The Rural Voice, 1985-11, Page 61I
FARM ADVICE
Good driving habits
puts money in your pocket
By simply changing a few driving
habits, car owners can cut fuel con-
sumption by 10 per cent and put
money in their pockets.
Some common beliefs about fuel
use and conservation have been prov-
ed wrong. For example, drivers used
to idle their cars to warm them up
before moving, particularly in cold
weather. Now motorists are finding
that, even at -20°C, most cars require
only 15 to 30 seconds of idling before
being driven off gently. On warmer
days, cars need no idling at all.
Another common belief was that
leaving a car idling during short stops
would use less fuel than turning it off
and starting it again when the stop
was over. It is now widely recognized
that 10 seconds of idling uses more
fuel than restarting the engine.
Drivers are also finding that
jackrabbit starts are best avoided
because they increase fuel consump-
tion. Like the accelerator, the brake
pedal should be used slowly and even-
ly. Drivers can cut back on the use of
the brake by anticipating stops.
Resting a foot on the brake pedal
while driving is dangerous, increases
fuel consumption, and adds wear and
tear to the brakes and transmission.
Dropping speed slightly will have
only a marginal effect on travel time,
but could put dollars in your gas
tank. For example, a car travelling at
115 km/hour uses 20 per cent more
fuel than one going 90 km/hour.
Another easy way to conserve fuel
is to take any kind of unnecessary
weight out of the car. And if you take
your car out on an errand, consider
stopping by the dry cleaners and the
bank in the same trip. Combining
several short trips into one will reduce
overall fuel consumption and also
save you time.
For more driving tips, contact the
Ontario Ministry of Energy, GMS,
Box 37, Queen's Park, Toronto,
M7A 2B7. ❑
Maximizing boar
efficiency
Recent research at the University of
Kentucky indicates that boars have a
major influence on farrowing rate
and litter size.
In one farm study, farrowing rate
varied from 58.8 ger cent to 78.8 per
cent between boars. The top boar had
a farrowing rate of 78.8 per cent.
Single mated sows showed a farrow-
ing rate of 66.7 per cent, while sows
mated twice by the same sire had a
farrowing rate of 73 per cent. Double
mating by different sires increased
rate by a further 1 per cent and also
increased the number of pigs born
alive. Researchers concluded that
double mating with different boars
can overcome some deficiencies in in-
dividual boar fertility.
West German research sheds some
light on the frequency and causes of
fertility problems in young boars. Of
5,071 Landrace boars sold, 3.7 per
cent (187) were returned. Lack of
libido accounted for two-thirds of
those returned. Complaints about
these fertility problems were
registered more often in the hot sum-
mer months than during other
periods of the year. Boars with little
sexual interest were characterized by
a lower backfat thickness.
Key points related to maximizing
boar efficiency still are: one boar to
18 to 20 sows, breed twice at each
estrus, keep good individual boar
records, keep breeding sows and gilts
within the sight, sound, and smell of
mature boars.❑ Jim Dalrymple
OMAF Swine Specialist
Roasted soybeans
as a feed ingredient
Roasted soybeans as a feed ingre-
dient have received a great deal of at-
tention recently. More producers are
roasting and feeding their own soy-
beans to livestock and poultry.
The Ontario Soya -Bean Board is
funding a research trial, by Jim Mor-
ris at Ridgetown College, on the feed
value of roasted soybeans for swine.
A preliminary trial has recently been
completed and the results are now
available.
Morris says that roasted soybeans
can be used effectively in swine diets
when the cash price of soybeans and
soybean meal is favourable. It is im-
portant, he adds, to maintain dietary
protein levels when feeding roasted
soybeans. Pound for pound replace-
ment of soymeal with roasted soy-
beans will reduce the protein content
and nutritional value of the ration.
The trial, now underway, will test a
roasted soybean diet that is higher in
crude protein. Morris suggests that
the high caloric value of roasted soy-
beans may dictate the use of more
protein to feed these beans
economically. ❑
Lesterosa Swine Breeding
Stock
32nd Production Sale
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20
7:30 p.m. at the Farm
LANDRACE, YORKSHIRE, DUROC,
HAMPSHIRE, and CROSSBRED
ROP Tested
To have your name put on our mailing list. please contact:
Dan Lester, R.R. 5. Forest. Ont. NON 1J0
519-786-4286
Lesterosa Modern Star 2687R, Supreme Champion over all
Breeds at the 1984 CNE
NOVEMBER 1985 43