Goal Know and control what cows cat, how much they eat, and when they eat it
Maintain a continual flow of necessary nutrients to the rumen, and in proper proportions
Wc develop lations on paper, we dehvci a ration to the cows, we have average intake data foi the herd hut
what really counts is what the individual cows actually consume Intakes can vary considerably from cow
to cow within a gioup and from what is on the paper
I Ranons led m conventional systems aic clif licult to conliol, because some of llic Iced slid Is aic fed
separately and at different times Cows have some opportunity to pick and choose what they eat
Thcicforc, it is usually beneficial to work with a greater inaigm ol safely
Feed moie than minimal amounts of forage and less concentrates
Feed conccnliatcs at ficqucnt intervals, and feed no moie than 8 lb ol concentrate per (ceding
Feed forage bcloic giain
- Match the feeding of soluble protein feeds with tfee lecding of soluble carbohydrates
2 Total mixed lations (TMR) arc best, IF properly balanced and IF properly led Every bite has the
potential to be identical and balanced so the How of nutrients to the rumen is consistent and constant
Igl
New Sukup 6" Power Sweep Unloading System «[; m g*g\
for 21’ Dia. Grain Bin, Less Motor 1 j4dU
vU9IUIVI infill Ur HU I UIKh
Painted, Galvanized and Stainless Steel Fabrication, Feed Bins,
Feeders, Hoppers, Covers, Dump Pits, Augers, and Control
Systems to Automate Your Operation.
r_L
DAIRY FARM
MANAGEMENT
BASICS
A Farm Management Course by
Glenn A. Shirk
Penn State Extension Agent
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
What
automatic farm systems
608 E. Evergreen Road, Lebanon, PA 17042
Phone: 717-274-5333
ial - Aril
CUSTOM MADE
MGERS „„«o— ■-
,uur need!
Galvanized • Carbon • Stainless
U-TROUGHS
«*aas"
AUGER
INSTALLATIONS
✓ In feedlots
✓ In drying systems
✓ Commercial
applications
✓ At feedmills or
Standard Auger Specifications
elevators
✓ Around poultry &
dairy bams
✓ At your gram bins
TubtQaugi
Flight Thickness
or bulk tanks
✓ Replacement
Augers for feed
mixers and farm
Call Ua For Custom Specifications
3/16"
3/16"
3/16"
2000
Bu/Hr
TMR's have the potential to increase production by 2,000 lb or more ovei conventional feeding
situations in many herds However, if TMR-fed cows are top-dressed, or arc given free access to
one or more feeds, they do NOT have a TMR mix 1 So, don't expect the benefits of a TMR ration in
these situations' Don't waste your money on a TMR system if you arc not going to use it properly
Monitor what is going on and make ration adjustments whenever needed
Keep a close watch on daily bulk tank milk weights
Monitor milk composition Low fat tests, and fat tests lower than protein tests might indicate
a malfunctioning rumen High or low milk urea nitrogen (MUN) levels may indicate a need to
rebalance the lalion Fat cow and thin cow problems may be due to energy imbalances
Ketosis, twisted stomachs (DA's), lamimtis, and milk fever are nutntion-rclaled problems too
A lot of gram kernels and long fibers in the manure could indicate the need for more soluble
protein, or the need to feed less grain and more forages
Base your feeding decisions on accurate information
Analyze your feeds Be sure to collect representative samples of the feeds to be tested
Take feed samples early, have them analyzed, and have recommended feeding progiams in
your hand ready to use, pnor to the time you need them Testing feeds at harvest time can help
you plan ahead It is also helpful to buy feeds in advance of the time you need them so you
have time to test them and work them into your feeding program in a systematic manner
Be sure the lecding program is based on accurate herd information In othci woids, don't
expect your nutritionist to give you a good program if you do not give him/her good
information to wo r k with
Weigh the feeds that are fed and the feed that is refused or wasted
Check the moisture contents of ensiled feeds frequently
Know how much dry matter cows arc actually consuming
Revise the feeding program when
Cows' auu.il intakes do not agree with recommendations on the Iccdmg chan
You notice a change in animal performance
You notice changes in feeds, feed quality, or their moisture content
More Than 175 Participate
In 2nd Showmanship Contest
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) - Over 175 young people
participated in the second Youth
Showmanship Contest, part of
the 35th annual Pennsylvania
All-American Dairy Show.
Senior division winner was
Joy Hess, 21, Gettysburg,
Adams County, who received a
$5OO savings bond donated by
the Centre County Holstein
Club in memory of Roger T.
Green. Hess also received a
director's chair donated by Jane
and Bob Pepple, Chester
County, and an embroidered
jacket and a neck ribbon.
Jason Ruffaner, 21, of
Armstrong County placed sec
ond, while Tara Kocher, 17, of
Juniata County, was third.
All Senior division winners
received a neck ribbon and a kit
containing Clear Magic, Show
Sheen and topline powder.
3000
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 26, 1998-A33
Winners in the intermediate
division were' Wis. Colby
O'Malley, 14, Gilman, Ben
Cloninger, 13, Centre County,
2nd Charlynn Doebenener, 13,
Mercer County.
Holsteins, Steve & Barb
Wilson, Port Royal; Stonehurst
Farms Inc., Don Welk,
Strasburg; and Telmark Inc.,
Syracuse, NY.
Judges for the event were
Jane Pepple, Chester County,
junior division showmanship;
Michael Heath, Westminster,
Maryland, intermediate division
showmanship; and Ron Hefner,
Maryland, senior division show
manship.
Doug Seidel, Massachusetts,
served as fitting judge, and he
and Hefner worked together to
select the overall senior division
winners.