OVERCOMING
SHORT feed supplies
As I write this article, the
drought continues in Pennsylva
nia. Many cattlemen have been
feeding hay to their cow herds for
two months or more, and this will
seriously affect winter feed sup
plies.
While there will be no easy an
swers to recovering feed needs for
this winter, there are a couple of
options that producers can con
sider to provide the feed they need
and reduce the cost
The following rations are de
signed to have effectively the
same nutritional value to maintain
a beef cow in moderate flesh for
the winter (dical=dicalcium phos
phate)
• Ration #1; 18 pounds wheat
straw, 4.S pounds com, 1 pound
soybean meal, .25 pound dical
• Ration #2: grazed com stalks.
1.5 pounds soybean meal, .25
pound dical
• Ration #3: 22 pounds alfalfa
hay, .25 pound dical
• Ration #4: 20 pounds grass
hay, 2 pounds com, 1 pound soy
bean meal, .25 pound dical
Using the following prices:
• Com stalksss.2s/head/day.
• Com grain=s2.4o/bu.
• Soybean meal=s26o/ton.
• Wheat straw=sBo/ton.
• Alfalfa hay=sl2oAon.
• Grass hg^SSS/ton.
• Dical=s2so/ton.
• Com silage=s3o/ton.
The daily cost for each ration
per cow is;
• Ration #1: $1.09.
• Ration #2: $.57.
• Ration #3: $1.25.
• Ration #4: $.76.
This information'’shows that
lower quality forages may be the
most desirable since they can be
supplemented effectively with a
cheap source of energy com.
Local prices reflect this disparity
in the cost of hay versus com, and
this may continue.
For example, the price of ener
1
Thur p em ,
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gy in corn at $2.40/bu. is
$.048/pound of TON, while the
price of energy in 55 percent TON
hay at SBQ/ton is $.072. Therefore,
lower quality forages plus com
may be the cheapest winter feed
this year. This is shown in ration
#4 when cheaper, lower quality
hay is available.
Secondly, the cost of using stalk
fields, even when charging
$.25/head/day, is still very cheap
feed. This method also extends
short hay supplies while meeting
the needs of the cow.
Besides the direct cost of feeds,
consider also the reduction of stor
age and feeding losses in stored
forage. At least 10 percent more
feed will be available for large
round bales stored outside if they
are coveted with something. Net
wrap does little to help preserve
hay (it is most effective to reduce
baling time), so cover all the bales
that ate outside. Secondly, get
bales off of the ground if possible.
Pallets, stone, or logs can be used,
and the worst losses in the bale
can be avoided. Keep the bales out
from under trees, as trees gather
rain and snow to drip on the bales.
Store the bales in a well-drained
area so water moves away from
them and not toward or under
them.
Use a bale-feeding device of
some kind. Ring feeders will usu
ally result is about 8 percent feed
ing losses, but those losses can be
40 percent or more when using no
feeder. Our work here at Penn
State has shown the inverted cone
feeder will have the lowest feed
ing loss about 4 percent —and
are effective if you have the equip
ment needed to lift bales into
them. Make sure the cows effec
tively clean up a bale before feed
ing the next one. Cows will al
ways eat the least desirable stuff
last, so, when you keep giving
them new bales, they will tend to
leave some of the last bale behind.
Finally, while it does not sound
like a feeding recommendation.
ARAGE DOORS
wean your calves now. A cow
herd has been shown to be 43 per
cent more effective in using feed
resources when calves were wean
ed early compared to weaning at
the conventional seven months or
later. The reasons for this are logi
Curryvllle Agway purchased the grand champion market
goat shown by Tanner waltemlre for $3.50 per pound.
“Garage Doors”
2255 W. Main St., Ephrata, Pa 17522
717-733-7570 • 1 -800-285-6826 commercial & Industrial Doors
Goat Sale Does Well At
Bedford County Fair
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 4, 1999-A4l
cal: when a cow passes her peak
lactation for the year, it is more ef
fective to put feed directly into the
calf rather than feeding a cow to
produce milk.
There is a host of information
available on drought-related is-
c.
sues at your local Penn State
Extension Center. For those of
you with Internet access, go to
our web site at www.cas.psu.
edu and search the drought in
formation there.
LINDA WILLIAMS
Bedford Co. Correspondent
BEDFORD (Bedford Co.) It
was only the second year for goats
to be paraded across the auction
block at the Bedford County Fair,
and they probably exceeded all
expectations.
The 23 animals grossed
$3,316.72 with the grand cham
pion going for $3.50 per pound.
Tanner Waltemirc, Everett,
showed the 103-pound buck pur
chased by Curryville Agway.
The reserve grand champion
owned by Jonathon T. May of
Buffalo Mills brought $4 per
pound. Erik Turkovich of Ameri
can Outfitters purchased the
100-pound animal.
Lam peer Farms of Loysburg
purchased the lightweight champ
ion of 43 pounds from Ben Sollen
berger for $2.25. The middle
weight 58-pound champ went for
$2. Owned by Tanner Waltemire,
it was purchased by Morrison’s
Cove Livestock Market.
Ben Sollenberger saw his
44-pound lightweight reserve
champ go for $2 to Lampeer.
Bedford Valley purchased the
final goat fa 1 $3 per pound. The
owner Melissa Shastay had writ
ten a note to Bedford Valley
thanking them for purchasing her
animal last year but said, “I think
it would be nice if you purchased
someone else’s this year.” Instead,
Bedford Bailey decided they
would have the animal at any cost
Brandi Hall, Jolene Hall, Aleec
ha Jones, Melissa Shastay, and
Nicholas Jones all donated 5 per
cent of their sale to a special “goat
building” fund.