The Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-12-21, Page 35N I'
FARM
Dairymen cartsave
money on their herds
Ontario dairy
producers who want to
save money can start by
reducing calving in-
tervals in their herds.
The average calving
interval of Ontario dairy
herds is between 13 and 14
months — one or two
months longer than
recommended, according
to Dennis McKnight, a
lecturer at the Kemp-
tville College of
Agricultural Technology.
Under current market
conditions, it costs
producers $1 to $1.60 per
cow for each day con-
ception is delayed more
than 80 days after
calving. There are ap-
proximately 600,000 dairy
cows in Ontario. For the
dairy industry as a whole,
the potential savings
range from $600,000 to
$900,000 for every day the
interval is sh rtened.
"Reducin the calving
interval t kes time,"
says McKnight.
"However, most of the
problems of poor
reproductive, per-
formance can be traced
to missed heats and low
conception rates."
In studies carried out
by the University of
Guelph and funded by the
Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food, 25
percent of the cows
showed heat from 6 p.m.
to midnight. Another 43
percent showed heat
from midnight to 6 a.m.
Research indicates that
two to four checks each
day will improve heat
detection from 60 percent
to almost 100 percent.
McKnight says that early
Merry
hristmas
to all g
ri
g farm g
families
Wintering cows_
inside is tricky
Spending the wThter enough to maintain body
outdoors may be better condition, but that the
Mr beef cows' than pe'it-"`^be§'t"hay should be given
ding it in a warm'barn. to the younger cows. He
"Cattle kept outdoors recommends separating
are generally healthier two and three-year-old
and cleaner than cattle heifers from the' mature
kept in the humid, cows, because the
overcrowded conditions younger cows require
indoors," says Ralph more nutrients. Also,
Macartney, Ontario exotic crosses may
Ministry of Agriculture require more feed than
and Food beef cattle the domestic breeds.
specialist. "If the animals are fed
Animals must receive hay, they will get
proper care and attention adequate protein but use
to survive winter con- salt -free mineral sup -
di tions, however. plements with low
Adequate feed is calcium, high phosphorus
essential. content and vitamins A
"In the southern parts and D," he says.
of Western Canada, cattle Cattle can withstand
roam the rangelands very low temperatures
during the winter," says and heavy precipitation,
Macartney. "They can but they need a wind -
find adequate feed break for protection from
because of the low the wind.
snowfall. Ontario beef Keeping cattle outdoors
producers, however, eliminates the need for
must rely on stored feed bedd1 g and manure
because of heavy handling. Feed will have
snowfall." - to be taken to the
Macartney says that all animals, however, so the
mature, pregnant, dry wintering area should be
cows should be fed - in an accessible location.
Farmers' ....
• From page 10B
management.
Ms. Lee Allison,
journalist and public
relations specialist for
the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture ' and Food,
will present an in-
teresting challenge to
today's farm women:
public relations for the
family farm. Ms. Allison
will discuss simple and
effective publicity
techniques which can
work to the benefit not
only of farm groups and
agencies, but also of the
individual farming
businesses.
The second half of the
women's program in-
volves management of
the home, and will con-
centrate on today's high
interest in wood heat. A
major contribution will
be a non-technical
examination of wood
heating by the O.M.A.I~ .
energy management
specialist, Helmut
Spieser.. Spieser Will
describe the various
stove types and will
clarify the purpose and
usefulness of stove
baffles, d'olvn»drafts and
air -tight chambers. Also
on display will be models
of various stoves, heaters
and chimney types.
Morning sessions in-
clude speakers on
management topics such
as the values of farm
incorporation and
spousal partnerships,
annuities and in-
vestments, calculating
input costs for 1979,
planning rograms and
several topics on grain
and corn marketing.
This year's program
marks a major step
toward recognizing and
servicing the important
functions played by farm
women in agricultural
management. All women
are urged to participate.
There will be op-
portunities to discuss
specific questionsand
local problems. Lunch ism
available at the college
cafeteria and plenty of
free parking is assured,
The complete Partners'
Week program is
avalable from offices of"
the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food or
from the college.
heat detection, together
with timely and double
insemination, if possible,
will improve conception
rates.
"Checking the cows
before going to bed, first
thing in the morning, and
again at noon, will help
producers catch the cows
in heat," says McKnight
whQ recommends using a
21 -day calendar to record
early heats. These
calendars can also be
used to aid in pregnancy
checking. Calendars are
available from Ontario
Artificial Insemination
(A.I.) units.
Another possible
method of reducing
calving interval is to
breed cows earlier.
Starting to breed cows 40
days after calving, in-
stead of 60 days, has no
detrimental effects, and
will reduce the number of
days open by 15 to 20
days.
Some cows will not
cycle after calving.
McKnight says keeping
proper records will help
producers detect these
cases. These cows should
be checked and treated
by a veterinarian.
Poor conception rates
can sometimes be caused
by physiological
problems that require
veterinary attention. In
many cases, however,
poor conception rates are
caused by a lack of
energy, or by an im-
balance of minerals such
as phosphorus, calcium
and trace elements.
OMMB
report
• From page 10B
quota period, MSQ
utilization is down 9.96
per cent compared to the
same period in the
previous year.
The payment per-
centage in the Southern
Ontario Group I Pool'was
77.01 per cent. This
compares to 81.36 per
cent in October, 1977, and
80.14 per cent in Sep-
tember 1978. The
decrease from that of a
year ago is due to the
increase in Group I Pool
quota shipments being
greater than the increase
in Class 1 sales.
For the third con-
secutive month, sales of
fluid milk on an adjusted
for sales days basis are'
up over the same month a
year earlier. October 1978
sales were 1.8 per cent
higher than October 1977
and the cumulative sales
on an adjusted for sales
days basis for the first ten.
months of the year are up
0.9 per cent.
Although the . Board
regrets that Lorene Arch-
dekin has resigned from
the OMMB, the Board is
pleased to report that
Miss Angelina Stokman
has been appointed as her
replacement in the
position of Supervisor of
the Ontario Dairy
Princess Program.
Angelina comes from a
dairy farm background in
Wellington County.
Angelina is welcome to
the Board staff who look
forward to working with
her in the future.
The Board's annual
meeting is being held
January 10 and 11, 1979 at
the Royal York Hotel in
Toronto. Highlights will
include the chairman's
address, a major
discussion period on the
national dairy situation,
and an address by the
Honourable Eugene
Whelan, Minister of
Agriculture.
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture reports that
accumulated milk
production to the end of
October, 1978, in the U.S.
is one per, cent below the
production for the first 10
months of the previous
year.
GODFRICH SIG NAl;..-STAR,'TUU1B,SDAY, DFCTMBER 21, 1978:,PAGE 1B
61.
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