HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-3-20, Page 57:Pk rt
Straw chopper makes feed palatable oe.
from page 21 ,
straw they bale through the combine straw
dropper to help make it more palatable. They
also like to install an auger - blower set up on
the combine to save and bale the draff to
further improve the palatability and feed
value of the wheat straw.
/tfeed the large bales and stacks, the
ans move them to a wind break yard near
the barn and regulate the feeding with an
electric wire. They use those same yards as
calving areas in the spring. The stalks or
straw wasted during the winter feeding, acts
as a good bedding base for the spring.
"We try to keep the cattle in these outside
yams as mudi as possible, as weather
permits, during calving, to avoid disease
problems in the barn, says Ray.
They also have all of the cows calving in
March and April so as not interfere with field
work in May. They spread most of the manure
in August on wheat stubble to avoid the wet
soil conditions and busy time periods in the
arm paper doesn't
r'• fleet reality: OFA
from page 11
for concern, and that, these cold, impersonal
government papers don't reflect the reality in
the country."
He said the OFA will be discussing the
white paper with government and elected
officials soon, and he will be reminding them
all of the statement made by Prime Minister
Mulroney at the recent First Ministers'
Conference. Mulroney said, "I don't know
that there's an area of our national economic
life where there has been a greater
productivity increase in the last 15 years than
Canadian agriculture. I don't know of a sector
that has received less in return in terms of
reward for that individual effort."
spring and fall. The cows usually go to
pasture around mid-May and the two month
breeding season starts about May 24. They
use two Charolais bulls on the mature cows
and two Angus bulls for fust and second calf
heifers.
The Hogans and Howards have started to
practice some rotational grazing and hope to
continue and refine that concept, as it has
improved the carrying capacity of the
pastures. When the pastures become inade-
quate, usually in mid to late September, they
put temporary electric fencing around wheat
stubble fields with under seeded red rover
growth, and let the cows graze them until
corn stalks become available, usually in early
November. The cows graze on corn stalks
until the snow comes.
"I hope I haven't painted such a rosy
picture about our farms that you will think we
are making a fortune," says Ray. "Unfor-
tunately that is not true, as much as I wish it
was. There are still many areas on our farm
that can be improved, however I think I can
honestly say we have been able to. make the
cow -calf and cash crop sectors on our farms
work to mutual benefit."
Ray believes if they were not using Sop
residues for feed and marginal land for
pasture, and if they were not practicing
conservational tillage, they may not have
been able to survive in the fanning business
this long. Beyond just mere financial survival
the cattle and conservation tillage practices
are helping the family conserve the soil on
their farms, Ray observes.
("Cattle have been called the perfect no -till
machines," says Ray. "They not only convert
solar energy to beef, but most of their forage
can be produced on marginal land. In addition
they also come equipped with a stalk chopper
on front and a manure spreader on back. Not
even John Deere could invent a machine like
that."
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