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