Mo Farms May 2016

R.E.A.P. what you sow

May 2016

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Know your nozzles

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Farm Safety page 6

Pipestone System page 10

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Featured Story

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R.E.A.P. what you sow: How the USDA Can Invest In Your Rural Community Story by Dennis Gonnerman Agriculture Reporter

In small town America, there is a saying that rural farmers and small business owners alike use and live by: “A hard day’s work means a good night’s sleep.”

Unfortunately, there is an exception to every rule, and the exception to this rule is the economy. The trend of rising prices for goods and services is still challenging as the value of the dollar is not following suit. Point blank, a worker’s hard-earned money is not going as far as it used to. Farms and small rural businesses, though, have a possible solution to keep their operations thriving.

It’s called R.E.A.P., and all rural small businesses and agricultural producers in the surrounding community are eligible.

Nathan Tutt, business program specialist for Missouri’s USDA office of Rural Development, has worked to ensure that both rural agricultural producers and small business owners are aware of the benefits to using this program. The Rural Energy for America Program — or R.E.A.P. — has not only helped many rural families, but the full amount allocated for R.E.A.P. has been exhausted each year since he took control of the position in 2012.

In 2015, $2 million worth of grant money funded 85 different projects across the state.

As far as energy efficiency, any project that saves energy is eligible. The following are a few of the ways in which the R.E.A.P. program can help: lighting, ventilation, irrigation equipment, supermarket refrigeration systems and grain dryers are all acceptable.

Renewable energy applications can include geothermal heating and cooling, small or large wind turbines, and solar energy systems, passive or active. If you have been thinking of doing any of the above, then now is the time to apply.

While the amount available this spring is not as large — roughly $700,000 — it is still important to apply. When applying for R.E.A.P., there are a few things that one should understand. There are three different options as far as the program is concerned.

One could apply for either a grant, a loan, or a combination of the two.

The grants are competitive in nature, and will be actively considered for two to five funding cycles, depending upon the total cost of the project proposed.

Once approved for a grant or loan, there is a twoyear deadline in which the project will need to be completed. Grants will cover up to 25 percent of the total project cost, and the deadline for this spring is May 2.

Loans are guaranteed up to 85 percent of the total project cost, even if applying for both loan and grant. All guaranteed loan applications are also reviewed on a monthly basis. Prior to submitting an R.E.A.P. application, the applicant will need to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and register it in the Systems for Awards Management.

Remember; R.E.A.P. is an “apply before you buy” program, so don't count your chickens before they've hatched. Ensure that you've been awarded the loan and/or grant before purchasing anything.

For the hard working farmer or businessperson who currently has no time to sit down and take care of all the paperwork involved, the USDA also offers

references for grant writers who have success in obtaining grant funds, and recently at that. Remember to document all work carefully so you can also take part in the benefits local and government agencies offer. For example, when installing renewable energy, Kansas City Power and Light offers its customers 50 cents for every kilowatt installed for solar power and the federal government gives a 30 percent tax benefit, as well. There are two different coverages in the area, so KCP&L customers can call their local KCP&L office to learn if the incentive can still be utilized.

If you are a small rural business or farming operation that has needs, contact your local representative about upgrading your operations. For northern Missouri, contact Steve Gerrish in Moberly at 660-2637400 ext 4. For the state representative, contact Nathan Tutt at 573-876-9327. For those who apply and are approved, they can rest assured they’re projects will be funded and focus more on planting season, when the days are early and the night are long.

Century Farm Applications due May 1

By Trish Savage MU EXTENSION FINANCIAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST

If a farm has been owned by a family for one hundred consecutive years as of Dec. 31, 2016, it meets one of the criteria for being recognized in the University of Missouri Century Farm Program. For those families who are interested, applications are due May 1.

Other guidelines for being designated a Century farm includes: an application on file, the line of ownership from the original settler or buyer may be through children, grandchildren, siblings, or nephews or nieces, including through marriage or adoption, the present farm shall consist of no less than 40 acres of the original land and shall make a financial contribution to the overall farm income.

Applications are available through May 16

from the MU Extension office in your county or from the University of Missouri Extension Publications in Columbia. If you apply by May 1, a fee of $65 is required for each approved farm.

Applications mailed between May 1 and May 16 will pay an additional $10 (or $75). Submit completed application, order form and a check made payable to University of Missouri–Century Farms for the total amount on your order form. Application materials may be mailed to the University of Missouri Extension Publications, 2800 Maguire Blvd. Room E1, Columbia, MO 65211, or to the Extension office in the county where your farm is located. Applications must be postmarked by May 16, 2016. Late applications cannot be accepted. For more in-

formation, call toll-free 1-800-292-0969 or email extpubs@missouri.edu.

The Century Farms program was established in 1985, and is sponsored by University of Missouri Extension and the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at University of Missouri.

It's all about the slime: Building living soil

by David Trinklein ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HORTICULTURE, MU EXTENSION

A single teaspoon of living soil can contain billions of bacteria, protozoa and fungi. When those soil microbes do what they do best—feed, reproduce and live—they produce mucilage or biofilm, which are nice words for slime.

That slime is absolutely necessary to build good soil structure and maintain living soil.

“A slimelike mucilage is secreted by microbes when they break down organic matter. This substance cements tiny soil particles into larger ones,” said David Trinklein, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. “The result is porous soil, which is important for good root growth.”

That porous soil serves another important purpose.

It lets air reach the root zone.

“We forget that there is an atmosphere below the surface of the ground,” Trinklein said. “And we forget the fact that a plant’s root system, just as its shoot system, needs oxygen.”

Along the way, the decomposition process creates a highly complex organic substance called humus. “‘Humus’ is a word that should be emblazoned upon every gardener’s mind,” Trinklein said. “‘Hummus’ is what we eat. Humus—one ‘m’—is a gardener’s best friend.”

Humus is the dark material that forms when organic matter decays. It feels spongy when wet but loose and crumbly when dry. Humus helps soil drainage even though it can hold a lot of water. It’s also a good source

of plant nutrients.

The addition of organic materials is required to turn soil into humus. There are many sources of organic material. Peat humus is very well-decomposed peat moss.

It’s an excellent soil amendment but it can be a bit pricey, Trinklein said. Or you can add compost, provided that it’s herbicide-free. This would be the least expensive soil amendment because it can be made from collected grass clippings and leaves from your yard.

“One good management practice is to incorporate into garden soil about 4 inches of well-decomposed organic matter, to a depth of 8-12 inches, each and every time you work the soil in the spring,” he said.

You’ll know the soil structure is in good shape when it can pass the water drainage test: Dig a hole 12 inches deep, fill it with water and let it drain overnight. Then fill it again with water. The first filling saturates the soil; the second filling measures how fast the water drains.

“Ideally, soil should drain at the rate of about 2 inches per hour. Therefore, it should take six hours for the hole to drain the second time,” Trinklein said.

Once you amend for soil structure, it’s time to turn to soil fertility. This requires a soil test.

The soil needs adequate amounts of certain essential mineral elements for plants to flourish. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur are all macroelements that are needed in fairly large quantities.

“A soil test will give us the current nutritional status and provide recommendations on how to improve it,” Trinklein said.

A soil test will also provide information on the soil’s pH. This

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is a measurement of the acidity or basicity of the soil.

The test will indicate if you need to add lime or sulfur to adjust the pH. Most garden plants grow best within a pH range 6.2 to 6.8.

By turning your attention to the overall health of the soil, you’ll increase the odds of enjoying gardening success, Trinklein said. Adding organic matter year after year eventually results in what gardeners call “black gold”—a dark, living soil that holds moisture and nutrients but still drains well.

The following MU Extension publications are available for free download: “Improving Lawn and Landscape Soils” (G6955), http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G6955.

“Interpreting Missouri Soil Test Reports” (G9112), http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G9112.

MU Extension’s Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory provides soil testing for a nominal fee. For more information, contact your local MU Extension center or go to SoilPlantLab.missouri.edu.

EMAIL: TRINKLEIND@MISSOURI.EDU

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John’s Jargon Q. A. Soil organic matter has several important roles. Those reported by the University of Minnesota as examples include chelating nutrients, enabling soils to hold more nutrients, enhancing soil water-holding capacity, minimizing soil moisture evaporation, discouraging erosion and compaction and serving as a food source for soil microbial life and other organisms. Ultimately, by maximizing soil organic matter levels, producers can drive yields higher and minimize input expenses.

The humic acid in Dinosaur Dirt improves soil structure by portioning the soil into smaller particles. This structural change creates a supportive environment for soil microbial life. It also improves soil aeration and water and nutrient retention. Soil microbes are important as they stimulate plant and root growth, enable crops to manage stresses, solubilize nutrients and offer protection from pathogens. Soils that retain water well encourage plant resilience during dry or drought-like conditions.

Relative to humic acid, fulvic acid supplied through a Dinosaur Dirt application has a smaller particle size, and it interacts with root surfaces and pores. Ultimately, exposing roots to fulvic acid enhances nutrient uptake. Plants that absorb more nutrients produce healthier crops.

Field crop producers may have recently started considering humic and fulvic acid applications, but the organic, greenhouse and horticulture sectors have already adopted the practice in many cases, according a publication from Iowa State University. In a row crop setting, the university explains that humic acid and fulvic acid applications at the appropriate rate may encourage plant growth, promote root development and enable plants to access and absorb nutrients.

Specifically, Dinosaur Dirt applications can improve the soil and growing environment by supporting better water retention; enhancing phosphorus, sul-

Condition Soil to Optimize Organic Matter Levels

Bio: John Oritz is the BigYeald.us general manager.

He has more than a decade of farming and resaearch experiance. Contact him at johno@agteampro.com, or he can be rached by phone at 816-773-6018 I invite you to eamil us with your questions about biologicals.

by John Ortiz BASIC SOLUTIONS REASEARCH

Soil serves as the foundation for growing plants. Conditioning it and optimizing soil health can pay dividends because healthy soil creates conditions for producing high-yielding, high-quality crops.

We at BigYield.us recently introduced a soil conditioner made from humic and fulvic acids. Named Dinosaur Dirt, the product originates from naturally occurring oxidized coal that is high in humified organic matter and low in impurities. Coal deposits used to make Dinosaur Dirt formed as organic matter decayed millions of years ago.

In an agricultural context, the humic and fulvic acids found in Dinosaur Dirt play distinct yet complementary roles for conditioning the soil and enhancing plant health.

Together, humic and fulvic acids contribute organic matter, which improves soil composition and plant productivity.

Missouri Farms A monthly publication of The Marshall Democrat-News and The Concordian Publisher – Randy List Editor – Sarah Reed Concordian Democrat-News Editorial Dennis Gonnerman Lucas Johnson Design Bretta Gerlt Rayleen Sylvester

fur and nitrogen uptake; and optimizing nitrogen retention.

Realizing these benefits hinges on appropriately applying Dinosaur Dirt. Dinosaur Dirt is available as a spreadable solid or a soluble powder that can be mixed with a liquid and sprayed. When applying Dinosaur Dirt as a spreadable solid, we at BigYield.us suggest applying 100 pounds per acre to 400 pounds per acre annually.

The specific recommendation will depend on the soil's baseline condition. A soil's appearance and color can help growers to gauge current humic and fulvic acid content of their soils. Darker soils tend to contain more humates, and they would require less extensive Dinosaur Dirt applications. Soils that would benefit most from Dinosaur Dirt being applied are those that have a low cation exchange capacity, high pH, high bicarbonates level or sandy characteristics.

Supplementing organic matter and humic and fulvic acids to such soils would improve their productivity capabilities.

Producers using Dinosaur Dirt will begin to see results in the first year. However, the product's soil-building effects are cumulative. In other words, soil health will gradually improve over time when crop fertility programs continue conditioning the soil. Additionally, data have supported that humic and fulvic acid supplementation can be a key feature of high-yielding crop programs.

To learn more about improving soil conditions or using Dinosaur Dirt, call me at 816-773-6018.

News/Editorial Email MOFarmsNews@gmail.com Advertising Sales Susan Duvall Wanda Witthar Joaquin Cubero Sarah Mueller Advertising/Sales Email MoFarmsAds@gmail.com 660-886-8198 Mailing Address Marshall Democrat-News PO Box 100 121 N. Lafayette Ave Marshall, MO 65340-0100 Office Hours 7:30 AM – 5 PM Monday-Friday Websites www.marshallnews.com www.theconcordianonline.com Mail Subscription Rate $25 per year

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Equipment Review

Know your spray nozzle vocabulary

by Jodie Wehrspann farmindustrynews.com

Mark Glady, regional agronomist for Winfield, teaches clinics on sprayer technology and how to be a better applicator. Nozzle selection is an important part of that because different nozzles produce different droplet sizes, and to optimize herbicide efficacy, different nozzles should be used with different herbicide applications.

Glady says you need to select the nozzle that produces the droplet size called for on the label of the crop-protection product you are spraying. The challenge is that labels can be hard to read. That’s where Glady’s clinic comes in.

In a previous installment of our Sprayer Tech series, Glady demonstrated three spray nozzles—one that makes small droplets, one that makes medium and one that makes large droplets. Here’re a cheat sheet you can hang up in your shop that reviews the vocabulary of what each nozzle is and the coverage it provides.

Flat fan nozzle: This nozzle produces small droplets, which are good for coverage but have a higher potential for drift, Glady says. Drift happens when fine spray particles move off-target and land where they are not intended to, never reaching the weed. Glady Flat fan nozzle says flat fan nozzles can be a good choice for applying post-emergence contact herbicides such as Cobra, Flexstar, or Avalanche Ultra, which require complete coverage that small droplets can provide. Using adjuvants and Interlock can decrease some of those small fines, but still provide excellent coverage.

Air induction (AI) nozzle

Air induction (AI) nozzle. This nozzle is at the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to droplet size and spray coverage,

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Glady says. “It produces larger or coarser droplets relative to the flat fan, which is great for drift reduction, but you sacrifice coverage,” he says. “It is not a good choice for herbicides that need to cover or paint the leaf surface in order to be effective.”

Air induction extended range (AIXR): “Extended range” refers to a wider range of pressures you Air induction can operate the nozzle. The nozextended range zle produces medium-size (AIXR) droplets, resulting in slightly better coverage than the AI and with less drift than that of the flat fan nozzle. “I would never recommend using one nozzle for all herbicides, but this nozzle splits the difference between nozzles that make small droplets for coverage and nozzles that make large droplets for drift control,” Glady says.

In the next installment of our Sprayer Tech series, Glady will cover which nozzle works best for the chemical products and brands you are spraying.

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Farm Safety

Safety Fact Sheet Contrary to the popular image of fresh air and peaceful surroundings, a farm is not a hazard-free work setting. Every year, thousands of farm workers are injured and hundreds more die in farming accidents. According to the National Safety Council, agriculture is the most hazardous industry in the nation.

Health and Safety Hazards on Farms Farm workers—including farm families and migrant workers—are exposed to hazards such as the following: chemicals/pesticides, cold, dust, electricity, grain bins, hand tools, highway traffic, lifting, livestock handling, machinery/equipment, manure pits, mud, noise, ponds, silos, slips/trips/falls, sun/heat, toxic gases, tractors, wells, high risk factors on farms.

The following factors may increase risk of injury or illness for farm workers: •Age – injury rates are highest among children age 15 and under and adults over 65.

• Equipment and machinery – most farm accidents and fatalities involve machinery. Proper machine guarding and doing equipment maintenance according to manufacturers’ recommendations can help prevent accidents.

• Protective equipment – using protective equipment, such as seat belts on tractors, and personal protective equipment, such as safetygloves, coveralls, boots, hats, aprons, goggles and face shields could significantly reduce farming injuries.

• Medical care – hospitals and emergency medical care are typically not readily accessible in rural areas near farms.

How You Can Improve Farm Safety You can start by increasing your awareness of farming hazards and making a conscious effort to prepare for emergency situations including fires, vehicle accidents, electrical shocks from equipment and wires, and chemical exposures. Be especially alert to hazards that may affect children and the elderly. Minimize hazards by carefully selecting the products you buy to ensure that you provide good tools and equipment. Always use seat belts when operating tractors, and establish and maintain good housekeeping practices.

Here are some other steps you can take to reduce illnesses and injuries on

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the farm: • Read and follow instructions in equipment operator’s manuals and on product labels.

• Inspect equipment routinely for problems that may cause accidents.

• Discuss safety hazards and emergency procedures with your workers.

• Install approved rollover protective structures, protective enclosures, or protective frames on tractors.

• Make sure that guards on farm equipment are replaced after maintenance.

• Review and follow instructions in material safety data sheets and on labels that come with chemical products and communicate information on these hazards to your workers.

• Take precautions to prevent entrapment and suffocation caused by unstable surfaces of grain storage bins, silos, or hoppers. Never “walk the grain.”

• Be aware that methane gas, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide can form in unventilated grain silos and manure pits and can suffocate or poison workers or explode.

• Take advantage of safety equipment, such as bypass starter covers, power take-off master shields, and slow-moving vehicle emblems.

The Benefits of Improved Safety and Health Practices Better safety and health practices reduce worker fatalities, injuries, and illnesses as well as associated costs such as workers’ compensation insurance premiums, lost production, and medical expenses. A safer and more healthful workplace improves morale and productivity.

Additional Information on Safety and Health For more information about farm safety, visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov tions, the National Safety Council at www.nsc.org, the Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov and the Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov.

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Farm Safety Safe electricity reminds farmers to keep safety top of mind

by Kyla Kruse, kekruse@illinois.edu

Farming is a dangerous job. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers in the top 10 civilian occupations with high fatal work injury rates. One of the hazards faced by farm workers is contact with electrical equipment. Safe Electricity encourages farmers to keep safety top of mind this planting season. By doing some planning and following safety procedures, the risk of having an accident involving electricity can be greatly reduced.

“One critical part of safety around electricity is awareness,” explains Kyla Kruse, communications director of the Safe Electricity program. “It’s important to remember that farm machinery is vulnerable to hitting power lines because of its large size, height, and extensions. Being aware of the location of overhead power lines and planning a safe equipment route can help reduce accidents.”

In equipment with auto-guidance systems, less focus is needed on steering, which may lead some drivers to think that they do not need to be as aware of navigation issues. However, even while using a GPS with automatic steering, farm workers need to keep safety in mind and stay focused on their surroundings.

Putting safety first requires alertness, focus, and knowledge of potential hazards and appropriate safety steps. Varying pass-to-pass accuracy levels and potential issues, such as power poles not being correctly plotted in the system, reinforce the need for drivers to stay focused on the location of the tractor and its equipment while in the field and to be ready to take action themselves if necessary.

D emoc rat-News for complete, indepth information on local

Regardless of what technology is used on the farm, keep the following electrical safety guidelines in mind: Use a spotter when operating large machinery near lines. A driver’s vantage point from the cab may not be sufficient.

Keep equipment at least 10 feet from lines—at all times, in all directions.

Look up and use care when raising any equipment such as ladders, front-end loaders, or augers.

Inspect the height of the farm equipment to determine clearance.

Always remember to lower extensions to the lowest setting when moving loads.

Never attempt to move a power line out of the way or raise it for clearance.

If a power line is sagging or low, contact the utility.

If equipment does make contact with a power line, do not leave the cab. Immediately call 911, warn others to stay away, and wait for the utility crew to cut the power.

The only reason to exit equipment that has come into contact with overhead lines is if the equipment is on fire, which is very rare. However, if this is the case, jump off the equipment with feet together and without touching the ground and vehicle at the same time. Still keeping feet together, hop to safety as you leave the area.

“When equipment has made contact with a power line, it is critical to know what to do,” Kruse adds. “Not knowing the proper procedures can result in serious injury or even death.”

For more information on electrical safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.

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missouri farms

Weather

May Outlooks

Temperatures

Precipitation

Soil Temperature

Soil Moisture

Weather Forcast

For today, snow will gradually end from west to east across the Great Lakes region, while showers and thunderstorms will sweep into the eastern U.S. Rain will end by Friday along the Atlantic Seaboard, except for lingering showers across the lower Southeast.

Meanwhile, a new storm will drift southeastward, producing high- elevation snow from the Washington Cascades to the Colorado Rockies. During the weekend, generally light precipitation should occur across the nation’s mid-section, including the southern Plains. Cold air trailing the second storm could result in weekend temperatures below 30°F as far south as northernmost Texas. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for March 29 – April 2 calls for the likelihood of near- to above-normal temperatures across the eastern half of the U.S. and in the Pacific Northwest, while colder-than-normal conditions can be expected across the remainder of the West. Meanwhile, near- to above-normal precipitation in most of the country should contrast with drier-thannormal weather across the southern High Plains, northern California, and the Pacific Northwest.

Midwest Bulletin

The storm responsible for last week’s torrential rainfall and flooding in the South weakened and moved into the Midwestern and Eastern States. Lingering rainfall totaled an inch or more in portions of the Gulf Coast region. Despite the return of drier weather, significant flooding persisted from easternmost Texas to the Mississippi Delta, as water drained from creeks and bayous into larger rivers. Later, the focus for heavy precipitation shifted into the upper Midwest, where totals in excess of 2 inches caused local flooding, especially in Wisconsin. In addition, wet, wind driven snow blanketed portions of the upper Great Lakes region.

Almanac

Marshall

Sweet Springs

Markets Crop Progress

Farmers made good progress planting corn last week. Temperatures averaged 50.3 degrees, 0.5 degrees below normal.

Precipitation averaged 0.28 inches statewide, 0.46 inches below normal.

There were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending April 10. Topsoil moisture supply was rated 4 percent very short, 14 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supply was rated 4 percent very short, 14 percent short, 79 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Corn planting was 24 percent complete, 21 percentage points ahead of last year and 14 percentage points ahead the 5-year average. Winter wheat condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Pasture condition was rated 7 percent poor, 55 percent fair, 37 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Spring tillage is 48 percent complete com- pared to 12 percent for the 5-year average.

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Livestock Summary

Receipts:2710 Week Ago: 4539 Year Ago: 3358 Compared to last week, feeders mostly 3.00 to 10.00 lower few spots 5.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower.

FEEDER STEERS: Medium and Large 1

300-400 lbs 400-500 lbs.

500-600 lbs.

600-700 lbs.

700-800 lbs.

188.00-227.00 181.00-219.50 171.00-203.50 160.25-179.75 147.00-165.00

300-400 lbs.

400-500 lbs.

500-600 lbs.

600-700 lbs.

700-800 lbs.

162.00-193.00 152.00-182.50 141.00-175.00 140.25-168.50 124.50-144.75

FEEDER HEIFERS: Medium and Large 1

SLAUGHTER BULLS: Yield Grade 1-2 10952185 lbs 90.00- 99.00, high dressing 99.00-104.50, low dressing 77.00-92.00 SLAUGHTER COWS: Break- ing and Boning (70-85% lean) 70.00-81.00. Lean (85-90%) 63.5071.00

COW & CALF PAIRS: Scarce REPLACEMENT COWS: Me- dium and Large 1-2 3-7 yrs 1010-1455 lbs 2nd to 3rd stage 1220.00-1575.00 per head

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New hog facility hosts open house

the farm.

“A little pig bug in a farm this size can create a lot of work for the employees and make a lot of pigs sick and cost investors a lot of money as well so we do everything we can to keep the pigs as healthy as we can,” Randeris said. “All the processes and the technology these barns (have) is designed around that.”

The farm also has laundry facilities the employees will use and moving through the break/lunch room Randeris continued to elaborate on the details of the facility noting it will employ 14 full-time staff and four part-time staff, with Pipestone Regional Director Jon Randeris guides a tour-group through possibilities of internships one of the housing barns that will hold sows waiting to give birth and and extra help as needed in those yet to be artificially inseminated. (Lucas Johnson/Democrat-News) the future.

Moving into the farrowing barn, which houses 18 farrowing rooms, Randeris Story by Lucas Johnson went over the details of the room’s design and funcStaff Writer tion.

Pipestone Regional Director Jon Randeris guides a “This is where the mama pigs will come to have tour-group through one of the housing barns that will their babies,” Randeris said. “Mamma will be housed hold sows waiting to give birth and those yet to be arti- in the center maternity stall, it is designed to keep her ficially inseminated. kind of in a controlled stance.”

A new hog facility has been under construction Her further noted the design of the stall restricts the north of Slater and will soon house thousands of swine pig to stand straight up and lye straight down to prewithin the farm. vent the mother from accidentally harming the piglets.

The Pipestone System hosted an open house of “This is a unique design of our pins,” Randeris said. the facility Friday, April 8, to go over the layout of the “Some of these older mama sows, they tend to want to farm and to answer any questions visitors may have. just flop down if they’ve got room to do it, and it doesn’t The event featured tours through each stage of the farm and was divided into groups of a dozen or so.

Pipestone Regional Director Jon Randeris guided one JUSTIN SCHUSTER group through and on the way explained the details of Multi-Line Agent the farm beginning with the layout of the facility.

Beginning the tour where supplies will one day be (660) 886-7458 delivered, Randeris stressed the importance of keepjustin.schuster@mofb.com ing a sterile environment to prevent the spread of disease or other contamination. Known as the disinfectant room, Randeris explained this room is where the facility will receive all its supplies for use of the farm. The employees will also be required to take We’ve got Missouri covered. showers, leaving their personal clothes in the check in area and dawning their work attire to be worn only on AUTO HOME LIFE

matter who’s underneath her when she does it. The design kind of makes her lay down in a controlled way, and gives babies a chance to get over into the creep areas so they don’t get crushed.”

The air in the farrowing rooms is vented through the ceilings and is filtered as well as maintained at roughly 70 degrees throughout the year. Randeris said the feeding devices at the front of the stall are designed to five the sow all the feed she wants and noted. The rooms house 52 units in a room and 936 in the barn and approximately 240 sows will have piglets every week which will be shipped out at 20-25 days old. On average sows will give birth to 14-16 piglets just over two times a year.

Randeris said the facility’s floors, which have small slits where drops through keep the facility and pigs relatively clean. The waste is then washed away in the water filled pit that sits below the floors where the pigs will stand.

When is comes time for the pigs to be shipped off, the piglets will be moved into a loading area where the doors will be shut off from the rest of the farm to prevent outside contamination from harming the herd inside.

Once the tour of the facility was completed each guide took time to answered questions from the group and noted open house event such as this are among the steps they like to take when installing a new facility.

Randeris noted in keeping with the policy of contaminant reduction, that once they do receive pigs the facility would remain closed to non-approved personnel.

Contact Lucas Johnson at ljohnson@marshallnews.com

WEATHERIZATION The purpose of Weatherization is to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by qualified persons; particularly elderly people with disabilities and families with children. The program helps homes by insuring the health and safety of families and by reducing their utility costs.

Weatherization measures may include installing insulation in attics and walls, air-sealing like caulking, and weather-stripping.

Weatherization provides long-term solutions to energy problems; improved health and safety conditions, increased comfort for the occupants, reduction of homelessness, and extended lifetime of affordable housing. Call for more information Caroll County 660-542-0418 Chariton Cotunty 660-548-3155 Johnson County 660-747-2245 Lafayette County 660-584-3131 Pettis County 660-826-0804 Ray County 816-776-6057 Saline County 660-831-0498

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To place your Classified Ad

660-886-2233

farm equipment

1345 Heston Disc Mower Conditioner, hydro swing, swivel hitch, exc. cond. 641208-3540 4630 75 20.8x38 70% rear wts 7600 hrs. 4030 D, Open station, Dule Hyd, New paint, 7500 hrs, excellent tires, $11,000 EA. 641-7579626 6R Rawson/Unverferth strip till, mrkrs, 1000-g, Raven 440, DF, exc! $9,500. 319936-6364 8 1/2 yd Garfield dirt scraper push off, clean! $17,900; others avail. 641-990-3581

Case IH MXM 175 MFWD project, wts, duals. $30,000.

800-284-3001 CIH 315, '13, MFWD, AT Ready, 50's, 1015 hrs, $122,500. 217-4300837

CIH 9150, 4x4 12 spd PS, PTO, QH, 4 outlets, 42" tires w/duals @ 80%, 6700 hrs, $34,000.

51' MacFarland Harrow, $15,000. 660-542-0317 Ford 8N, Super C, H w/belly mowers. 2, 4, 6 row JD plate planters. NI or JD 1, 2, 3R corn pkrs 712-299-6608 Pmry

farm equipment

JD 4955 mint cond. 5761 hrs rebuilt trans, new tires & dls 18.4x42 rear, full wts, located in IA. $59,000.

847-815-0404

Large selection of new, used & reblt tractor parts, IH, JD, MM, MH, AC, Oliver & others. We ship daily. 217-370-1149

Kinze 3650, '08, 16R30" row clnrs & coulter combo $38,500/OBO; JD 8420T, '04, 4000 h., $55,000/OBO. 608-6044876

Meridian 240 Seed Tenders, 2016, w/options. 319-4704077 Miller GL25 Loader, 8' & 8.5' bucket & bale spear, CIH 51 or 52 series Maxim mts, like new, $10,500. 712470-5387

New 3pt tillers, heavy duty, gear driven: 6' $1650; 7' $2150; 8' $2650; 9' $3650; 10' $4150; 12' $5350.

Tillers/seeders available.

660-874-4455 Phoenix H-17 rolling harrow, 52' $12,500/OBO. 319-430-0463

450 W. Boyd St., Marshall, MO

660-886-9775

farm equipment

Rogator 1274 C, '05, 1200 gal tank, 100' booms, auto hgt & swath. $49,500. 641-3731896 SS saddle tanks, 600 gal, to fit JD track tractor. $2,500.

515-341-3188

JG 5525N & Loader, MFD, C/A $22,500. 800284-3001

livestock

red angus yearling bulls ultrasound data, semen tested & guaranteed.

Delivery available. Hein Cattle Co. 402-719-4389

livestock

Spring calving cows 42 young cows bred to reg. blk Angus, Vet checked 1 month ago, all 3rd stage. $2,200. 816-848-2924

tractors

Steiger Panther 1000 '87, PS recent OH, auto steer, good cond. $36K OBO. 44' 980 field cult. $11K. 515-320-3634

White 2-135 '77, 5100 hrs, cab air, axle mt dls, 1 owner, srvc records, exc! 319-643-2429

trailer

Dakota Hopper Bottom trailer, 2013, $24,500. 563249-7411

truck-semi

'03 Freightliner, Century auto shift, 430hp 940,000 miles, exc. condi. $14,900. 641-373-1896

Peterbuilt 379 day cab '07 (2) Peterbilt 388 day cab '08 (2) pusher axle. All low mi. Call for spec & price. 563249-7411

polled hereford bulls - good disp., perf. data avail., free del. Galen Krieg, 217-7435382, 309-299-5695

Reg Limousin & Lim Flex bulls, 1-2 years old, blk or red, polled, AI sired, gd disposition, low to mod birth rates, exc growth, perf & semen tested, free del, Schrock Cattle Co, 660988-1163 Polled shorthorn bulls & hfrs, exc genetics, reasonably priced. 217-7371023

SCHUSTER INSURANCE

Robyn Leimkuehler,

Home • Farm • Auto • Life Health • Commercial • Crop Insurance

robyn@lisllc.biz www.lisllc.biz

202 Main, Blackwater 660-846-2521 • 1-800-850-4106 Fax 660-846-2111

Owner

FAX: 660-831-1277

12

mi sso ur i fa r ms

Construction Equipment Rentals and Sales

We Rent and Sell New and Used Equipment at our 754 East Young, Warrensburg location.

We offer inexpensive financing w.a.c. and extended warranty options.

Check us out at www.UnitedRentals.com Come by and see us or call Dan at 660-909-3493 today!

¹Offer ends May 2, 2016. Subject to approved installment credit with John Deere Financial, some restrictions apply, so see your dealer for complete details and other financing options. Available at participating dealers. Offer is available only on new equipment and only at participating United States dealers; prices, models and savings may vary by dealer and are in U.S. dollars. 25-year PowerGard™ Protection Plan is in addition to the John Deere factory warranty for a total term of 5 years and may be purchased on any new Compact Tractor or 5 Family Utility Tractor. Available only at participating John Deere dealers; see dealer for details and terms and conditions.

See terms and conditions for exclusions and limitations for this optional coverage. 3Available only on new 625 and 630 Mower-Conditioners and only at participating United States dealers. Prices, models, and savings may vary by dealer and are in U.S. dollars. 4Manufacturer’s estimate of power (ISO) per 97/68/EC.