Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-05-06, Page 6Page 6- Wingham Advance.Times, Thursday, May 6, 1865 Tips on Buying Farm Machinery G. S, Moggach Agricultural Engineer Ont. Dept. of Agriculture The problem of efficient farm machinery selection is a very old one. One of the oldest known works of Latin prose, De Agricultura, was written by Cato about 200 B.C. and is filled with advice on farm management and equipment selection. Equipment selection prob- lems of today certainly differ in detail but are strikingly sim- ilar in principle. Considerations of labor, power, and other opera- ting costs were considered then, and of course are of paramount importance today. One question that every farmer should ask himself at least once in his lifetime is; "Why do I buy machinery?" Surely the answer is; "To in- crease my net income" - - the only answer for a responsible business man! However, keeping the farm properly mechanized is often a st GET YOUR MACHINERY i 1 READY FOR SPRINGTIME PLANTING Bring your equipment in to us and we'll fix it so it brings more profits in for you. Here's where you get the best service of all. MASSEY-FERGUSON WE.. SELL FARM MACHINERY DIONE HARVESTERS CHAS, HODGINS MASSEY-FERGUSON SALES & SERVICE WINGHAM - PHONE 357-1440 day -Lea for Cheddar Cheese AT ITS BEST . . ASK FOR GAY -LEA BRAND AT YOUR FAVORITE STORE BULK MILK PICK-UP SERVICE IS AS CLOSE AS YOUR TELEPHONE DIAL 357-3150 FOR THE BEST SERVICE AND SATISFACTION SHIP YOUR MILK, CREAM AND EGGS TO United Dairy and Poultry Co-operative WINGHAM — BLYTH major problem, particularly if plans are not made well in ad- vance. One of the chief rea- sons for this is the heavy dollar investment required. An unex- pected need to replace an ex- pensive piece of equipment can cause a financial hardship in many farm families. The only way to avoid this is to analyse one's present machin- ery inventory, and then to work out a planned machinery replacement program. KNOW YOUR NEEDS To carry out a successful machinery replacement pro- gram, you need to know the number and kinds of machines required to run your farm. Then, when a replacement is neces- sary, consider which of the fol- lowing alternatives will best fit your needs: Buying a new machine; buying a secondhand one; buying one on shareswith a neighbor; hiring the work done by a neighbor or custom opera- tor. Making these decisions will involve comparing the cost of buying, using and owning dif- ferent pieces of machinery. This is really an analysis, and one of the best methods is with a partial budget where both fixed and variable costs are considered. If, for instance, your total cost per acre, as computed by a partial budget, is less than the usual custom rate, it suggests that owning the machine would be profit- able. However, if you are in the position of having limited capital you should consider alternative investments, The idea is to use the money not only where it pays, but where it pays the most. KEEP RECORDS Use a worksheet to analyze your farm machinery needs. This record system will help you decide in advance what machines should be bought or replaced and the proper time to do so. Get into the habit of making this analysis once a year, preferably at income tax time. Analyze your machinery needs on a worksheet with the following columns: Item, Model Acquired, Cost, Present Value, Remaining Years, Replacement (Cost, Year), Trade In Value, Cash or Credit Needed. List each of your machines in column 1. Then write in the model year, the year you bought it, and its cost. Nextt estimate the current value of each machine and the number o.f years you expect it will last. Put down the year you hope to replace each machine. Con- sider the physical condition of each machine, probable repair costs to keep each one running, your need for dependability and efficiency, and how soon you might be able to get an im- proved model, Next, estimate the probable cost of each machine, Use cur- rent prices even though the price may have changed by the time you are ready to replace it. Finally, enter the extra a- mount you would need in cash or credit to buy each new ma- chine or piece of equipment. You will now have all the data needed to help you decide more intelligently how to re- place your farm equipment. Financing new farm mach- inery is easier if you spread your purchases over a period of years. This means planning a- head for important expenditure: Which ones must be made this year? What items can wait a year or two? How does each ex- penditure fit in with your busi- ness and family goals? In the years when you buy no replacements, don't be mis- led into thinking you had no machinery cost. Remember your machinery depreciates in value each year. To estimate this cost, refer to the figures you have entered in the last column of the worksheet. Add up the money needed to pay for replacements you plan to buy in the next five years. Di- vide this total by five to get your annual cost. If you spend less than that amount in any one year, set aside the difference as a re- serve or invest it in some other part of the farm business, How- ever, if you spend this money on something else, remember it is not part of your net farm income. The addition or replace- ment of machines generally results in the need for less la - Bulk Milk Tanks Are Becoming More Popular O. R. IRVINE Agricultural School Kemptville, Ont. More and more farmers who ship to condenseries and cheese factories are installing hulk tanks for cooling and storing their milk. A few years ago, when fluid producers changed to this method of handling, most manufacturing shippers were firmly convinced that it would be a long time before their returns for milk would warrant purchasing such equip- ment. The worthwhile prem- iums offered by many process- ing plants for hulk milk how- ever, are the main reason why IT'S THE SALE PRICE THAI DETERMINES YOUR PROFITS! BE IN STEP TH THE TIMES — ENJOY AN ACTIVE MARKET SALES IEVERY SATURDAY 11:00 OG SALES - 2:00 P.M.—CATTLE SALES WESTERN CATTLE EVERY WEEK — BOB McNAIR, Auctioneer and Sales Manager — Gorrie Livestock Auction GORRIE, ONTARIO - PHONE WROXETER 200 many farmers have installed bulk tanks or are seriouslycon- sidering such a decision. Farmers producing above the average quantity of milk are usually well advised to change to bulk handling, es- pecially if a premium price is obtainable. On a year's pro- duction of say 300, 000 pounds, the ext ra revenue at 20 to 30 cents per hundred would a- mount to from $500,00 to $900.00, These extra returns would soon compensate for the capital outlay in purchasing a tank and building or altering the milk house to accommo- date it. Other advantages in favor of hulk handling include the following; 1. The work of lifting cans in and out of cooling tanks is eliminated. 2. Sticking and spillage of milk are reduced and slightly better tests and weights may he expected, 3. The cost of milk cans is eliminated. 4. Where milk is paid for on a graded basis, better re- turns may be anticipated. 5. No cooling water isneed ed for most bulk tanks. Careful planning is neces- sary to gain all the advantages from a change in milk hand- ling methods, Advice is avail- able from many reliable sources. In particular, one should comply with all provin- cial regulations which apply to such installations, in order to gain approval or to permit changing to higher priced mar- kets should such a market be- come available, Choose Corn Hybrids Carefully BY HOWARD HENRY, Soils and Crops Branch Ont, Dept, of Agriculture Experienced growers know how important it is to look after every detail in growing a good crop of corn. Neglect of even one cultural practice can ruin a crop. Good drainage, fertilization based on soil tests, land preparation, seed treat- ment, early planting, plant population, weed control and, last but certainly not least, early maturing hybrids all are very important. Corn hybrids should be chosen with great care. If a hybrid matures too late for the area in which it is grown and, as a result, freezes in the fall before reaching maturity, the yield of dry matter will be re- duced considerably. Research findings show that corn does not reach maturity until the grain moisture is down to about 35%. If growth is stopped by frost when the grain is 60% moisture (milk stage) only about one-half of the possible dry matter will be obtained. A 15% loss in yield can be expec - ted even if the grain moisture is down to 45% before killing frost. A further advantage of early hybrids is that they more often are ready for harvest be- fore bad weather becomes a problem in the fall. All available information should be used in choosing suitable hybrids. Seed corn companies list their hybrids by numbers or combinations of numbers and letters. It is im- portant to study the character- istics of each hybrid to deter- mine how well it suits a cer- tain area or farm. Maturity, stalk strength, ear height, ear size, ease of picking and dis- ease and insect resistance are all important, but most em- phasis should be placed on ma- bor. How much is this labor worth? The answer depends on several things. If hired labor is released by adding machin- ery it is worth what you pay for it --in other words, the going rate for labor. If your own la- bor is involved, its value de- pends on how you would use it. The use of your time as a mechanic is worth so much, the use of your time to add another enterprise is worth somewhat more, and the use of your time for more leisure has a personal value to you. turity and stalk strength in making the final choice. The standard guide used in choosing hybrids is the annual report of the "Hybrid Corn Per- formance Trials" conducted by the Ontario Corn Committee. This report is available from county offices of the Ontario Department of Agriculture and some seed corn dealers. It pro- vides detailed yield, maturity and stalk strength data from Ontario to use in choosing hy- brids of y-brids.of suitable maturity for individual farms, This publica- tion is a must for the library of all corn growers. s Pinkeye affects cattle of all ages and breeds, though white- faced cattle seem more sweep- v tible than others. It can cause a drop of 25 percent in milk production and rapid loss in weight. HOW TO - FEATHER YOUR BANK ACCOUNT Feed your young flock your own home-grown grains fresh -mixed with profit -proven National Poultry Developer Concentrate ! It's rich in neat meal protein, so it forms a perfect balance with the vegetable nutrients in the grains you supply. Whether you have your own grains or we supply them, we can custom blend the finest fresh -mix you can buy—right here at the mill—using National Concentrate, of course. (P. S. Ask about National's profit -proven Poultry Grower, a complete feed, plain or medicated.) NATIONAL POULTRY DEVELOPER CONCENTRATE A PRODUCT OF CANADIAN INDUSTRIES LIMITED BLUEVALE MILLING CO. LTD., Bluevale THE FORDWICH FEED MILL LTD., Fordwich and Gorrie 8 4 r 4 4 Electric heating means more pigs raised, healthier hogs fed, better return in dollars. Besides its comforting effect, control- led electric heat attracts young pigs away from the sow and danger of being crushed. Low cost electric heating installations will add extra convenience to family living. Ideal for installation in bathrooms, nursery 1 or any area where extra controlled heat is desired. SEE US SOON . . IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS IN REGARDS TO FARM INSTALLATIONS FEEL FREE TO CALL ON US. BURKE ELECTRIC Electrical Contracting and Repairs — Industrial - Commercial - Domestic Motor Rewinding—Motor & Service—Electrical cal Appliances Sales & Service JOSEPHINE STREET WINGHAM PHONE 357-2450