The Rural Voice, 1994-06, Page 56Using your computer
to record
temperatures
Temperature fluctuations in
livestock barns are uncomfortable
and are a major cause of health
problems in livestock. To determine
how much the temperature is
fluctuating, we had used high -low
thermometers but they didn't give the
whole story. Did the temperature rise
and fall gradually between the high
and low readings or did it fluctuate
rapidly? This latter situation is
particularly hard on animals as well
as humans and is a condition we
want to avoid.
To get a better picture of such
changes, there is a new electronic
data logger on the market that is both
inexpensive and easy to use. It's
called thc Hobo temperature logger
and it uses your computer to show a
graph of the temperature changes. To
use one, the logger is first connected
to your computer to "launch" it,
which means telling it how often you
want to take readings. It is then
disconnected and taken to the barn
where it will record up to 1800
readings over the time that you have
specified. You then take it back and
plug it into the computer to download
the data. It will then produce a graph
of the temperatures that have
occurred in the barn.
The logger is about the size of a
match box. The software which
comes with it is very easy to use.
One caution: the graphs are only
generated if you have Windows on
your computer. Otherwise, you will
be given a string of data that you
have to move into a spreadsheet for
further processing.
I would recommend the model
with the external probe and the
optional submersible plastic case to
protect the logger from the barn
environment. The logger (model
HTE 3746), the cable, the software
and thc plastic case cost $196U.S.
plus handling and shipping. Contact
Onset Computers, Pocassett, Mass.
-- telephone 508-563-9000 for more
information.
by Franklin Kains
Swine Housing Specialist
52 THE RURAL VOICE
Advice
The Do's and
Don't's of leasing
In the course of my work I
often get questions about leasing
land and buildings. Sometimes I
see the results of rental
transactions that were not put on
paper and are now being disputed
by the parties involved. How
much should I charge or pay is
another common question.
Here are some do's and
don't's of renting assets that I
recommend.
• Do have a rental agreement on
paper. The expression "I have a
good memory ... it's just short"
applies here. Two people often
remember very different parts of
a conversation 10 months down
the road. A written agreement is
a must.
• Don't assume, as a landlord,
that you will get a rent that
covers all the costs you incur as
the owner of that asset.
Especially with buildings, a
landlord cannot usually negotiate
a rental rate that covers the
interest on capital invested,
depreciation and all other costs.
Generally, the rental reflects
taxes, insurance, hydro and other
operating costs. However, local
demand or lack of demand can
influence the price that the
landlord can charge.
•Do spell out the details of your
rental agreement. An agreement
should cover specifics such as:
(1) maintenance; (2) insurance;
(3) traffic to and from the
property; (4) feed and bedding
(for livestock buildings); (5)
manure and clean-up; (6) utilities
(water, hydro and phone); and (7)
alterations.
•Don't rent an asset (as a tenant)
unless you can pencil out a
return. Sometimes land rented for
growing crops for livestock is
better left unrented since
purchasing feed is cheaper. Make
sure you have Thought through all
the alternatives.°
by Rob Gamble
Business Management Advisor
Broadcasting
wheat into
soybeans this fall?
Seeding winter wheat into a
growing soybean crop in early
September has been a common
practice for many years now. It
has proven to be pretty reliable,
particularly as boom spreaders
have replace the airplane.
I have some concerns with this
system where soybeans have
been no -tilled into corn residue,
because a slug buildup can
threaten the wheat. Once over the
last 15 years, a dry September,
early -October resulted in slow
and late germination of the
wheat, but by and large, it is a
good practice.
However, I have seen some
situations this spring that remind
me that you have to plan ahead to
avoid serious problems with this
system.
First, you need to get
perennial weeds, especially
quackgrass, under control either
before soybeans are planted or in
the soybean crop. If the soybean
crop is planted into a field with
low to moderate levels of
quackgrass, this weed may not
seriously threaten soybean yield.
However, it can increase
steadily, and there is no tillage
between soybeans and wheat to
set back the quackgrass. It can
increase to the point where it is a
major threat to the wheat by the
following spring. There are two
chances to take out the
quackgrass — before seeding
soybeans, using Roundup; or in
the soybean crop with a post -
emergence herbicide such as
Assure. Since we cannot take
quackgrass out of wheat, it has to
be controlled before seeding to
avoid serious yield competition.
Broadleafs such as dandelions
can also be a problem, but at
least we can take take them out
of the wheat crop.
Another area that needs to be
considered is soil fertility, and