Page 10—Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 24, 1998 Specialist Answers Questions UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) Growers Comer is your oppor tunity to ask questions and share tips that lead to successful forage manage ment. Send your questions and/or tips to PFGC News, C/O Dr. Marvin Hall, Agronomy Dept. Penn State Univ., University Park, PA 16802. I’m counting on you readers to make this section of the news valuable to every one. Send in those questions or tips! Q. I’ve seen the term Relative Feed Value (RFV) in sever- 1 al fittAi J<l hiagazines : lately. The articles imply that RFV some how is a measurement of hay quality. What is Relative Feed Val eu and how is it mea sured? A. Relative Feed Value is an index which combines se veral important nutri tional factors that are determined by forage analyses into one number for a quick, easy, and effective method of evaluating forage quality. Nutri tive evaluation of for ages involves a num ber of forage quality analyses including dry matter, crude pro tein, acid detergent fiber, neutral deter gent fiber, calcium, and phosphorus. While these analyses are important in formulating diets, they are confusing when trying to quick ly evaluate quality differences in hay or haylage. In several states producers are using RFV at hay auc tions to compare hay lots prior to purchase. RFV is calculated by combining the di gestibility (DDM) and potential intake (DMI) of a forage into one number [RFV=(DDM x DMI)/1.29]. The RFV number is only an index to use when comparing similar hay-lots (c.g. two dif ferent loads of alfalfa hay). The hay-lot with a higher RFV is of greater feed value re lative to the other hay lot with a lower RFV. OMAHA, NEB. - Interest in for ages, rangelands, and grasslands is the only requirement to join thou sands of forage producers, educators and specialists Feb. 21-26 here at the joint conference of the Society for Range Management (SRM) and the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC). These two international organi zations are bringing together top forage and range management experts and producers from across North’ America. The conference, with its “Building on our Heritage” theme, promises to take a close look Kverneland excellence in a whole new field See our extensive family of hay tools which includes disc mowers, rakes and tedders Kverneland - The Number One selling round bale wrapper in The United States and the World! - Keverneland pioneered the wrap system in 1986. - Complete range of machines to suit every need: three trailed models, two mounted self-loading, three mounted conventional, and now an ultra high capacity wrapper made expressly for large square bales up to 4'x4'x6' in size Ml®®® Glenn Beidler Freeburg, PA 717- 539-8993 1-800-774-0796 Joint SRM/AFGC Meeting In February 1-800-783-5276 Pickering Farm Rovendale Ag & MM Weaver & Son Sfankey Farms Equipment Barn Equipment Leola, PA Equipment Thompson, PA Watsontown, PA 717-656-2321 Kennedyville, MD 717-756-2641 717-538-9564 410-348-2470 at the role forages and rangelands have played in North America and look forward to the future of these resources in the ever-changing world of agriculture. The joint meeting represents a unique forum for an integrated pre sentation of range and forage topics through technical sessions, work shops and symposia, student events and competitions, tours, and a trade show. Concurrent technical sessions will include topics ranging from ecosystem management to forage evaluation and development of new forage crops. Kverneland Kidd KD 825 Silage Chopper - PTO driven discharge conveyor decelerates the chopped material ensuring an even and positive flow of feed without an excess of dust or loss. - Four other models are available for dry hay and straw applications. - Hydraulic bale lifter and slip clutch protected PTO together provide safe, smooth, low torque starts. Kverneland W where farming means business Several day-long symposia will focus on such topics as anti-quality compounds in forages and manage ment of juniper species. Half-day and full-day technical tours will highlight range and forage research conducted at the University of Nebraska and provide behind-the scenes views of habitat management at a national wildlife refuge and a world-class zoo. A special “companion” program will allow conference attendees to experience some of Omaha’s many attractions, including Boys’ Town, the Old Market, and Joslyn Art Museum.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers