. ennState College of Agricult urnl Sciences g, Mil From the Department of Dairy and Animal Science regular column from Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Animal Science features the research findings, student opportunities, and resports on other important topics generated in the Department. The back issues of the column are archived on Lancaster Farming’s Internet www.lancasterfarming.com home page. Look for them. Harold Harpster and Gabriella Varga Department of Dairy and Animal Science Penn State With the spring semester well underway we are both in a “teaching mode” so let’s begin this column with a quiz. What animal industry: 1) Will generate over $ll billion in feed sales in the US and over $26 billion worldwide? 2) Has an annual rate of sales growth of 4 to 7%? 3) Utilizes U.S. crops at the rate of over 3.5 million tons of com and a million tons of soybeans annually? 4) Utilizes over I.S million tons of poultry, swine and beef byproducts annually and in so doing directly supports dairy, livestock, and poultry producers? 5) Feeds over 125 million head of “livestock” iiimmmauilaiamaiamaiauiamaamaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiauiaiaiaiaaqemig | Cumberland Valley Tractor I | Pullers' Association I 2000 Pulls d | Newville Fairgrounds, Newtfiile, PA | I 6:30 PM | g . In | Combination of Classes will pull each night. | | Information: (717) 776-5762 I | (717) 249-8434 I Clip and Save la^iaaaaaaHiaasi April 29 (Raindala May 6), May 20, Juna 10, August 12, Saptambar 9 Pasture Mat is tiahtlv stuffed with rubber and sewn every 4" to prevent shifting. Proven most durable top cover. Least abrasive top cover on the market. Fits any stall Proven performance. Themselves Within 6 Months. For details and installation with over 6 years experience, call; Petersheim’s Cow Mattresses 117 Christiana Pike (Route 372), Christiana, PA 17509 u s Pa, N„ 610-593-2242 6653,96 Ask For Hamit or Sam Yes, the answer in each case is the pet food industry and these figures do not include the untold millions spent on veterinary care, grooming, toys, equipment, sporting and competitive events, and many others. Obviously an industry of this magnitude requires a variety of trained professionals. Until recently few traditional animal science departments have provided undergraduate course work in the companion animal area. The demand for such information is growing as more students entering animal science majors come from non-farm backgrounds and many lack any real experience with farm animals. At Penn State we see increasing numbers of new students indicate that companion animals are their number one species interest. To address this need, we recently began to offer “Animal Science 305 - Companion Animal Pasture Mat The Golden Standard In Cow Comfort The Rewards » Better Cow Health • Reduced Leg Injury • Reduced Swollen Hocks • More Lactation Per Cow - More Milk • Reduced Bedding Costs • Pasture Mats Often Pay For per day with the equivalent of 850 railroad boxcar loads of feed, each containing 40 tons? 6) Directly supports the viability of many rural farm businesses? Lancaster Farming ✓Check Out Our Web site www.lancasterfarming.com Companion Animals: A New Initiative in Care and Nutrition,” a 3 credit course that students may use as of their “animal management” selections. We have five learning objectives that we expect students to accomplish. one Develop an appreciation for the role and importance of companion animals m our society Develop an understanding of the basic nutritional and environmental needs of companion animals. Develop skills m the formulation of diets for companion animals. 4. Develop the basic management skills required for the proper care of companion animals. 5 Develop an appreciation for the economic importance of companion animals and the career opportunities they offer In line with the interests of many students, we emphasize dogs and cats in our lectures. However, other species are addressed including birds, reptiles, and several small INCREDIBLE LOW PRICES!! SUPER TOUGH STEEL BUILDINGS Factory Direct 800/825-5059 Animal Science mammal species We address the nutritional and reproductive biology of each species. The more applied areas of feeding, housing and management are also discussed. We have been very fortunate in obtaining the help and support of several off-campus folks who have been valuable in providing “real world” experiences for our students The Lang family, owners of Dad’s Products Company, INC. m Meadville, PA., have been most generous m hosting our class each year. They have provided transportation and lodging for a two-day class trip to their pet food facility. All aspects of pet food manufacture are discussed and we tour the entire plant. Most of our students are astonished to see the size and scale of the facilities for modern pet food manufacture. Metzger Animal Hospital in nearby State College has also shared their time and talents. Dr Fred Metzger and Dr. Bob Rider Wayne County To Hold Dairy Forum HONESDALE (Wayne Co.) Dairying is the number one industry in Wayne County. It contributes greatly to our local economy as well as preserving our farmland and beauty of the State of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, with the milk price, many of our farmers are incurring financial hardships and may soon go out of business hurting both our local economy and leaving our local farmland empty and unproductive. Wayne County is at a crossroads and must act immediately if we are to preserve our diary farms. To deal with this issue, the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Com mittee is sponsoring a Dairy- Focus Forum. The purpose of the meeting is to see how Wayne County can help promote and retain dairy industry as a feasi ble economic business. Repre sentatives from state and local government, county commis sioners, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, USDA, among others have been invited to attend this meeting. Local dairy producers and other interested people are Available models 25 x 32 (2 left) 45 x90(1 left) 30 x 44 (3 left) 50x100 (2 left) 40x62 (4 left) 55x150 (2 left) call for other sizes Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 22, 2000-A37 lecture in class on modern animal health care followed by an informative tour of their hospital facility. Finally, the Tom Battalma family, owners of Tornado Hollow Kennel m Cochranton, PA. give the students an overview of managing a family owned kennel. Field-trial retrieving demonstrations using several of their outstanding Labrador Retrievers leave us in awe of the abilities of these outstanding canines! We certainly haven’t abandoned our interests in traditional animal agriculture, but it’s been fun to branch out into the companion animal species. For those young people considering enrollment m Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Animal Science, this course represents an opportunity to gam knowledge and experience in this growing segment of animal agriculture! encouraged to attend. The meeting will be held Tuesday, April 18, 2000 from 10AM to 12PM at the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center Community Room located on Commerce Street in Honesdale. Average Farm Feed Costs for Handy Reference To help farmers across the state to have handy reference of commodity 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 ingred ients as compiled from regional reports across the state of Pennsylvania. Remember, these are averages, so you will need to adjust your figures up or down according to your location and the quality of your crop. Corn, No.2y 2.51 bu., 4.49 cwt. Wheat, N 0.2 2.32 bu., 3.88 cwt. Barley, N 0.3 —1.73 bu., 3.70 cwt. Oats, N 0.2 —1.55 bu., 4.84 cwt. Soybeans, No.l 4.28 bu.,7.14 cwt. Ear Corn 76.85 ton, 3.84 cwt. Alfalfa Hay —125.50 ton, 6.28 cwt. Mixed Hay 117.50 ton, 5.88 cwt. Timothy Hay 103.75 ton. 5.19 cwt. Lancaster Farming Classified Ads Now searchable on the Internet ✓ Check Out Our Web Site mini! com www lair
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