Welcome to The Agricultural View by Ralph D. Coffman coffman_ralph@yahoo.com

(Scroll down for topics of interest, and click on Past Posts for earlier Issues of the View)


The Agricultural View
March 2011 by Ralph D. Coffman

----------------------------------------------------------
Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board Update:
The Board and committees have met over 80 times since June 1 striving to protect animals and farmers in Ohio. The Ohio Farm Bureau has had a representative at every meeting to fight for and protect farmers. Farm Bureau has not always been pleased with the final decisions of the board. However, the board is being extremely thorough and overall doing a good job. Thankfully, HSUS is not in charge! See: ohiolivestockcarestandardsboard.gov
----------------------------------------------------------

Albert Einstein and Soybeans – see page 2

----------------------------------------------------------

Southeast Ohio Poultry Breeders Association (11th Annual Poultry Show) March 26 (Washington County Fairgrounds) Exhibit Hall Open Friday 25th from 1-10 P.M. and Saturday at 6 A.M. with Judging at 9 A.M.) For exhibit/contract information contact: Wyatt Adelsperger 740-678-2883 1345 Windy Ridge Road Vincent, OH 45784 “Entries must be post marked by March 12” Admission is Free & Everyone is Welcome

----------------------------------------------------------
Teenage Corner – see page 3
--------------------------------------------------------

* 2 Special Requests – see page 6

P-1


Albert Einstein and Soybeans?

In Henry Eyring’s book REFLECTIONS Of A SCIENTIST he shared a funny story about Albert Einstein whom he had spent 13 years with on the faculty at Princeton University. “One day while walking by a garden Henry picked up a soybean plant and asked Albert what the plant was. He didn’t know. Well, I thought what you would have thought: ‘Einstein doesn’t know beans.’ He knew everything else he was just weak on beans.”
Henry Eyring, a farm boy growing up, founded the universally accepted absolute reaction rate formula and authored over 600 scientific books and papers. He was considered a very religious man and was often asked if there was any conflict between science and religion. Henry’s response was, “There is no conflict in the mind of God, but often there is conflict in the mind of man.” Eyring estimated that he had spent about 10 hours personally talking with Einstein. Henry added, “I’d have to classify Einstein as a believer – although Einstein was born a Jew he was not interested in Judaism - he used his belief that God wouldn’t play tricks in getting his general theory of relativity.” Commenting on those who want proof of religion Eyring wrote: “You can’t intellectualize your way to a testimony - there will always be another question beyond the one you have just answered - the same is true in science.”

P-2

Cattle Digestion, Feed, and Appetite
The appetite of cattle depends primarily on how much feed is left in their digestive tract. Animals fed easily digested feed, such as ground corn, have better appetites than animals fed hard-to-digest feeds, such as hay. This is because easily digested feeds pass through the tract more quickly and leave the tract empty. The empty tract stimulates appetite (just like humans).
In a normal ration, below are the times it takes feed to pass through the digestive tract of cattle: Rumen and reticulum (61 hours), Omasum (8 hours), Abomasum (3 hours), Small Intestine (7 hours), and Large Intestine (8 hours) totaling almost 4 days. Also, if the hay quality is extremely poor it will take even longer. It is possible for cattle eating extremely poor quality hay to appear not hungry when they are actually struggling nutritionally. Fresh water, available 24 hours a day, is very important for optimum nutrient digestion - the good health of the entire herd.
----------------------------------------------------------

A Fine Is A Tax For Doing Wrong
A Tax Is A Fine For Doing Well

----------------------------------------------------------

“Teenage Corner”
In communication with others it is important to understand that: 38% of your communication is your Tone, 55% is your Body Language, and 7% of your communication is your Words!

P-3

Cattle Numbers On The Move

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2011, totaled 92.6 million head, 1 percent below January 1, 2010. This is the lowest January 1 inventory of all cattle and calves since the 91.2 million on hand in 1958.
All cows and heifers that have calved, at 40.0 million, were down 1 percent from the 40.5 million on January 1, 2010. Beef cows, at 30.9 million, were down 2 percent from January 1, 2010. Milk cows, at 9.1 million, were up 1 percent from January 1, 2010.
The 2010 calf crop was estimated at 35.7 million head, down 1 percent from 2009. This is the smallest calf crop since the 34.9 million born in 1950. (Ohio AG Net)

----------------------------------------------------------

"Learned Helplessness, and Wild Pigs"

One day a chemistry professor in a large college noticed, while his class was in the lab, a young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt. The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government. In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question, ‘Do you know how to catch wild

P-4

pigs?' The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The youngman said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable placein the woods and putting corn on the ground.’ The pigs find it and begin to come every day to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. Then, the pigs used to the free corn start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the freecorn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

------------------------------------------------------------

NFO Sausage Supper March 10 at 7 P.M.
at Waterford High School. Guest speaker will be State Veterinary and Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board member Tony Forshey Call Debbie Heiss at 740-984-4747. P-5

Mercer’s Gems
Doug has been my teaching mentor and I can’t name the number of times that his advice directly assisted me in the long term success of my Agricultural Education/FFA program (35 years at Fort Frye). His personal council has been invaluable to me as well. I have often heard testimonials from farmers who have been greatly helped by Doug’s (FBPA) advice and counsel - Ralph. *If you would like to send me a statement of gratitude as to how Doug has helped you please mail it to me and I will try to include it in future issues of the View. Please include your name, address, e-mail address and your title or type of operation – be specific and limit words if possible. The real Mercer’s Gems will return in May.

----------------------------------------------------------

Attacks on Farmers Continue – Please stay informed: www.consumerfreedom.com and AFLFoundation.org Remember HSUS is also after Beekeepers, Hunters, Fisherman and those involved with Aquaculture!

----------------------------------------------------------

From the Editor’s Desk
If you think the View is important and/or beneficial – *would you consider sending a statement as to how or why the View is beneficial? I plan to use them to assist in securing additional subscriptions. P- 6

March (2011 Insert Page) The View

----------------------------------------------------------

The advertisers in this issue support The Agricultural View and the promotion of agriculture, however, they may not necessarily agree with every point of view within the newsletter.

----------------------------------------------------------

Witten

Farm Market & Greenhouses

740-984-4009

www.wittenfarm.com

----------------------------------------------------------

Support your local FFA Chapter by becoming a member of the FFA Alumni

Ohio FFA Alumni Association

Contact : Lpoulson@bright.net

or your local AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION/FFA INSTRUCTOR

$15 annual $150 lifetime

----------------------------------------------------------

Congress currently spends nearly five billion dollars a day more than it takes in!

A

National
Farmers

Delivers

Maximum Marketing

Contact: Scott Upton 740-517-2577 (NFO)

----------------------------------------------------------

Getting down to

Agribusiness

Register today!

Washington State Community College

www.wscc.edu

----------------------------------------------------------

For each 10 degree drop in temperature below 30 degrees requires an increase of 13% in energy needs for cattle - be sure to factor in wind chill temperature.

----------------------------------------------------------

*There are many nonfarm unregulated avenues for phosphorus and nitrogen to enter our waterways – including failed septic systems, lawncare fertilizer, and sewage overflows - it’s not all farmers!

B


Newton Insurance
Agency, Inc.

Contact us: http://newtonins.net
Phone: 740-423-5000
Toll Free: 888-266-2603

Our agency and Erie Insurance (founded in 1925) are committed to maintaining a high standard of excellence and establishing a strong relationship of mutual trust and service to each of our clients.

1710 Washington Blvd., Suite A
Belpre, Ohio 45714

----------------------------------------------------------

Send e-mail comments directly to the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board at: livestockstandardsboard@agri.ohio.gov or contact Farm Bureau Rep Dr. Leah C. Dorman at: ldorman@ofbf.org

----------------------------------------------------------

The Grand Lake St. Marys (GLSM) watershed covers 59,160 acres across Mercer and Auglaize areas. On January 18, 2011 it was designated a watershed in distress as defined in Ohio Administrative Code 1501:15-5-20 resulting in major regulation increases for farmers. (see * page B)

C


Scott Hart 35 Ray Harr Road
Owner Beverly, OH 45715

Rainbow c 740-350-2047
International o 740-984-2424
Restoration * Cleaning f 740-984-0424
Independently Owned & Operated Franchise
WATER FIRE SMOKE
24 Hour Emergency Response

Deodorization Insurance claims from start to finish
Carpet, upholstery & drapery cleaning
3M Scotchgard™ treatment
Pet stain & odor removal
Tile, grout & hard-surface cleaning
-------------------------------------------------------

America, primarily due to government regulation and federal judges, has not built any new oil refineries since the 1970’s. Following are the % of gasoline costs: Crude Oil = 43% Refinery = 20% Distribution and Marketing = 9% Taxes = 28%

----------------------------------------------------------

Cattle usually have six to eight rumination periods per day (chewing their cud). A total of 5 to 7 hours are spent in rumination involving 90 to 130 pounds of feed per day.

D

SCHOTT’S REPAIR SERIVCE, INC.

www.schottsrepairservice.com

Dan and Cindy Schott
5503 State Route 821 Whipple, Ohio 45788
740-585-2121
General Mechanic Work Truck Transmission and Rear Ends
4WD Parts and Repair

--------------------------------------------------

Edgell-Jackson Trucking, LLC

370 Gravel Bank Road
Marietta, Ohio 45750
“Serving the USA Since 1977”
53’ Vans and Flatbeds Available
PRESIDENT: MARK EDGELL
Operations Manager: TJ Edgell
Dispatch: Rick Pierce (740-374-2040)
Safety Director: Jo Ann Frame
----------------------------------------------------------

Digestion efficiency of a bale of alfalfa hay:
Cattle = 44% Sheep = 45% Pig = 22%
Horse = 39% (mainly in the cecum)

----------------------------------------------------------

I find it interesting, and alarming, as I hear discussions concerning the huge budget deficits, both state and federal, the most common themes I hear are:
1. Most clearly agree that we have a significant problem!
2. Most also agree that cuts must occur - as long as they do not affect them personally!

E

Homeowner / Farmowner
Moble Home / Renters Insurance
Washington County Farmers Mutual Insurance Association

Rita Wentz - Manager
740-373-5548
435 Third Street Marietta, Ohio

----------------------------------------------------------

Ed Long AAMS*
Financial Advisor

Edward Jones

MAKING SENSE OF INVESTING
468 Pike Street Marietta, Ohio 45750
740-373-5437 ed.long@edwardjones.com
----------------------------------------------------------

Reminder of View Funding Options:
1 calendar year hard copy = $12.00
1 calendar year e-mail copy = $10.00
Ad per Issue = $15.00
Donation = Optional
Ad for 1 calendar year = $60.00

----------------------------------------------------------

4 Fundamentals of Arc Welding:
1. Current Setting
(based upon thickness of metal and diameter of electrode)
2. Speed of Travel (1” of bead per 1” of electrode)
3. Angle of Electrode (tilt 15 degrees in direction of travel)
4. Arc Length (diameter of electrode)

F