A22-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 30, 1999 DHIA Smicc Center, Orchard Road, University Park, PA 16802 QUESTION: Our heifers start very slowly at freshening time, while our cows seem to start nor mally. The same diet is fed to both heifers and cows, so where can we make changes to help bur heifers? ANSWER: Heifer pefotmance can be tracked separately from the rest of the herd. Look for this separation on both summaiy reports on your Pa. DHIA records. Another place that we look at first-lactation animals by them selves is on the Nitrogen Manage ment Analysis Report (commonly referred to as the milk urea nitro gen or MUN report). The MUN report in this herd shows some interesting numbers. The first number we look at is the herd average MUN. At 9.3, this herd is somewhat within the nor mally expected range of 10 to 14. Certain trends on the report indi cate herd management practices. The first is that a tight range of low to high in MUN values usually tells me this is a TMR-fed herd. Secondly, when the trend is to see MUN values rise as we increase GYPSUM - (Calcium Sulfate) Great calcium & sulfur source without increasing soil pH Increases soil porosity and soil microbial life. Decreases soil compaction. Builds soil humus. Ideal for home gardens, pastures, and agricultural fields. Available Bagged or bulk. *QUALITY BEDDING - Buy one load - get one free!!! $50.00/ton - free delivery within 10 miles of Leola. For pick-up or delivery...call Agri-Marketing, Inc. Call (717) 627-2468 Today! Quality Assured Case IH Parts BEST PARTS,.,. BEST DEAL... BEST VALUE eWhen You Need Parts, Call SALEM For FAST BSP Courteous Service. Express Service To Your Farm.... Please Call Today. fSALEM Sk / (FARM SUPPLY / Route 22; Salem, NY 1 -800-999-FARM (3276) FAX: 518-854-3057 CASE CREDIT CARD - FARM PLAN - VISA - MASTERCARD - DISCOVER I ,c [T i c.f-'' -E 1 ~ p p'Ci P atk_in ■ casejh days in milk, we often find that this is a single ration TMR. Both trends were seen on this farm. If we stop here, the only conclu sion is that production could be increased if we slightly increase protein feeding in this herd. The next step in analyzing this herd is to look at numbers on the MUN report that may stand out as being odd. Here we zero in on the first lac tation animals. The average of the group that makes up more than a third of the herd is 92. Again, although this average matches up with the herd average MUN, we need to look further. (The Pa.DHIA report showed an average MUN for heifers 0-40 days in milk was 5.4, and was 7.3 for those from 41 to 99 days, but jumped up to 9.6 by 100 days and increased until it averaged at 12 for those being milked at 300 days or more.) It is quite evident in the herd that something is different about heifer performance, especially in early stages of lactation. I had the opportunity to pay a FOR SALE Average Farm Feed Costs For Handy Reference To help fanners across the state to have handy reference of com modity input costs in their feeding operations for DHIA record sheets or to develop livestock feed cost data, here’s last week’s average costs of various ingredients as compiled from regional reports across the state of Pennsylvania Remember, these are averages, so you will need to adjust your fig ures up or down according to your location and the quality of your crop. visit to this daily family. Some of my observations were true, when we matched up records with what has happened on the farm. This is a single ration TMR-fed herd with no separation of heifers from the older cows. Bunk space was just adequate, with 100 feet of bunk fed both sides, plus one 4-foot wide end, intended to feed a total of 102 cows. Feeding was twice daily, with cleanup of refusal feed once daily. The daily pounds of refused feed was about 200. This calcu lated out to less than 2 percent of the total feed. ow Do You Improve On The Best? In the case of Chore-Time's What's more, you still get ULTRAFLO' Cage Feeder, you do it by all the features you valued in the origi beefing up the auger wire ->nd ™' ’TO* Feeder. You can extending the product w . on unparalleled , ivings, economical Chore-Tune s new am ition and ULTRA unproved ULTRAFLO* 's remixing action Cage Feeder uses our ich eliminate feed exclusive round-wire laration auger. It is nearly 10% heavier than our original ULTRAFLO*. And that means strength and years more running time for you! We're so confident ol it that we've warranted tin auger for twice* as long as old model. Store Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 4:30 pm 24 Hour-7 Day Repair Service Com, No.2y 2.36 bu., 4.22 cwt Wheat, No. 2 2.69 bu., 4.49 cwt Barley, No. 3 1.54 bu., 3.29 CWL Oats, No. 2 1.43 bu., 4.46 CWL Soybeans, No. 1 5.02 bu., 8.38 cwL Ear Com 68.19 ton, 3.41 cwt. Alfalfa Hay 119.25 ton, 5.96 cwL Mixed Hay 11250 ton, 5.62 cwt Timothy Hay 117.50 ton, 5.87 cwt Combining what we saw in pro duction trends and MUN analysis with physical observations on the farm, we have these thoughts: The main problem that is hold ing back heifer performance is bunk management. Diets that are well-formulated can only work to lull potential when cows have access to them without limitation. The thought of saving labor and feed cost by limiting refusal feed to such small amounts will rob cows of production and profit potential. Now, add to this the fact that heifers must compete with more mature herdmates for feed and we have the current problem. I once heard that craning to con clusions is our way of wanting to stop thinking about our business. I certainly do not want to stop think ing about my job, so without con clusion I will leave one final thought; The last bite that your cows take is the most profitable bite. Manage feeding fra that. . Northeast Agri Systems, Inc. Flyway Business Park 139 A West Airport Road Utitz, PA 17543 1-600-673-2550 717-569-2702 Berks Holstein Club Sponsors Chain Calf FLEETWOOD (Berks Co.) - The Berks County Holstein Club will sponsor the sth Chain Calf contest. Berks County Jr. Holstein members who have not reached their 14th birthday by January 1, 1999 are eligible to participate. The winner will receive a Registered Holstein heifer calf to be used as a project animal in 4-H or FFA. This year’s calf is Granite, daughter of the club’s mascot, presented to Andrew Youse dur ing the third Chain Calf contest. Andrew is eager to add a “new link to the chain” when he turns over this heifer. Contestants are required to fill out a questionnaire and answer a brief question from a panel of three judges. The contest will be held on Friday, March 26,1999 at 7 p.m. in the Berks County Agricultural Center near Leesport. Entries are due to Dave Bitler by March 5, 1999. For an application and details, contact Dave Bitler at 610-944- 0541. got milk? Chore-Time's -TRAFLO* Cage 'der-contact us ty for more informa on how the best just ’tter! New ULTRAFLO® Cage : a 10-year prorated warranty Delmarva Office 305 University Ave. Federalsburg, Md. 1-800-735-6361 410-754-9434 m
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