A2B-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 28, 2001 Golfers Hit The Links For State FFA ANDY ANDREWS Editor STEVENS (Lancaster Co.) Despite sweltering heat, the Hatfield Fore FFA Tourna ment Day was successful here at the Foxchase Golf Club Monday. State FFA officers were on hand to help run the associa tion tournament and benefit auction. Officers included Amanda Brown, state secretary; Lisa Fetscher, state reporter; Isaac Harrington, western vice presi dent; Rebecca Sankey, north central vice president; Jeremy Ranck, eastern region vice president; Cody Holden, state chaplain; Lance Bittner, state sentinel; Sherisa Brammer, south central vice president; and Holly Rankin, state trea surer. Not present were Karrie Kehr, vice president, and Paul Hostetter, Holtwood, president. Golfing was split between two courses, Fox Chase and Galen Hall. Taking first place at Galen Hall with a score of 62 were Vic Madison, Dirk Madison, Art Mattlingly, and Rich Schwarz man. Taking first place at Fox chase with a score of 59 were representatives of New Holland Credit, Dave Duell, Chadd Rohrer, Greg Glaser, and Steve Wright. This was the first year the fund-raising tournament was split over different times. The Foxchase event represented the eastern part of the state, with Hatfield Quality Meats as major sponsor. The western part of the state State FFA officers were on hand to help run the association tournament and benefit auction. Officers included, from left, Amanda Brown, state secretary; Lisa Fetscher, state reporter; Isaac Harrington, western vice president; Rebecca San key, north central vice president; Jeremy Ranck, eastern region vice president; Cody Holden, state chaplain; Lance Bittner, state sentinel; Sherisa Brammer, south central vice president; and Holly Rankin, state treasurer. Not present were Karrie Kehr, vice president, and Paul Hostetter, Holtwood, president. Pasture Watering Systems Tour July 30 YORK (York Co.) Join pro ducers Monday, July 30, at 6:30 p.m. at South Branch Farms, for a pasture watering systems tour in York County. Come along for an informal tour to look at and discuss different options for wa tering systems. This is a way to discuss pros and cons of different systems by Taking first place at Galen Hall with a score of 62 were, from left, Vic Madison, Dirk Madison, Art Mat tlingly, and Rich Schwarzman. Taking first place at Foxchase with a score of 59 were representatives of New Holland Credit, from left, Dave Duell, Chadd Rohrer, Greg Glaser, and Steve Wright. will be represented at the nia FFA members benefit from Hoss’s Fore FFA Tournament participation in the fundraising Day, Aug. 13 at Scotch Valley golf tournament. Country Club, Hollidaysburg, All photos by Andy An with Hoss’s Steak and Seafood drews, editor, whose as major sponsor. More than 8,000 Pennsylva- talking to farmers who have in stalled the systems. The tour will not feature formal presentations, instead it will be based on ques tions and answers. Come with questions about solar pumps, spring developments, pasture management, and stream fencing or related topics. The tour will be conducted rain or shine. Refreshments will team scored 74 at Galen Hall be provided. The tour is free. If you have special needs, please contact the South Branch Farms office at (717) 741-8395 so ar rangements can be made. The tour is co-sponsored by South Branch Farms, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, York County Conservation Dis trict, and Vertis Bream, solar and water pumps dealer. Penn State Cooperative Extension Capitol Region Dairy Team SUMMER DROUGHT CONDITIONS? YES, FOR SOME PRODUCERS Tim Beck Regional Dairy Team Coordinator Driving around the capitoi re gion, it’s easy to see the effects of this year’s scattered and spotty rainfall patterns. Some producers are experienc ing drought conditions with se verely stressed crops, while neighbors have at times had flash flooding. While there is still hope that late summer rains may sal vage some drought-stressed crops, it’s not too early to decide how to deal with feed shortfalls and how to manage drought stressed crops. It’s important we not react too quickly to prematurely harvest drought-stressed crops and lessen their feeding value even further by not allowing adequate time for the crop to mature. Emergency fall crops may be an option, but if moisture is in sufficient for the present crop, it’s usually inadequate to germinate seed for an emergency crop as well. Better to get the most feed value from the present crop and wait for fall rains to germinate emergency small grain crops if forage supply becomes limiting. Moisture-stressed corn and soybeans with reduced grain yield frequently make excellent quality, nutritious silages. Be sure to allow time for drought-strick en com to reach as much maturi ty (days from planting) as possi ble. Whole com plant moisture should not drop below 60 to 63 percent. Energy and sugar con tent of the plant will increase with advancing maturity even when no kernels form because of lack of pollination. Drought-stressed soybeans may be harvested as forage with good results. Wait for as much pod or bean development as pos sible before harvest to enhance feeding value. Soybeans should be ensiled before dropping below 65 percent moisture. Soybean si lage is comparable to a mixed mainly legume silage in nutrient content, although it may not be as palatable. When soybeans lack pod or bean development and are high in moisture, direct cut them and add 100 to 200 pounds of ground grain per ton to provide fermentable carbohydrate and ensure a better silage preserva tion. It’s important that producers anticipating reduced forage pro duction carefully adjust forage feeding rates without dropping below forage neutral detergent is*® A UtTTk icOTOGEW O'*Tv\ Tim Beck fiber and total fiber intake guide lines. Conventionally fed herds should have forage dry matter in take between 1.40 to 1.60 percent of body weight daily. Heifers need at least 1.2 percent of body weight from forage dry matter. After assessing forage invento ry, if supply appears short, it’s not too soon to arrange advance purchases of forages and commo dities. One of the few advantages of patchy rainfall patterns is that surplus forage may be available in the local area. It’s much easier to ensile a crop at harvest than to try to purchase and transport fer mented feeds. Work with your nutritionist to determine forages and commodi ties most likely to be complemen tary in nutrient content to exist ing feed supplies. Pay particular attention to crude protein, neu tral detergent fiber, nonstructural carbohydrate, and fat when plan ning feed purchases. Once drought-stricken crops have been harvested for silage, consider an August or early Sep tember planting of spring oats to be used for fall grazing or silage. Winter grains can be used for for age in the fall (grazing) or the fol lowing spring (grazing or silage). Look for good buys on commo dities by comparing their eco nomic value to established stan dards such as number 2 ear com, 44 percent soybean meal, and al falfa hay. Two Excel spread sheets, “Dairy Forage Template” and “Dairy Grain and Byproduct Template,” are available at the dairy cattle nutrition Website. More detailed information on this topic is included in the publica tion, DAS 97-17, “Feeding Dur ing Shortages of Home-Grown Feeds.” Request a copy of these re sources from your county exten sion office or download copies from the Web at http:// www.das.psu.edu/dcn/catforg/ DAS/index.html For additional information or resources, contact Tim Beck at (717) 840-7408, e mail tbeck@psu.edu, or fax (717) 755-5968. s