Hometown: Ulysses, Pennsylvania My dairy background: My two sisters and I were born the fifth generation of dairy farmers from both sides of my family. Until 2000, we operated an 80-cow freestall. Since that time, we downsized significantly, and now we milk 20 cows and make cheese from the milk. Year in school and area of study: I am a senior at Penn State majoring in animal sciences. If I wasn’t studying agriculture/dairy, I would be ... probably working at my family’s small dairy farm and creamery.

As we approach the end of summer and start scraping the bottom of the silo or pit to feed our dairy herd before the 2011 harvest season begins, we may want to consider the quality of that silage. While last year’s harvest appeared to be cleaner than the previous year’s crop, some producers are finding that after it was all packed and stored away, it wasn’t as safe as it seemed. As the temperature has risen, so have the levels of mold and yeast in our stored feed.

Cattle producers have more options for effective parasite control with Synanthic® (oxfendazole) suspension dewormer back on the market. Now part of the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. family of products, Synanthic is once again available to beef producers.

Norbrook Laboratories, Ltd. announces the introduction of NEW containers for their popular Noromectin Pour-On brand of ivermectin.  The new 5-Liter and 2.5-Liter containers have easy-grip flanges on all sides to facilitate handling and is made of a denser polymer material that improves cap closure.  The new containers will continue to be supplied in a protective carton, with a convenient carrying handle, a webbed backpack strap and applicator cap. Although the packaging for Noromectin Pour-On has changed, cattle producers will still find the same effective treatment for a wide range of internal and external parasites at more economical pricing than other treatment options.  Norbrook expects shipments of the new Noromectin Pour-On container in time for the fall deworming season. Noromectin Pour-On is available from veterinarians and various animal health suppliers.  

Commercial hay producers and large farmers can now create large “extra density” square bales that are more efficient to stack, load, transport and store, thanks to the introduction of the new Hesston® by Massey Ferguson® 2170XD Large Square Baler. To accommodate the additional weight associated with heavier bales, the 2170XD model is built tough with heavy-duty tension cylinders and plunger arms, a heavier fly wheel, and higher-capacity gearbox and driveline to provide the reliable performance producers have come to expect from Hesston. “Since 1978, when we introduced the world’s very first large square baler, Hesston has remained at the forefront of the hay and forage industry,” explains Dean Morrell, product marketing manager for hay and forage. “Each baler we’ve introduced has built on the innovations offered by its predecessor, and pushed the benchmarks for quality and performance higher and higher. The all-new Hesston by Massey Ferguson 2170XD Large Square Baler is no exception, producing a denser bale without compromising the Hesston tradition of proven high-capacity baling.”

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