A36-L«nc—tef Farming, Saturday, September 4, 1999 How Much Is That Com Silage Worth? JOHN RUTHERFORD ALAN STRUCK Penn Slate University Extension Farm Management Agents NORTH CORNWALL (Lebanon Co.) If com silage were not available, a standard alternative would be to feed diy hay and com. So, calculating a price for com silage should be based on a price equi valent to these more widely available fccdstuffs. These commodities prices arc often listed in farm publications, making these calculations more transparent. On a dry matter basis, 1 ton of average com silage is.-quivalcntloaboiil S tons of car com. From this base, adjustments should be made for moisture, harvest, and transportation. Base Price For Alternative Feeds Average quality grasa hay at 90% dry matter. /tone X .5- (a) Ear corn at 90% dry matter. /tons X .5- X (factor*) - (b) • B«e*us« tom* yW» stag* inctodM liu ur com than normal, you may naad to adjust tha •aroomvahiainthabMaprioa Thw it aspaoaJty Important is a dry yaar Simpty giv« tha stand "Hl com a soots from 1 (Ittla or no aar formation) to S(nonnal) and uta tha apphcabla factor that oorrMpontft to tha aoora Ear Score Factor 1 2 2 .5 3 7 4 9 5 1.0 Total (a) and (b) tor a baae price at 90% DM. —(■) + (*>)- (baae) LINDA WILLIAMS Lancaster Faming Correspondent MARTINSBURG (Blair Co.) —The annual Morrison Cove 4-H and FFA Dairy Show was held on August 3 at the Memorial Pmk. MORRISON COVE 4-H, FFA DAIRY SHOW MILKING SHORTHORNS JUNIOR 3-YEAR-OLD; 1. Edna Schilling. SENIOR 3-YEAR-OLD: 1. Edna Schilling. AGED COWS: 1. A 2. Edna Schilling. DRY COWS; 1. A 2. Edna Schilling. SENIOR CHAMPION. RESERVE SENIOR CHAMPION, GRAND CHAMPION A RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION: Edna Schilling. GUERNSEY JUNIOR CALVES: 1. Jan Snidar. 2. wean Harthbargar. 3. Jamat Oldham. INTERMEDIATE CALVES: 1. Aaron Ga- ». 2. Kandy Gabla. 3. Joay Oldham. SENIOR CALVES; 1. Jama* Oldham. 2. ihn D. Morrow. 9. Sharaana Harshbargar. SUMMER YEARLINGS; 1. Aaron Gabla. New Holland, PA (717) 354-4996 (717) 445-7561 iriMHMMi Hi Mag (Ag Lime Spreading) Hi-Cal Also in bags, pulverized, pelletized and feed grade GYPSUM *** BEST PRICES *** Quality Fertilizer (Calcium Sulfate) Available Bulk OR in 50 lb. bags Field Application Available No Minimum Order Ideal for Composting Free Assistance from Agronomists Agri-Marketing, Inc. An Experienced Supplier of Quality Gypsum (717) 627-2468 4-H & FFA Martlnsburg Dairy Show 2. Jama* Oldham. 3. Joey Oldham. JUNIOR YEARLINGS: 1. Mark Snider. 2. Jama* Oldham. 3. Sharaana Hershberger. INTERMEDIATE YEARLINGS: 1. Jan Snider. 2. James Oldham. SENIOR YEARLINGS: 1. Sharaana Hershberger. JUNIOR CHAMPION; Jan Snider. RESERVE JUNIOR CHAMPION; Aaron Gable. JUNIOR 2-YEAR-OLDS: 1. Kandy Gable. SENIOR 2-YEAR-OLDS: 1. Kandy Gable. LIQUID MANURE SPREADER WITH FLOTATION TIRES TO MINIMIZE SOIL COMPACTION Available with complete line of spreading tool bars and precise flow control to spread manure the ecological way eliminating spray drift and reducing odors. Our tool bars are designed to apply hog or dairy manure on growing fields, between rows of com or on harvested fields. SPREADERS WITH SINGLE AXLE OR f m TANDEM-2350 TO *OOO US GAL ■( limSQgP | ■ • “V”ahape bottom for mow • Standard exterior finleh; complata clean out. epoxy primer and urethane paint • Low profile tank for maximum vlalbillty and stability. Cedar Cresi Equipment Correcting For Moisture %DM of purchased silage/ %DM of base silage (SO%) X (base) - (moisture adjusted price) Large capacity custom operators can harvest com silage for about $2 per ton. Individual farmers may have higher costs. To be fair to the seller, a standard range should be used to calculate the cost of turning standing com into chopped material. Depending on the convenience of the field and other factors affecting field work efficiency, the silage price should be reduced by $3 to $4 for harvesting. Transportation This sheet calculates a price f.o.b. from the seller's farm, so transporta tion cost applies only when the seller transports. In that case, when the seller transports, transportation is added to the price. A loose standard for this cost is 50-ccnts/milc/ton. If the buyer hauls, (lien no transportation adjustment is necessary. (Note; f.o.b, stands for “free on board” and means that a seller agrees to put something on a truck or other mode of transportation at no charge, but the transportation costs must be paid by the buyer. The term is widely used in business.) Additives arc only a concern when buying silage already chopped. Anyone can add anything to silage and claim it makes the silage worth more. Often this is vety true, but sometimes conditions and application rales negate the effectiveness of the additive. Sometimes the additive covers up an otherwise poor management deci sion. These instances should not be the concern of the buyer. Don't pay mote, sight unseen, for anything added to silage. If there is a question about the improvement to the silage, have it tested. The seller is entitled to a premium for higher quality silage. However, the buyer is not automatically indebted to the seller for everything added to the mixture. 1. AaronQabla. SENIOR CHAMPION: Jan Snldar. o £ serve sen™cw>«on : A~, GRAND CHAMPION: Jan Snldar. ]■ RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION: Aaron 5-YEAR-OLDS: 1. Jan Snldar. <a»hi+ AGED COWS: 1. Aaron GaUa. 2. Kriad DRY COWS; 1. Aaron Gablo. 2. Kandy Gabla. 3. Sharaana Harthbargar. JUNIOR HERD; 1. Aaron Gabla. 2. Kandy Gabla. 3. Joey Oldham. UNITS IN STOCK FOR SALE OR RENT • 1999 Houle 3850 Tank Spreader • 1999 Houle 32 Ft. Lagoon Pump 28Lx26 Tires De 608 Evergreen Rd. Lebanon, PA 17042 (717)270-6600 1-800-646-6601 Harvesting Additives mms Inspect samples throughout the purchasing process. If the com is sold standing in the field, be certain to close the deal in time to harvest at prop er maturity and moisture. It should not be the seller's concern (discount) if late chopped (by the buyer) silage has poor feed quality. When purchasing fermented silage, check for fineness of cut, odors, and molds. Any aspects that do not meet the buyer’s standards arc valid points for negotiating a discount On the other hand, if you really need com silage and no other is avail able, your bargaining position is weak, leaving you no choice but to pay more. At that point, you should consider your option to feed grass hay and com until silage docs become available at a price and quality you can accept Let's say you want to buy com from a neighbor to chop and put in your own silo. The going rate for ear com is $BO and the price for average grass hay is $llO. Walking through the field showed you that the ears are slightly off from what would be there in a normal year, so you would score the ears a ‘4.’ You expect to make the silage at 70 percent moisture (30% DM). What price should you offer for the silage? Hay $55 Corn $36 (80x.5x.8) Total $9l at 90%DM Correct for moisture .30/.90 x $9l - $30.34 You will harvest the silage with good equipment, but the field has some odditites making it harder to openle in. Deduct $3.34 from the price for harvesting. $30.34 - $3.34 - $27 per ton. This $27 is the price offered for the com in this example. For your own situation, follow the same calculations, adjusting as the situation fils. For more information, contact a local Penn Slate Extension farm man agement agent. BROWN SWISS SUMMER YEARLINGS: 1. Nicholas Burk aL JUNIOR 2-YEAR-OLDS; 1. Edna Schilling. TRAIL AGI-POMPE 32’ and 42’ for Lagoons pmmmMciE 1-Highly articulated nozzle designed 2-24” die. mixing propeller providing to slice and break the top crust full time agitation up to 21,500 US from above the manure level as the Q.RM. even when loading a propeller homogenises the liquid spreader, with the remaining floating chunks. ._ , , u . „ . 4-Rotallve directional valve designed 3-Hydraulic controls can be operated to be operated at low R.P.M. without from tractor seat. stopping the P.T.O. Gear box oil bath protected by a greasable 3 seals mechanism on each shaft. amulablim wfj mimmipms @mm m alb© mm mm §mmmE m$ w t@ w mm?. Other Considerations EXAMPLE: SENIOR 2-YEAR-OLDS: 1. Jason Mowry. JUNIOR 3-YEAR-OLDS: 1. Nicholas Burkat 4-YEAR-OLDS; 1. Edna Schilling. AGED COWS: 1. A 2. Edna SchlWng. JUNIOR HERD: 1. Edna Schilling. SENIOR CHAMPION: Nick BurkeL RESERVE SENIOR; Jason Mowry. GRAND CHAMPION; Nick BurkeL RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION: Jason Mowry. (Turn to Page ASS) Parts Outlet RO 2 Box 271 East Earl, PA 17519 (717) 354-0584
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