i36-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 16,2002
a:
Penn State Cooperative Extension
Capitol Region Dairy Team
BEDDED PACK SHELTERS
Philip E. Wagner
Extension Agent
Dairy, Franklin County
There has been a renewed in
terest by some dairy producers in
bedded pack shelters for certain
groups of adult dairy cattle. This
housing scheme has been em
braced by a group of dairy pro
ducers in the Harrisonburg, Va.
area over the past couple of years
with good success.
This past November, I took a
van load of dairy producers to
Virginia to tour four dairies in
the Harrisonburg area that have
built a new bedded pack facility
for all or a portion of the milking
herd. We had the opportunity to
see several styles of shelters and
building layouts. In our travels
between farms, we passed four or
five other dairies that have re-
cently built or were in the process
of constructing a bedded pack
shelter for milk cows. A thanks
goes out to Jerry Swisher, area
dairy agent, Virginia Cooperative
Extension, for putting the tour
together.
So, why are these dairy pro
ducers choosing this housing al
ternative? What we heard from
everyone were the words “cow
comfort” and “longevity.” Dairy
producers with these shelters be
lieve cows will be more comfort
able and last longer than in
freestall shelters. Time will tell.
Initial cost savings versus a
freestall shelter was mentioned
by a few. However, most have
sized the building so that
freestalls can easily be added
later if the owner decides to do
so. The shelter serves as part of
the manure storage system on
these farms.
Sizing is critical. Shelters are
designed for 100 square feet or
more of pack area per cow. Once
the area per cow becomes small
er. a change in the cleanliness of
the animals becomes obvious.
The cleanest cows appear to be
those that have access to an out
side sod lot in addition to the
pack shelter.
All the producers we visited
were using dried shavings for
bedding. The supply is adequate
in the area at the present time.
What the supply will be in the fu
ture is always an unknown. All
producers drag the pack one or
more times per day with a tilling
device to mix the bedding with
the manure.
Some version of a modified
harrow is common. The shelters
have high sidewalls like modern
$22 Million In Loans Approved
For Rural Pennsylvania
WASHINGTON, D. C. Ag
riculture Secretary Ann M. Vene
man recently announced that, as
part of the $22 million in loans
for rural Pennsylvania, the first
loan to be approved in 2002 to
provide improved telecommuni
cations service in rural America.
A $5 million loan will go to
LMDS Communications, Inc., to
provide enhanced telecommuni
cation service to nearly 55 com
munities in western Pennsylvania
Philip E. Wagner
freestall barns which offers the
opportunity for good airflow to
help dry the surface of the pack.
All shelters had fans to aid in
cooling the cows and to help dry
the surface of the pack. These
fans will run in cool weather after
the pack is stirred to aid in dry
ing. The herds we visited had
very acceptable somatic cell
counts.
So, are today’s bedded pack
shelters an option for some dairy
producers? I think so. The design
and management of today’s shel
ter is much different than 40
years ago when we started mov
ing from packs to freestalls. The
goal in a pack shelter is to keep it
as clean and dry as possible, just
as the goal is in freestalls. This
requires plenty of bedding and
having 100 square feet or more of
pack area per cow. Stirring the
pack is essential. This generally
eliminates corn fodder and straw
as a bedding source.
Know what your supply of
shavings is before getting serious
about this shelter. Use a barrier
teat dip and be sure you are get
ting good coverage. Before doing
anything, talk to your veterinar
ian about the udder health issue.
Get his candid opinion on wheth
er he thinks you can manage this
system. Size the building so that
freestalls can be added easily at a
later time if you decide to do so.
Take a look at group size and
how it will match thoughput at
your milking parlor.
Finally, take time and visit
dairy producers who are using
these systems. Then come home
to think about what you saw and
heard, push the pencil, and make
a decision if this is a management
system for you.
and southwestern New York. A
$l7 million guaranteed loan has
been approved for the develop
ment of the Mountain Laurel
Center for Performing Arts in
Pike County.
More information on US DA
Rural Development can be ob
tained by contacting any USDA
Service Center or by visiting
USDA’s web site at http://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/
Pa. Announces 2002
Spring Custom Rates
The custom rates shown are averages from voluntary reports by custom operators and
farmers throughout Pennsylvania. Most of the rates are stated per acre, cwt., ton, bale, or
bushel rather than per hour to reduce the variation due to machinery size. Individual rates
vary due to differences m working conditions, services performed, or even the operator's
eagerness to do custom work Therefore, the average rates shown should not be considered
absolute indications of fair charges.
Acreage rales are shown separately for two regions of the state, labeled "Mountain”
and "Valley". The differences in rates between regions reflect differences in terrain, soils and
alternative opportunities for the labor and equipment used. Figures labeled "State" represent
the straight average of all reports .used regardless of geographic location.
Of the 70 rates reported with year-to-year comparisons, 44 increased, 20 decreased,
and 6 are the same as last year The overall average is up 9 percent from the previous year.
This percentage increase was computed by adding the rates for all jobs, regardless of basis of
charge, and dividing by last year’s comparable total.
Custom Rates: Selected Farming Operations, Pennsylvania, 2002
. . _ . Mountain Section Valley Section
lob Basis of Charge fDo/ , are , , are; |
Corn Picking
Corn Combining
Corn Drying (23 Percent)
Combining Small Grains
Combining Soybeans
Hay Making
Mowing
Mowing & Conditioning
Raking
Pick-up Baling (Twine)
Cut Rake Bale & Store
Large Round Baler (Avg = 950 Lbs)
Wrapping Bales
Silage Making
Pull-Type Chopper & Tractor
Self Propelled Chopper
Blower
1 Man 2 Wagons 1 Tractor
2 Men 2 Wagons 2 Tractors
Field Chop Haul & Fill Silo
Gagging Silage
Plowing Moldboard Plow
Spring Stubble
Sod
Fall Stubble
Plowing Deep (10 Inches or More)
Plowing Chisel
Plowing Disk
Disking Tandem
With Harrow or Cultipacker
Harrowing
Spike Tooth
Spring Tooth
Cultivating
Planting Corn With Fertilizer
Conventional Till
Reduced Till
No Till
Planting Soybeans Without Fertilizer
Conventional Till
Reduced Till
No Till
Drilling Small Gram
Without Fertilizer
With Fertilizer
With Fertilizer & Cloverseed
Seeding Alfalfa Clover Etc
By Scott W. Shimmin & Eric D. Stout
Agricultural Statisticians
Bushel
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Hour
Hour
Hour
Hour
Hour
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
Acre
(Turn to Page A 42)
Harvesting
22 30
26 20
0 29
24 50
26 30
10 30
11 20
58 30
138 80
10 20
41 80
62 50
Plowing & Cultivating
12 00
13 00
11 80
12 70
1350
11 80
12 40
11 40
12 50
Planting & Drilling
12 80
14 90
15 80
11 60
15 20
16 00
11 20
11 40
13 40
11 70
State
(Dollars)
22 10
25 00
21 90
24 60
24 10
25 10
23 90
24 80
10 50
10 60
11 50
11 80
6 40
0 44
1 10
6 40
5 20
63 20
136 60
9 90
60 90
137 20
10 00
43 20
63 50
5 70
5 00
44 50
64 50
500
3 40
12 40
13 50
12 30
13 40
14 70
12 30
12 40
11 30
12 50
13 60
14 60
15 80
13 90
14 50
15 80
13 80
15 10
15 80
13 30
15 10
15 80
13 10
12 70
12 50
13 50
13 60
1340
13 70
14 30