off. As stated in the observation regarding the
second practice, the tramping is probably what does the damage,
and not the grass eaten.
The practice mentioned in the third statement is the ideal one.
American farmers place too little store on preserving their mea
dows and keeping them in the best of tilth so long as they are
used for hay; and the safe rule would be never to turn animals on
meadow land, even when the ground is dry, but to take off the
hay, and, where conditions are favorable, to top-dress slightly in
the fall with well-rotted manure, using a spreader if possible.
Yes, it can be said, “the more things change, the more they
stay the same.”
Salmclin, Dm-inher 14
Maryland Pleasure Horse Semi
nar, South Carroll High School.
Minul.n. IKaiiilui Ift
I lU'sd.U, Dl'll'llllll'l 17
Comfortable and Productive Tie
Stall Barns, Leola Family
Restaurant, Lancaster, 8:30
DEP Ag Advisory Board meeting,
Rachel Carson State Office
Building, Harrisburg, 10 a.m.
LanChester Pork Producers Pork
Forum, Weaver’s Market,
Adamstown, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Farm Financial Management
Workshops, Wye Research and
Education Center, Queen
❖ Farm Calendar ❖
-r 8
t *-<Ar .-
fitability, Berks County Ag
Center, Leesport, also Jan. 9
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Mm ' (hr islm.is!
I Inn sil.in . Ihitin Ih i 2(>
Mnnd.n, Dfifinhfi ,'h
ig crop pro-
-v-*; "
To Increase
Feed Efficiency
Glenn Shirk, extension dairy
agent, reports many progressive
fanners have been testing milk for
milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and
fine-tuning their rations. This has
enabled them to improve feed effi
ciency and reproductive perfor
mance and reduce the excretion of
excess nitrogen into the
environment.
Elevated MUN could be an indi
cation that excess protein is being
fed or that feed programs need to
be adjusted to allow cows to more
efficiently utilize the feeds they do
consume. Lower levels of MUN
could be caused by rations that are
deficient in protein.
The goal is to feed cows a
balanced ration to optimize rumen
function, improve feed efficiency,
enhance milk production, and
improve reproductive perfor
mance. Also, you want to control
feed costs and reduce the excretion
of excess nitrogen in the
environment.
To Maximize
MUN Test Results
Milk urea nitrogen (MUN) test
results can vary from'lab to lab due
to different testing procedures,
from cow to cow'and from month
to month, according to Glenn
Shirk, extension dairy agent.
Levels are affected by how soon
cows are sampled after feeding,
stage of lactation, ration changes,
etc.
While not perfect, MUN tests
may still be a useful tool for moni
toring the feeding program.
To maximize test results:
• Use the same lab.
• Because MUN levels of indi
vidual cows may vary from time to
time because of metabolic prob
lems and other stresses at time of
sampling, look at group averages
rather than a single test from one or
♦ Farm Forum ❖
Editor,
The recent announcement that
the Basic Formula Price has
dropped $3.76 per cwt. has stimu
lated dairy farmers to the point
where they really want to do
something this time.
The Basic Formula Price
(BP.P.) is used as the bench mark
to establish milk prices to dairy
farmers. On December Sth this
price was announced atsll.6l per
cwt for Novembers milk. Septem
ber’s price was $15.37.
During the last two months I
have talked with hundreds of con
sumers and they positively agree
that something has to be done
immediately to shore up prices to
dairy fanners.
Calls are coming into us on an
accelerated basis from fanners
(Turn to Pag* AM)
a few cows. The group should con
sist of eight or more cows that are
similar in nature.
• Sample cows at the same time •
and the same number of hours after
feeding.
• Sample different groups of
normal heifers, early lactation, late
lactation, dry cows, etc. at diffe
rent times of the year and when fed
different rations. This will help
you establish MUN levels that are
normal for your herd. Use these
normal levels as reference points
to compare abnormal cows and
practices that cause abnormal
MUN levels.
Most of this data may be
gleaned from your DHIA MUN
testing results.
To Provide
Winter Protection
For Pets
Robert Anderson, extension
agronomy agent, reminds us if you
NOTE: WALL
SHEPHERDS
December 15, 1996
NOTE: TO ALL
SHEPHERDS
December IS, 1996
Background Scripture:
Luke 2:1-20
Devotional Reading:
Micah 5:2-9
Many years ago, when I was
working in a suburban New York
church, I was asked to take part in
an ecumenical Easter dawn
pageant held at a large shopping
center just off the Bronx river
Parkway.
At S:IS a.m. I was zipping
down the parkway. But, within
moments, the flashing red lights of
a police car ordered me to pull
over. As the officer got out of his
car and walked toward me, I
began to be nervous, for I was in
the costume of an angel - complete
with wings and halo! When he
looked in the window, I though his
eyes were going to pop out of his
head.
He regained his composure to
ask, “Do you have any idea how
fast you were going?” I told him I
didn’t, but I really had to hurry
because ‘Tve got to get to the
resurrection on time.” As he stared
at me, his face clouded over and
he blurted out: “Go! Just go!” And
I did.
Angles sometimes appear in the
most unlikely places. Like the
fields outside Bethlehem where
shepherds kept “watch over their
flock by night.” Angels - in a
field? In unimportant little Beth
lehem? They should have showed
up in Jerusalem - at the temple or
the house of the high priest
NO PLACE FOR ANGELS
But God chose the humblest of
beginnings for the birth of Jesus.
Two commoners from a backwa
ter town. Mary was, with child,
says Luke. Some of the- locals
might have observed that she was
just another pregnant single girl
giving birth to another welfare
boy! Nothing very important
could possibly come from a baby
bom in a manger.
And then look who gets the
engraved invitation - common
shepherds, one of the most humble
vocations. Nevertheless, “an angel
of the Lord appeared to them and
the glory of the Lord shone around
them ..." Now why would God
squander his glory on people like
diem? They knew nothing; they
have a pet which is kept outdoors,
spend a little time to make sure its
living quarters are ready for winter
weather.
Most animals can adapt to cold
weather if they are provided good
housing and adequate amounts of
food and water.
The most important aspects of
good outdoor housing is being dry
and draft-free. When animals
become wet or spend time in drafty
conditions, they become sick.
Check now and throughout the
winter to see that some type of dry
material is available for pets to
sleep on and that drafts arc elimi
nated. During cold weather, check
on a regular basis to make sure that
food and unfrozen water are
available.
Feather Prof.’s Footnote:
"Some people make things hap
pen, some watch things happen,
while others wonder what has
happened."
were nothing; they would never be
anything. Just shepherds, common
people who would not be turned
off by a child lying in a manger.
How do they respond to this
angelic visitation? “... and they
were filled with fear” (2:9).
Zechariah had been troubled by
Gabriel’s appearance. Mary had
been troubled by his words. So it
is not surprising that these simple
shepherds should have been filled
with fear. But the angel reassures
them: “Be not afraid; for behold, I
bring you good news ...” (2:10).
Once again the angel emphasizes
that the message is “good news” -
“for to you is bom this day in the
city of David, a Savior who is
Christ the Lord.”
“And this will be a sign for you:
you will rind a babe wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying in a
manger” (2:12). It was not by
chance that the Christ would be
bom in the most common of cir
cumstances. That was the sign;
God with us, even among the most
lowly and humble.
GOING WITH HASTE
The angels did not make a mis
take in appearing among she
pherds on a hillside instead of the
temple of Jerusalem. Humble as
they were, these men knew what
to do when they heard angels sing:
“Let us go over to Bethlehem and
see this thing that has happened”
(2:15). “And they went with haste,
and found Mary and Joseph and
the babe lying in a manger.” (Do
you know what to do when you
hear an angel singing?)
That wasn’t the end of it “And
when they saw it they made
known the saying which had been
told them concerning this child
and all who heard it wondered at
what the shepherds told them”
(2:17). They didn’t have to be
scholars or orators; all they
needed to do was to seek the
Christ child and share what they
found with others.
That's where we fit in the pic
ture. In Advent we, like the she
pherds, keep watch in the midst of
our busy lives. Waiting to hear the
good news that the angels brought
to the shepherds so that we. too,
may go over to Bethlehem to see
this thing and then to make known
what we have found there.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Bphrata Review Building
1 B. Main St.
Bphrata, PA 17522
-by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stelnman Enterprise
Hobart 0. CampMl Omni Manager
Everett R. Newawangar Managing Editor
Copyright 1996 by Lancaster Farming