At 04:00 PM 3/17/98 PST, you wrote:
>Steve,
> Thats definately a step in the right direction. Sustainability would be
better served yet
>if the hogs were on pasture spreading there own manure. That would mean a
crop rotation
>including forages for the hogs.
> I really think we are selling ourselves short in the midwest with this
confinement hog industry.
>I've been arguing to no avail that the biggest problem with the
confinement hog industry is the
>economics for individual farms. An investment in a pasture hog operation
ends up with the majority
>of assets in real estate. Last I knew real estate is still considered a
stable investment. Confinement
>operations end up with most of their assets tied up in buildings. Last I
knew they have a definate
>lifetime and aren't easily sold and if sold you can only get pennies on
the dollar. Therefore can't
>we say that pasture livestock operations force us to accumulate
wealth(real estate). If thats the
>case aren't they a more sustainable approach from the stand point of long
term economics? There
>is no doubt in my mind about the long term environmental and social aspects.
>
>Best wishes,
>Greg Gunthorp
>pasture hog farmer
>LaGrange, IN
>
>
>----------
>> Sanet,
>> Saw this today in Succesful Farming Magazine. Its nice to know that some
>> University research supports sustainable ag concepts.
>>
>> Hog manure...still best for corn yields
>>
>> By Rod Fee
>> Livestock Editor
>> Successful Farming
>>
>
>> University of Minnesota has again
>> confirmed hog manure beats commerical fertilizers
>> for boosting corn yields.
>>
>> Manure application rates of 3000-4000
>> gallons of slurry per acre and as high as 6050
>> gallons per acre was compared to
>> commercial fertilizer applied at optimum and
>> non-limiting levels.
>>
>> According to Gyles Randall, U of M
>> researcher, "Corn yields were greater for the
>> manure than commercial fertilizer at six
>> of the seven sites. The average advantage for
>> the spring-applied manure was 10.7 bushels
>> per acre.
>>
>> "In two studies, manure was applied both
>> spring and fall with a 7.5 bushel advantage
>> for fall applied manure, 15 bushel for
>> spring application."
>>
>> --
>> "New Generation Cropping Systems": the cutting edge of sustainable
>> agriculture
>> http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com
>> Steve Groff
>> Cedar Meadow Farm
>> 679 Hilldale Rd
>> Holtwood PA 17532 USA
>> Ph. 717-284-5152
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
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