W£o9 Patll HV ITY
UN IV PARK E pA r i?so? J/P"* •
Vol. 43 No. 18
Tastier Forage,
Bigger Bite Highlight
Grazing Research
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
GRANTVELLE (Dauphin Co.)
—At the crest of grazing research,
scientists examine the following;
• How cows that lake a “bigger
bite” of forage can produce more
pounds of milk per day.
• How to provide tastier, higher
quality plant material that reaches
high off the ground, where animals
prefer to take their meals.
• How to make more efficient
use of those harvesting machines
essentially, the cows that bring
home the milk check.
Researchers summarized ways
to increase the economic strength
of grazing operations Wednesday
during the first of a two-day Pen
nsylvania Grazing and Forage
Conference. The conference.
Avian Influenza Confirmed
At Two Lancaster Farms
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The state Department of
Agriculture this week confirmed
finding on two Lancaster County
farms the same avian influenza
variety that has continued to
appear in the area for more than a
year.
Site quarantines have been
imposed on both farms, one of
which had the disease last May,
but went through depopulation and
cleaning and disinfection pre
scribed by the state.
According to state Secretary of
Corn Talk This Issue
Jeff llHchell was recently honored asthe champion of the 3-year
avaraga awards, ahallad com regular harvest aba, from tha Five-
Acra Com Club Contest at tha Pennsylvania Corn and Soybean
Conference. Jeff farms In Relnholda, Lancaster County and in
Cheater County with hlawHe Susie and aon Matt, X Read about his
award-winning practices in the special aeetlon of Com Taftthls
iasue. Photo by Andy Androwa
Hva Sections
sponsored by die Penn State Graz
ing Research and Education Cen
ter and the Pennsylvania Forage
and Grassland Council (PFGQ,
continued Thursday and was
attended by approximately ISO
graziers and agri-industry rep
resentatives at the Grantville Holi
day Inn.
The key to increasing the milk
ing capability of that harvest
machine is to “allow that cow to
take a big mouthful of grass,” said
Dr. Sinclair Mayne, a scientist at
the Agricultural Research Institute
of Northern Ireland, at the
conference.
Mayne, who spoke about the
forage productivity and utilization
by ruminants, works out of the
Institute based in Hillsborough,
(Turn to Pago A 22)
Agriculture Samuel Hayes Jr.,
“We are disappointed and con
cerned that the virus has appeared
again. This stresses the need for
maintaining the strictest biosecuri
ty. We must maintain our
vigilance.”
Both flocks again consisted of
laying chickens, as were most of
the previous flocks. The flock that
had a return visit of the disease
consisted of 100,000 birds, while
the second flock consisted of
92,000 birds.
(Turn to Pago A2l)
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 7, 1998
“Oliver, can I temp! you with a piece of candy?" That’s what little Kyle Walmer, age
5, seems to be asking. Kyle the boy, and Oliver the home bred Percheron/
Thoroughbred which measures 17.2 hands, belong to Susan and Sidney Walmer of
Foxfield Farm in Relnholds, Lancaster County. At Foxfield they have been working
with the PercheroiVThoroughbred cross to gain a combination of athletic ability along
with good bone structure and calmness of disposition.
This farm is on the Pennsylvania Horse Farms tour later this month, and Kyle and
Oliver posed for the camera to call attention to the event. (See story page A 26.)
The huge horse towered over the little boy. But that caused no fear. The scary part
was getting up and looking down from on top of that rail fence. Until you get accus
tomed to such heights, you must hang on for dear life. But In the end, confidence
returned. And a fun time was had by everyone Involved in taking the picture, including
the photographer. Photo by Evaratt Nawawangar, managing adltor.
Upcoming Tobacco Referendum Vote
LANCASTER (Lancaster
Co.) The USDA Farm Service
Agency this week announced that
tobacco groweis in various parts of
the country will be given an oppor
tunity to vote for tobacco support
programs to be in effect for the
next three years.
In Lancaster County, the lead
ing tobacco producing county in
$28.50 Per Year
Pennsylvania, a referendum will
be conducted at the Farm Service
Agency on March 23-27 between 8
am. and 4 pm. The Farm Service
Agency office in Lancaster is
located at 1383 Arcadia Road.
Only farmers who grew tobacco
in 1997 are eligible to vote in the
referendum. Eligibility can be
determined by repotting tobacco
600 Per Copy
acreages through the time of
voting.
If more than two thirds of the
growers who vote in Pennsylvania
favor the program for the state,
then USDA will set quotas for the
I state and growers will be able to
obtain price sup-
(Turn lo Pago At 9;