(Continued from Page 20) The survey respondents estimated their cows averaged 17,476 pounds of milk per year. Only 12.0% of the herds averaged less than 14,000 pounds per cow. Higher milk production per cow is definitely common as 22.9% of the herds averaged more than 20,000 pounds per cow. More than half (51.7%) of the herds averaged between 16,000 and 20,000 pounds per cow. Most dairy producers reuse at least some of their feed. The farms responding to the survey averaged 222 acres of cropland and pasture. However, the median farm acreage was only 160 acres. The average farm size was Smart Yields H-2515 110 Day RM H23908T 102 Day RM Kermit Martin Quarryville, PA Clear Meadow Farm Whitehall, MD H-2515 192.5 BuJA H23908T 187.1 Bu./A P-3394 180.1 Bu./A H-2382 180.3 Bu./A Fisher Welles Elmira, NY P35N05 186.5 Bu./A H-2515 215.2 BuJA 1997 - 98 Multi Location Data DK595 186.8 Bu./A H-23908T 164.1 Bu./A Rinaldi Farm Easton, PA P37M81 152.0 Bu./A H-2515 173.1 BuJA P33V08 154.6 Bu./A .. tl-Zs4# 112 Day RM apqj Clear Meadow Farm Whitehall, MD ■4901 117 Days RM H-2547 192.6 BuJA Clear Meadow Farm Whitehall, MD DKS9IRR 164.4 Bu./A H-2581 208.9 BuJA P 3335 188.1 Bu./A DK-642 184.9 Bu./A P 3335 188.1 BuJA Smart Seed and exclusive Agronomy Up Front™ information, visit us at the Keystone Farm Show in York, PA Jan. 5-6 1999. Bring this adwith you to the Show and receive a FREE gift. A Complete Line for Northeast Agriculture 3900 Mclntyre Rd., Trumansburg, NY 14886 Phone: 1-800-836-3701 I«K 607-387-5789 Or Call: Pater Johnson - Sates Rep. Mifflinburg, Pa. 717-966-3745 What’s Happening On PA Dairy Farms To learn more about Golden Harvest’s significantly affected by several farms cropping at least 1000 acres. Over one-fourth (26.9%) of the farms had fewer than 100 acres. Only 12.5% of the farms were greater than 400 acres. A very small portion (0.6%) of the state’s herds reported having no cropland and buying all feed for their cows. Crop acreage on Pennsylvania daily farms is divided evenly between com and grass/alfalfa hay (Table 2), Remaining acreage is generally made up of permanent pasture. The farms averaged 80 acres of com, 77.3 acres of hay, and 25.7 acres of permanent pasture. Average farm acreage is Keystone Farm Show Section % Lancaster Farming, Saturday. January 2, 1999—Page Golden Hcrvesf INC r significantly greater than median crop acres because of the number of farms that reported small acreage or no com, hay, or permanent pasture acreage and by farms with large crop acreage. The importance of hay and com are emphasized by the fact that only 6.1% and 4.2%, respectively, of the farms reported no com or hay acreage. Permanent pasture is less important as 14.6% of the farms reported no pasture acreage and fully 39.0% reported 10 acres or less of permanent pasture. Grazing hay fields is not very common as 64.8% of the farms did not graze hay fields and only 13.8% grazed more than 20 acres of their hay fields. Other crop acreage was minimal on most farms and was planted primarily to soybeans and small grains. ie 2 ive: f 19971. Crop Average Median Precent Acres Acres Reporting 80.6 50 6.1 77.3 50 4.2 Corn Alfalfa/ Grass Hay Permanent 25.7 18 14.6 Pasture Summary: The survey results indicate a average herd size of 65.3 cows per farm and a median herd size of 52 cows. The state has many small herds with 25.4% of the farmers managing less than 40 cows. However, 74.6% of the herds are producing more than 16,000 pounds per cow. Most farms have a fairly even distribution of com and hay. Median crop acreage is much smaller than average crop acreage. Only 61.0% of the dairy producers reported more than 10 acres of permanent pasture. Robert L. Parsons, Senior Research Associate Dept of Agnc. Education and Rural Sociology A|arl!EL_. /MACHINERY « GENERATORS Sales ★ Service ★ Rentals * Complete Generator Systems * PTO * Portables * 2-1600 KW “We Service It If You Have It And Sell It If You Need It’’ 34 W. Mohler Church Rd. Ephrata, PA 17522 Tel; 717-738-0300 Fax; 717-738-4329 ian 4 65
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers