■I SJKfljm Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council wg CjUjtm WI FORAGING AROUNDW ‘lndustry, Farmer, Scientist Working Together Toward A Sounder Grassland Program 9 Beginning Grazier’s School Focuses On Grass Selection, Herd Health ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff SYLVAN (Franklin Co.) What’s good for tall fescue can simply make cows sick, according to a leading grazier. Burning down and removing the grasses from the rotationally grazed farm operated by the Glenn Moyer family has been “one of the hardest decisions I’ve made since I’ve worked with grazing systems in 13 years,” he said. Moyer, host for the Beginning Dairy Graziers School in mid- October at the farm owned by American Farmland Trust (AFT) at the foot of the Tuscarora Mountain near Sylvan, looked over the brown grasses destroyed by Roundup. Speaking to a group of two dozen producers learning how to graze, Moyer shook his head, realiz ing that it was awkward to have to get rid of the fescues hardy grasses that can withstand drought and recover quickly but he be lieves they could be responsible for health problems at his dairy. Fescue endophyte toxicity, and possible nitrate problems resulting Cattle, Equipment Can Move Efficiently, Safely With Good Laneway Design Project Grass Coordinator J.B. Harold, center, and Lou Kopceyk, right, review different types of grasses at the farm of Dale Bracken, left. Pennsylvania Forage & Grassland Council Newsletter Section February 12,2000 from quick regrowth from rains fol lowing a drought emergency, could be responsible for a drop in milk production, respiratory problems, lameness, “fescue foot,” and a “lots of symptoms of things,” said Moyer. Fescue can be tolerant of dry weather. At the more than 300-acre AFT farm, the fescues were the first to green up well when rains fell after the drought. The persistent plant has genetics that makes it hardy and vigorous, readily surviving cold winters and prolonged drought. Fescues, dating back 30 years, can experience a green flush after a drought. But that flush can be ac companied by nitrate toxicity leading to lots of problems in cows. “What 1 found out about fescue is that almost everyone has a theory,” said Moyer. But ridding the farm of fescue which they are doing, gradually is contrary to “the way I was trained and how I was taught to graze,” he said. Re placing it is “uncharted territory.” In Octobeivßryan T. Petrucci, director of farms division for AFT, introduced the graziers who at- (Turn to Pag* 6) The AFT farm uses a concrete feed pad measuring about 100 feet long by 22 feet wide, with an additional area measuring 65 feet by 12 feet, comprising a feed area for 108 cows with two feet of room per cow, Moyer noted. The pad can accommodate about 130 cows. Moyer hosted the Beginning Dairy Graziers School in mid-October at the farm. Photo by Andy Andrews INDIANA (Indiana Co.) If a The field day, sponsored by laneway is designed correctly, Project Grass, the Indiana County herdstock managers can move live- Conservation District, and the stock and equipment quickly, safely, Mabis Mekenna Foundation, and efficiently, noted several ex- focused on laneway design and perts who spoke here last year. maintenance. J.B. Harold, Project Late in the spring, about 70 Grass coordinator, Allan Wood, people, including herd managers, Natural Resource Conservation Ser graziers, and agri-industry experts, vice (NRCS) state engineer, and Bill spoke at a grazing field dale and Stout, Pasture Lab, University Park, tour of Dale Bracken’s stacker cattle spoke about laneway construction farm near Indiana Pa. Grazing, Forage Conference Set GRANTVILLE (DauphinCo.)-The aSes -2000 Pennsylvania Grazing and Thls conference is co-sponsored Forage Conference, March 1-2 here by the Pennsylvania Forage and at the Holiday Inn, will feature Grassland Council and the Pennsyl numerous presentations and discus- vania Grazing Research and Edu sions focusing on pastures and for- Lebanon County Crops and Crops Day, Limestone Fireball, „ , „ TU J 1 • : ,n-,A Dairy Day, Lebanon Valley Expo Limestone, 10:30 a.m.-2p.m. Center 9 a m-3 n m Crops Day, Kittaning Township ’ p^ (Turn to Page 22) (Turn to Page 2) fi ** f' V# ' A * ❖ Farm Calendar ❖ ' O' Fire Hall \ < i £■ ■>£"*-% 4 ',V' *%
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers