The Rural Voice, 1979-09, Page 40Personal touch
needed on the farm
The decline of the Agribusiness - the
involvement of huge corporations in farm-
ing - confirms something that the private
fatmer has known all along: If you want to
be successful, .you and your workers
must be willing to do the work, the v.ayit
needs to be done and when it needs to be
done.
Big corporations engage in farming the
way they engage in producing cars or
refrigerators or television sets. If some-
things goes wrong along the way, it can be
corrected at a later stage.
Example: A farmer must plant his corn
by June 10 - in my part of the province. But
if an Agribusiness has a 10 -day strike, and
does not get the seed in until June 20, no
amount of overtime is going to make up the
10 -day loss of time.
Instead, the Agribusiness faces the
prospect of a 10 -day delay in harvesting,
and the attendant frost problems. Farming
is a business with tiny profit margins, and
a 20 per cent crop loss due to frost is a
disaster.
No wonder Greyhound Corp. in the
United States, Boise Cascade and other
large American corporations, have been
anxious to get out of the growing business.
It Is interesting to observe that the Soviet
Union is into Agribusiness in a big way.
Farm workers are "employees" and do
things the "company way." On their
off -time, they are allowed to farm tiny plots
- 1.25 acres - for their own profit.
The result is that the private plots, which
account for only 3 per cent of all cultivated
land in the Soviet Union, produce almost 30
per cent of the food.
Yet big companies have a role to play in
agriculture. They produce the farm mach-
inery, they are gradually taking over the
production of seed, and they have an
armlock on fertilizers and insecticides.
They can probably go no further. Farmer
organizations are gaining control over the
marketing of their output, and govern-
ments are shutting out the big corporate
farmers.
In one case, a U.S. corporation was
feeding 300,000 steers. The U.S. govern-
ment allowed more Argentinian and Aus-
tralian beef to be imported, undercutting
the U.S. price. For every one -cent -a -pound
the price dropped, the corporation lost S3
million. It was soon out of business.
Judging by these events, it looks like the
Canadian family farm will survive and
prosper.
(by Donald Shaughnessy C.A.)
Dedication and T L. C.
help raise large calf crop
Can you wean a 95% calf crop?
Jim Love of R.R. #3, Parkhill, did just
that in 1978. He owns a Hereford herd;
breeding first calf heifers to Aberdeen
Angus. Cows are bred back to Angus.
[questioned Jim as to how he did it. He
said, "You have to be a dedicated cow -calf
man."
He and his son alternate and regularly
check the heifers and cows due to calve.
Every four hours at night and every two
hours during the •day is their schedule.
Other practices Jim follows are:
-an ADE injection four to six weeks prior
to calving.
-ADE injectable, plus Vitamin E and
PG. 36 THE RURAL. VOICE/ SEPTEMBER
selenium to the newborn calf.
-Navel treatment with tincture of iodine.
-Ear tagging.
-Implants with Ralgro at day old.
-Records treatment given.
-Makes notes of unusual calving prob-
lems.
Early calves are born inside or in a dry
lot near the buildings. Later ones are born
on grass. Calf hutches protect the young
calves on cool evenings.
Jim's 1978 weaning weights were not
exceptional. He plans to use a Charolais or
Simmental bull on his cows this season. By
bringing in exotic blood, he feels the cross
will give him heavier weaning weights.
It's important to be ready for calving as
1979
Jim is. The big secret is to be a D.C.C.M.,
i.e., dedicated cow -calf man, as he said,
plus T.L.C., i.e. tender loving care.
You can afford to be more dedicated.
Your reward will be more calves weaned
this fall.
(by Stan Pacquette)
Look
before you leap
Expanding or changing your farm set-up
may not be as easy as it initially seems.
Many chain-link factors should be con-
sidered before any physical rearranging
takes place.
For example, if you would like to double
the number of animals you own, more than
just the amount of space needed may
increase accordingly.
Your feed processing and storage
requirements, machinery needs, water and
electrical supply, and drainage systems
will all be affected as well.
Can the existing acreage support these
changes? Will such changes leave room for
additional expansion?
In some cases, it may be better to
separate the farm property into two sites,
or even move the whole operation else-
where.
Before proceeding with any changes,
check any laws and regulations that may
affect you. Look into zoning, development
and protection laws.
When altering or building new struct-
ures on your property. consider the
drainage pattern of the land. Grade the
area to a proper, functional slope - steep
enough to drain, but level enough to
prevent erosion. Feedlots must be sloped
more steeply.
A machinery storage area should be
levelled, and sites raised before building to
facilitate drainage. Space when planning
should be left for new equipment and for
manoeuvering machines around buildings
comfortably. A large truck needs about a
17 -metre radius to turn.
Buildings should be separated by 30 feet
to prevent the spreading of fires. Those
housing fuels or chemicals must be 60
metres from the house area. Separate
storage should be arranged for fuels,
pesticides and fertilizers to prevent con-
tamination.
Dusty and noisy feed storage areas
should be well away from the house.
Underground electricity can prevent
accidents with machinery. Be sure to mark
the installation areas.
Proper landscaping is both attractive and
practical.
Erect shelters against the prevailing
winds in winter, but allow for summer
winds to produce a cooling effect.