• A new oral vaccine against bovine respiratory disease, a dis ease that costs the beef industry $1 billion annually, has had promising results. Developed by USDA scien tists, the vaccine also increased initial weight gain in the feedlot, and protection occurred 4 days after vaccination as compared to the current 10-14 days with in jectable vaccines. • Beef cow nutrition in the last 60 days prior to calving has long been known to influence calf survival and reproductive ef ficiency of the cow. One reason for this is that the incidence of calf scours are re duced when cows are fed proper ly during this critical period. Often over-looked by producers, weather conditions during late winter for spring-calving cows can be cold, wet, windy, and muddy. All of these conditions increase ♦ Professional nutritional consulting ♦ Customized rations for your forages ♦ Quality products - only what you need ♦ Current farm management information ♦ Personalized service USE RENAISSANCE FOR QUALITY SERVICE & PRODUCTS For Our Consultant Nearest You Call 1-800-346-3649 ncniiissmcc nutrition, inc. aFs 0|» ON FARM STORAGE FOR MAXIMUM PROFITS A' • FARM BINS • GALVANIZED FANS AND HEATERS • TOP DRY SYSTEMS • GRAIN DRYERS • HOPPER BOTTOM TANKS • COMMERCIAL FLAT BOTTOM • FLEX-FLO FEED SYSTEMS • SAFETY ACCESS EQUIPMENT We Supply Expert Installation and Service Check Our Prices Before You Buy WE CUSTOM MANUFACTURE Painted, Galvanized and Stainless Steel Fabrication, Feed Bins, Feeders, Hoppers, Covers, Dump Pits, Augers, and Control Systems . to Automate Your Operation. Research Snapshots the nutritional requirements of the cow, reports author Dr. Clell Bagley from Utah State Univer sity. Persistent poor conditions, particularly for cattle that are wet, exposed to wind, and sub jected to subfreezing tempera tures, will increase the incidence of scours in young calves. Pro ducers end up playing “catch-up ’’with their nutritional program. Reduce calf scour problems by knowing the requirements for en ergy and protein for the cows in the herd, adjust these “book” values for the conditions on the farm, and know the concentra tion of these nutrients in the feed and forage provided to be sure an adequate supply is available. • Round bale hay feeders vary greatly in feed wastage according to Michigan State University sci entists (Buskirk and others). Their work indicates the most ef fective feeder is the inverted cone with a solid base. and more! automatic farm systems 608 E. Evergreen Road, Lebanon, PA 17042 Phone: 717-274-5333 e-mail: afs@nbn.com For this feeder, waste was measured at 3.S percent (our work at Penn State found this to be 2.8 percent.) Conventional ring feeders with a solid band at the bottom had 6.1 percent wast age, and a feeding trailer had 11.4 percent wastage. The greatest wastage (14.6 percent) was from a cradle-type platform feeder. When calculat ing the amount of hay you are feeding to cows, do not forget to reduce the intake by the wastage that will occur based on the feed er that is used. • The first draft of the Nation Non-Fed Beef Quality Audit in dicates among cull cows and bulls, 21.6 percent of all car casses have major to extreme trim loss due to bruising. This re sults in trim of 5 to 15 pounds per carcass. These losses are caused by poor management and handling practices. The total value of car cass losses from all causes aver aged $68.82 per head. • The average cost of gain for fed cattle in Pennsylvania is