Notes from Dave Mattocks

November & December 2015
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Fertrell Celebrates 70 Years
Notes from Dave Mattocks
Parents - What Are You Doing?
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s you read this, the year 2015 has slipped
away. For many, 2015 will leave behind it
a lot of memories,some good and some not so
good. From these memories we will make plans
for the year 2016 with renewed energy and hopes
for improvement.
Samples should have been taken prior to now
for soils and feeds if you are feeding animals for
production. We can never neglect opportunities
to learn about soil life and structure. Nor can
we neglect our livestock, whose needs change as
they mature.
Mineralization of soils and animals continues
to be very important for all life forms. For many
years we have lived off the reserves in the soils.
Reaching new levels of production is so dependent on having sufficient nutrients available to
finish the crops. Many times we lose bushels of
crops or pounds of production due to mineral
shortage.
Natural feed and fertilizers have become the
best sources for maximum production. Their efforts to supply minerals from processed sources
have fallen short of meeting the need. Fertrell has
worked hard to meet these needs for many years.
Their research for better products continues. We
believe in good, better, best for our products.
The acceptance of natural products continues
to grow each year. Large producers as well as
small ones are making the transition from con-
Thanksgiving and Christmas
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A
ventional methods to natural methods of growing. Admittedly, there are challenges for those
making the move, and it can be overwhelming
at times.
But in the years of my experiences, never before
have there been such good incentives for producers to make their move. There are many resources
available to assist this transition from conventional to natural. The employees of Fertrell are
highly qualified to help you make good choices.
There are many who do not have your best interest in mind when offering advice. The best
approach is to ask questions. If whoever you are
consulting with suggests that natural and organic
is a passing fancy, be gracious and excuse yourself.
Certifiers can be a good source of information as
to what is and is not acceptable.
In a world that is racing madly along, one needs
to stop and consider their destiny. Very few ever
think this life has an ending. The wise man will
remember his Creator and prepare to meet him.
Ecclesiastes 12:1” Remember now thy Creator
in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come
not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say,
I have not pleasure in them.”
James 1:5, 6 “If any man lack wisdom, let him
ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But,
let him ask in faith, nothing wavering…”
Turkeys
Spring Garden Tips
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Home Gardener Recommendations
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Magnesium - All about Balance
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Shipping Notes
Pre-Season Tips
Production News
Featured product – Weedban
Internship Opening
Mobile Chicken Pens for Pastured
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Chickens
Attention AWA Certified Farmers
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Sheep Mineral Premixes
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January and February Special
Marketplace
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2016 Winter Meetings
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HPAI Emergency Response
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Tips from the Front
Questions & Answers
Does Least Cost Formulation
Save Farmers Any Money?
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Fertrell Celebrates 70 Years
Company History, 1946–2015
The Organic Development Company came
into existence in 1946. The company was
formed to provide an alternative to commercial
blends of salt and acid based fertilizers. Mr. John
Johnson had determined that his roses were not
meeting his expectations: their endurance and
fragrance were falling short of his standards.
As a result, The Organic Development Company was formed in Fullerton, Maryland, in
Mr. Johnson’s garage. He determined that by
mixing plant, animal, and mineral compounds
that his roses attained maximum performance.
The Fertrell Company is the oldest producer
of organic fertilizers in the United States. Their
reputation for quality and service is second to
none. The growth in organic production over
the past 70 years have helped the company continue to grow.
The Organic Development Company relocated to the present site at Bainbridge, PA in 1961.
Liquid fertilizers were added to the company’s
offerings in that year.
Rufus Miller became sales manager for Mr.
Johnson and began developing sales in the farming community, particularly among Amish and
Mennonite farmers who have long appreciated
the value of organic fertilizers. Much of our
growth can be attributed to word-of-mouth
advertising within the farming and gardening
communities.
In 1973, following the death of Mr. Johnson,
the company name became The Natural Development Company. The name changed again
in 1975 to The Fertrell Company. The name
Fertrell is derived from parts of the words:
Fertilizer — FER; Trace Minerals — TR; and
Elements — EL.
The Nutri Balancer feed line came into existence in 1974, when soil tests revealed shortages
of nutrients in local farm land.
Late in 1990, Mr. Miller decided to offer the
company for sale. Three of Fertrell’s employees, Dennis Nygaard, Reuben Gantz and David
Mattocks, came together and purchased Mr.
Miller’s stock and the ownership of The Fertrell
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Company.
In 1996, under the direction of Mr. Jack
Robinette, the Fertrell Co. introduced Poultry
Nutri Balancer. Jeff Mattocks, then-Company
Vice President and nutritionist, has successfully
promoted this product across the United States.
Dennis Nygaard retired in 1996, and Reuben
Gantz retired in 2000. David Mattocks continues as the chairman of board of Fertrell.
Fertrell’s Livestock and Poultry Supplements
Fertrell’s vitamin mineral premixes came into
existence in 1974 after our existing fertilizer
customers urged the owners of Fertrell to make
livestock supplements. It was also recognized
that forages and feeds no longer contained
enough nutrients to sustain modern, high production breed performance, making the need
for balanced, organic and natural vitamins and
minerals all the greater.
Fertrell Nutri Balancers contain a blend of
microbials, kelp meal, trace minerals and the
highest quality macro minerals available on the
market.
Our mission is to promote your animals’
health so that they can perform at their fullest potential. It is our guarantee to you that
we will continue to use high quality inputs to
manufacture our livestock, poultry and specialty supplements.
Fertilizers and Soil Conditioners
Fertrell fertilizers are biological plant foods,
formulated to provide “time released” nutrients
for your crops throughout the entire growing
season. Fertrell plant foods are a unique combination of products which feed both plants
and soil microorganisms. Fertrell fertilizers
provide all the essential elements necessary for
high-yield crop production and soil management. At Fertrell, we have recognized that the
soil is a living organism — a vital and valuable
resource. Our products encourage a living, well
balanced soil.
The development of Fertrell products represents years of research. We provide a complete
organic and natural product in one package - a
plant food and soil conditioner that stimulates
and builds the soil while supplying the necessary nutrients for plant growth. Our goal is to
advance sustainable agriculture with a strong
commitment to profitable farming, healthy soils
and optimal production.
Fertrell Fertilizers
Fertrell fertilizers are natural and organic
blends that provide the elements required to
build a healthy and productive soil. Through
the action of soil microbes, Fertrell fertilizers
provide plants with a complete ration of nourishment during their growing season. By using
Fertrell fertilizers you are helping to ensure crop
quality as well as crop productivity.
Fertrell fertilizers are a balanced plant food
and soil conditioner that provide both macroand micro nutrients to facilitate optimal growth.
Fertrell products have a lasting effect with ingredients that release nutrients throughout the
growing season, stimulating plant growth and
soil life. Our products help your soils to become
richer by:
• Feeding soil microbes
• Supplying trace elements
• Stimulating humus production
Fertrell uses only the highest quality ingredients available. Our blends are produced to
meet the needs of our customers. The basis of
our products are animal and vegetable proteins
and mined minerals, including blends of kelp,
fish, feather and crab meals, sulfate of potash,
and greensand, among others.
We support certified organic, natural, biological, and sustainably-minded farmers and
produce products according to their needs and
specifications. Sustainable agriculture is our passion and expertise.
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Parents - What Are You
Doing? By Don Brubaker
For the most part, it is every parent’s dream
for one or all of their children to follow in their
footsteps. Whether it is actual farming or an allied industry, we need to support and encourage
our children to be true to themselves. We all
have a family heritage that is important to most,
if not all of us. Keeping our faith, culture and
ways can be difficult in this day and age, but as
parents we need to work at it daily to prevent it
from getting away from us. I was just visiting
a family yesterday that is struggling with the
knowledge that the Sunday newspaper being
delivered to their Amish neighbors. A year or
so ago I was talking with one of my customers about family and the importance of staying
positive about things that are happening around
them. So that is where I would like to go with
this article. As parents, we need to encourage,
be positive and look to the future for ways that
we can direct our families to be true to our
heritage and faith.
Back in October I had the privilege to attend
the NODPA meeting in Pavilion, NY. They had
a panel discussion with young farmers: some
already owned land, some were renting, some
were in partnership with their parents, and some
were working on dairy farms with the dream
of owning one someday. The moderator of the
panel discussion came up with these five pointers for parents and owners of farms to take home
and work at to improve the future of the family
farm in their home towns.
Passion
Do you complain about the farm in front of
your children, or do you stay positive with them,
airing any frustrations only in private to your
husband or wife? If all your children hear is the
negative side, whether it’s the bills, bad prices
or the weather, why would they want to return
to the farm? From the start, children need to
understand that the farm is the greatest place
to grow up, work, and raise a family - just like
mom and dad did.
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Fun
Whether you’re milking at 5 am on a Monday
morning or baling hay on a 100-degree day in
July, make it fun. Find time to play ball, go on
a hike, play a board game, go fishing or swimming. Do you get the picture? Have fun with
your spouse and children. Make some memories
that they will never forget. My parents provided
me and my brothers and sisters with the greatest
place to grow up, and I thank them for that.
Passion
Why are you a farmer today? Is it because it’s
what mom and dad did, or do you have a real
passion for the work (or “career” as some call it
today)? I remember telling my mom that it is a
great honor to be a farmer - to feed the world.
Our children need to know why we do what we
do with a passion that they will never forget.
Education/Training
Many times when I am on a farm visit, the
children there want to be present while things
are discussed, but often Dad or Mom sends
them off on a chore. I think they may want to
be there to learn so I would encourage you to let
them stay and listen to the conversation. They
may pick up on something that you did not hear.
Take time to talk about what each of you heard
over chores. Our children may be able to give
some great insight on what they heard. Take
your children along to farm meetings and educational events, and see what information they
come home with. I believe that doing this will
help them that they are a very important part of
the farm. Ask their opinion on how to do something and listen - maybe even walk through the
idea with them, and implement it on the farm.
This will give them a lot of confidence that they
too can also farm someday.
Reinvestment
How many of us are using worn out equipment that is always breaking? Make a list
throughout the year, fire up the wood stove,
and fix the equipment together with the kids
this winter. What a great time to talk, learn
and teach your children a thing or two. Instead
of sending your children off the farm,consider
enlisting their help as you add an enterprise or
two to the farm without buying more land. I
think it was Joel Salatin that coined the phrase
of stacking enterprises on the same land. This
is one way to share land, equipment and labor
resources without going more deeply into debt.
Technology
Now this word scares a lot of farmers. What
do you mean - do you think we should buy a
robot to milk the cows?? Are you crazy? This is a
tough one - I went through it with my dad, and
he won. That is not to say that he was wrong; in
the long run he was right, and I am thankful
for his wisdom. You know what technology is
okay for you, so embrace it. Don’t be afraid of
it - your children aren’t.
Communication
This one should probably be at the top of the
list. Talk to each other. Talk to your spouse, talk
with your children. But even more importantly,
listen. Listen to every word. Something may be
said that is very important. So when it is all said
and done, communication is most important.
So remember be even better at listening than
at trying to get your own point across. Life will
go a whole lot better for you, your family and
all those future generations that are relying on
you to get it right now.
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Thanksgiving & Christmas
(Turkeys) by: Casey Rogers
As many of our readers are aware, I have a turkey trial this fall that involves giving one group
of turkeys all of my ‘love and attention’ and the
other group just the minimal amount required
for proper care. This article is titled “Thanksgiving & Christmas” because that’s what we
nicknamed the turkey groups. The group that
gets my attention is “Thanksgiving” because
they looked like they would be ready in time
for Thanksgiving by their size when they were
in the brooder, while the other group was nicknamed “Christmas” because they were so much
smaller. While I don’t have the results of the trial
just yet (check the next newsletter for that), I do
have a piece of the trial that I’m really struggling
with. These birds have become like pets to me.
They get excited to see me, and I them. I don’t
mind giving up hours of my weekends to come
take care of them, and I usually end up spending
more time with them than I need to. I worry
about them, and I have a constant smile on my
face when I’m with them. Every day I sit in the
“Thanksgiving” pen, and all the turkeys crowd
around me for hugs and belly rubs (no joke- they
really like belly rubs). It’s become the highlight
of my day. And in a few weeks, I’m going to
walk them all to their deaths.
I know that the processing of livestock and
poultry is a natural part of farming, but I’m
still struggling with the notion that what’s
best for them is to kill them. I understand that
these birds are made for food. I have processed
birds so many times before, including my own
broilers, and this emotional struggle has never
been present. Soon enough there will be snow
on the ground, which would give them frostbite on their feet. And the risk of their waterers
freezing increases exponentially, which would
be very unhealthy for them. And selfishly, I’d
really like my weekends back. But all of those
things keep getting shoved to the back of my
head when I think about losing them so soon.
Most farmers would probably laugh at me for
being so upset about this, but I have to imagine
that I’m not the first person who has struggled
with the emotional reality of raising livestock
and poultry for meat.
I’ve been trying to mentally prepare for the
upcoming processing day by focusing more on
why this is a positive than a negative. And by
the time this newsletter comes out, Thanksgiving will have already passed and so this whole
emotional mess will be over. But I promised
myself when I started these trials that I would
be honest with everyone about what’s going on,
and this has been the biggest issue for the last
several weeks.
My life lesson so far is this: Sometimes what
you tell others to do is much easier than when
you have to do it yourself. I walk folks through
the slaughter process all the time, and it’s never
an issue. There are no emotions when I’m talking about processing other animals, so why are
there when I’m thinking about processing mine?
Perhaps running a field trial that involved me
getting emotionally attached to these turkeys
wasn’t the smartest of decisions when it comes to
raising turkeys for the first time, but the experience has been eye-opening. And I know that in
the future I will have much more sympathy for
those with reservations about processing their
animals, as I have finally walked in their shoes.
I am enjoying every day I have left with them,
and I intend to put on a brave face when the
processing day finally comes, because I have
participants who are counting on me to teach
them how to do this and do it well. And I will.
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Shipping Notes:
Jeremiah 29:11-12 “For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you, saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you
an expected end. Then shall you call on Me,
and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will
harken unto you.” KJV
Reminder: Due to month-end inventory,
there will be NO SHIPPING OR RECEIVING ON THE LAST BUSINESS DAY OF
EACH MONTH. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and greatly appreciate
you cooperation. We will make every effort to
get orders out prior in order to avoid delays of
product deliveries.
Winter shipping ~ winter weather is here! Here
are a few things to keep in mind when placing
your orders and preparing to receive them.
Plan ahead… Although our order turnaround
time is quicker now than in the spring, we do not
have any control over the weather patterns that
may delay our incoming commodities and the
shipping of your Fertrell products, both of which
can cause delivery delays for your products.
Remember to keep the way clear into where
your products will be delivered. Delivery drivers, not Fertrell, will determine whether your
products can be delivered safely in and out of
your facility, and if not, redelivery charges will be
incurred (which are very costly and are not negotiable with the freight companies for reduction).
Thanks so much in advance for your help
in continuing to make your shipments go as
smoothly as possible.
Pre-Season Tips – by Monica
Pape
Attend Fertrell meetings in your area.
Now is the time to review your last soil recommendations and think about placing your fertilizer order with your local Fertrell representative.
Raised beds – Check your raised beds for necessary repairs: repair bowed boards or place new
stakes.
Veggies – Check trellises for needed repairs or
replacements. Cover new seedlings when frost
is in the forecast
Weeds – Pull spring weeds early and apply mulch
or ground cover to bare areas.
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Flowers – Divide perennials. Plant bulbs and
transfer crocuses, hyacinths, etc. from (house)
pots to flower beds.
Lawns – Rake your lawn for fall debris and remove dead grass. Re-seed bare spots, taking care
to watch the time frame if WeedBan has been
or will be applied.
Trees & shrubs – Prune your trees before buds
break to bloom. Transplant shrubs before they
sprout leaves. Moist soil will make it less stressful
for the plant.
Production News - by Paul
Douglass
As we enter 2016, we are sad to announce the
end of an era for the Fertrell Company and our
fertilizer blends. With the arrival of the New
Year comes the end of Greensand. The mine
that has provided Greensand from New Jersey
is transferring ownership but not the mining
permit. Greensand will not be allowed to be removed from the mine from that time forward.
Fertrell’s Greensand sales for last year have exceeded the remaining supply. There will be no
further Greensand sales, and it will be replaced
in all of our blends.
We have researched available options to replace
Greensand in our blends, and the first material
we are bringing in will be Zeolite. Zeolite is an
aluminum silicate with similar cation exchange
and soil conditioning properties as Greensand.
Zeolite is a light green crushed rock of a consistent particle size that will help the blends
it is used in flow through the spreader more
smoothly.
We will be able to continue production of
Green Potash and Soil Mineralizer with its use.
We are also evaluating a calcium silicate product
and other sources of trace minerals for future
addition to our fertilizer blends to maintain/
improve the results we have all come to expect
from Fertrell’s fertilizer blends.
Though we may never be able to find a product with the exact properties that the potassium
silicate gluconate clay we called Greensand provided, we will continue to pursue any and all
inputs with the potential to improve Fertrell’s
fertilizer blends and the production success we
demand. We are confident that we can maintain
or improve our products and will seek any and
all feedback that will help us achieve that goal.
For those who are interested, below are some
of the benefits of the Zeolite product we will be
introducing.
Zeolite has the ability to loosely hold cation
nutrients such as calcium, potassium, ammonium nitrogen and others in a way that is available to growing plants. It also conditions the soil,
improving water and nutrient-holding capacity
as well as loosening heavy clay soils. It has a significant amount of surface area, approximately
270 square feet of surface area per gram, which
allows it to hold up to 55% of its weight in water
as well as to absorb ammonia from manures,
aiding in odor and nutrient control. Given these
properties and more, we are excited to incorporate this new material into our products and to
put it to work on your farms!
Spring Garden Tips- by
Monica Pape
Making the right choice on fertilizers is not as restricting, perhaps, as one might think. However,
we do suggest the use of soil tests when possible.
Some general recommendations are as follows:
Root crops do well with potassium and phosphorus blends, with potassium being most influential. Fertrell recommends Blue K 2-2-4 Plus or
Super K 3-4-7, or Green Potash 0-0-15.
Crops fruiting above ground will use nitrogen
and phosphorus. Fertrell recommends Gold SS
2-4-2, Super N 4-2-4 or Blue N 5-1-1.
Vine crops will most often favor similar blends
to those fruiting above ground.
When large amounts of manures are used, we
recommend our Blue N 5-1-1.
For newcomers to gardening and lawn care, or
as a general purpose blend, we recommend the
Gold SS 2-4-2 or Super N 4-2-4. These blends
will meet a broad list of plant needs.
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Fertrell Home Gardener Recommendations
Alfalfa Meal 3-1-2
Vegetables
Application Rate
Frequency
7 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.
Spring
work into soil
Super Plant Food 3-2-3
Lawns
20 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.
Spring/fall
Vegetables
10 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.
Planting
Berry Mix 4-2-4
Strawberries, brambles,
blackberries, grapes,
blueberries, gooseberries,
currants, elderberries
Application Rate
Frequency
2 lbs per 100 sq.ft.
Spring or Fall
6 oz per plant or 2 ⁄ 3 cup
3 oz per plant or 1 ⁄ 3 cup
Spring
After each bloom cycle
Rose Food 4-2-4
Roses
Sidedress
5 lbs per 100 ft row
2 in. high
House plants
1 tbsp per 3”pot
1 tsp per additional 1 inch
Every 3 months
Every 3 months
Potting soil
7–8 oz per 4 qts
Soil Mix
Lawns
10 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.
Spring/Fall
Strawberries
5 lbs per 100 sq. ft.
2-3 lbs per 100 sq. ft.
When Planting
Fall
Vegetables
10 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.
Planting
Fruits
5 lbs per 1” diameter of tree
Spring and/or Fall
Flowers
5 lbs per 100 sq. ft.
Spring/Fall
Roses
½ lb small bush
¼ lb small bush
Spring
After bloom
Azaleas & evergreen
½ lb small bush
Spring/Fall
Bulbs
½ cup/hole mixed into soil
Planting
Jersey Greensand
Tomato Grower 3-4-7
Traditional gardening
Container gardening
Earth Friendly All Purpose 5-5-3
Lawns
15 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.
Spring or Fall
Vegetables
10 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.
Sidedress 5 lbs per 100 ft. row
Planting
2 in. high
House plants
1 tbsp per 3”pot
1 tsp per additional 1 inch
Every 3 months
Every 3 months
Potting soil
6–7 oz per 4 qts Soil Mix
Strawberries
2 lbs per 100 sq. ft.
2–3 lbs per 100 sq. ft.
Planting
The following Spring
Flowers
2 lbs per 100 sq. ft.
Spring or Fall
Roses
½ lb small bush
After bloom
Azaleas & evergreen
½ lb small bush
Spring
Bulbs
½ cup per hole mixed in soil
Planting
Hollies, dogwoods,
azaleas, gardenias,
marigolds, ferns
1 lb per small Tree or shrub
Spring and Fall
Hydrangeas,
rhodendrons,
pachysandras
4–6 oz per flowering plant
Spring
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1½ lbs per 10 ft. of row or
⁄ cup per plant
At planting, repeat
during the middle of
the growing season
4” pot — ¼ cup
6” pot — ½ cup
12”pot — 2 ⁄ 3 cup
Apply in the spring and
during the middle of
the growing season
Vegetable Blend 5-3-4
Traditional gardening
Container gardening
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1½ lbs per 10 ft. of row or
⁄ cup per plant
At planting, repeat
during the middle of
the growing season
4” pot — ¼ cup
6” pot — ½ cup
12”pot — 2 ⁄ 3 cup
Apply in the spring and
during the middle of
the growing season
Note: I cup = 8 oz or ½ pound
Holly Care 4-6-4
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Magnesium - It's All about
Balance - by Dan Dalton
With so much of a focus on nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium, it can be easy to
forget about the other essential plant nutrients.
Magnesium is a perfect example; it plays an important role in soil, plant, and animal health, but
is frequently overlooked unless it has become unbalanced. Let’s look more deeply at this mineral
that is essential to proper soil balance.
Magnesium is the fourth most common element on Earth and makes up about thirteen
percent of the planet’s mass. Much of the magnesium in the soil is locked up in various insoluble
forms that are not available to plants. Through
various chemical, physical, and biological weathering processes, magnesium is made soluble, at
which point it tends to become attached to the
soil colloid and is plant available. The magnesium ion occupies 50% more space on the clay
particle surface than calcium, which tends to
weaken the stability of soil aggregates. This often
leads to high magnesium soils being “tight” and
prone to hard surface crusts when they dry out.
Magnesium is important for numerous plant
functions, especially photosynthesis, where is
makes up the central atom in the chlorophyll
molecule. It is also important for carrying phosphorus through the plant, synthesizing sugars,
controlling nutrient uptake, utilizing iron, and
nitrogen fixation in legumes. Many crops show
better performance with adequate magnesium
levels, including: alfalfa, blueberries, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, clover, corn,
cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, onion, pepper,
potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, squash, tobacco,
tomato and watermelon.
The availability of magnesium in the soil depends on the total amount in the soil and its
parent material, as well as the texture of the soil.
Course-textured, well-drained (sandy) soils have
lower magnesium content than those that are
fine-textured, and poorly drained. Soils with
low pH have decreased magnesium availability,
while the opposite is true at a high pH. The
major cations are all in competition with each
other in the soil. This means that soils high in
potassium or calcium typically provide less magnesium to crops.
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Through the years there has been a lot of
discussion about balancing calcium and magnesium to find the right amount of each in the
soil. We know that this balance plays a role in
soil texture, pH, and nutrient availability. However it is important to have the right quantity
of these nutrients in the correct proportion to
each other. Calcium can range from 400 to
6,000 pounds per acre with a base saturation
of 70 to 75 percent, and magnesium can range
from 40 to 800 pounds per acre with a base
saturation of 10 to 15 percent depending on
your soil type. When a sufficient quantity of
calcium and magnesium are in the soil, we like
to balance them at a ratio of 8:1. Through years
of experience, this seems to be the sweet spot
for good soil function and crop productivity.
Regular soil testing will tell you if your soils
are low in magnesium. Crops that are deficient
in magnesium typically have a pale green color,
especially on their lower leaves, eventually leading to interveinal chlorosis in the older growth.
Some crops also display leaf margins that curve
upwards or turn red-brown or purple in color.
Magnesium-deficient forages can cause grass
tetany in ruminants, particularly in lactating
cows. This is often most pronounced on highly
fertilized pastures, particularly those fertilized
with too much potassium, during the cool seasons. According to Fertrell’s staff animal nutritionist Casey Rogers, the deficiency causes
inadequate extracellular fluid magnesium. Low
magnesium in the bloodstream means that
muscles cannot work properly, and the animals
end up suffocating. Most farmers do not know
there is a problem before their animals start
to die. Grass tetany can be avoided by grazing less susceptible animals (Steers, heifers, dry
cows, and cows with calves over 4 months old)
on high risk pastures, by providing adequate
magnesium to be consumed before animals go
out to pasture, and/or through managing potassium and magnesium in pastures.
In addition to managing soil pH and other
major cations, magnesium can be added to the
soil. The three primary sources we recommend
are dolomitic/high-magnesium lime, sulfate of
potash magnesia (Sul-Po-Mag) and magnesium
sulfate (Epsom salt). Lime is almost always the
most economical source of magnesium. It is
important to remember that lime breaks down
over a period of 2 to 3 years and that it will
raise soil pH. It is also important to note that
if your levels of magnesium are exceptionally
low or high, that it is often best for your soil
and for your wallet to spread the application of
amendments out over time.
As with everything in sustainable agriculture,
balance is the key. By keeping soils healthy and
plants well-fed, we can continue growing the
best crops possible.
Featured product: Weedban
The market’s first practical, natural weed control! WeedBan works by stopping secondary
feeder roots, causing seedlings to die. It’s effective against dandelions, crabgrass, creeping
bent grass, foxtail, lambsquarter, purslane, redroot pigweed, smart weed and barnyard and
bermuda grass. Because it’s made from a corn
syrup byproduct, WeedBan is completely safe.
Its nitrogen content makes an excellent, slowreleasing fertilizer.
WeedBan pre-emergent weed control. For best
results apply right after snow is gone. Application rate 20 lb per 1000 sq. ft.
Available in 50 lb and 10 lb packages.
Also an all natural product, WeedBan is NOT
allowed for certified organic growers.
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Internship Opening
Livestock Management & Nutrition Department
Duration: 3 Months (June-September 2016)
Location: Bainbridge, PA
PAID INTERNSHIP- Housing may be available
Deadline: April 1, 2016
Position Description:
The Fertrell Company is the oldest manufacturer of organic fertilizers in the US, with a
strong branch in the animal nutrition sector
as well. They are currently seeking an intern
in the livestock and poultry department. This
internship will teach about pastured livestock
and poultry management, health, and nutrition. Interns should have a passion for small to
mid-scale farming and have an interest in learning about the complexities in raising animals
in these environments. An interest in math and
science is also recommended.
Goals for the Internship:
Learn the basics of livestock and poultry nutrition rationing
Learn the complexities of growing crops for
forages and grain rations
Learn more intricate skills in communicating
with different farmers, including those in the
Amish and Mennonite communities
Learn about holistic and alternative health and
wellness remedies for livestock and poultry
Learn about different management techniques
for varying scales of production on pasture
Qualifications:
Willingness to get outside on farms and get
your hands dirty
Willingness to put in time and effort outside of
standard office hours
No experience in the field necessary- Passion
for the subject is required
High school diploma required
To Apply:
Please e-mail a short letter outlining your background and interest as well as your current resume or list of applicable skills to:
Casey Rogers - Livestock & Poultry Specialist
Casey@fertrell.com You will receive a confirmation e-mail once your information has been
received.
Attention AWA Certified
Farmers
We have received approval from Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) to use our Fertrell Fish
Meal and our Fertrell Crab Meal in rations for
AWA-certified farms!
Our fishmeal comes from the Marine Stewardship Council’s certified Gulf of Mexico
Pacific Sardine fishery and our crab meal is a
by-product of the shellfish industry that is being re-purposed for animal feed. Both of these
products comply with AWA’s sustainability
standards!
If we have made you poultry or swine rations
in the past (especially if they are soy free!!) under
AWA compliance, please consider having Jeff or
Casey re-evaluate it to potentially add in fish
or crab meal. Why?
• Both are high in protein (Fishmeal is
around 60%; Crab Meal between 30-50%)
• Fishmeal is very high in lysine and methionine- The two most important amino acids for
poultry and swine
• Meat-type proteins attract monogastrics to
their feed more than plant-type ones
• Crab Meal is high in calcium (great for
laying hens!)
Mobile Chicken Pens for
Pastured Chickens
Mobile chicken pens, designed and built by
Stoltzfoos Layers, have made it possible to keep
high quality pastured layers without losing the
all the efficiency of housed flocks. Each pen
is designed to maximize bird numbers while
minimizing labor.
Standard 650 Mobile House options:
Solar Powered
Up to 650 birds per pen
Automated feeding system
150 gallon watering system
Automated lights &nests
Custom egg-gathering system
Other options - Custom options can be
added.
These houses are towable with a gator or small
tractor and are recommended to be moved once
per day. The feeding system holds up to 1 ton
of feed at a time. This kind of system has made
it possible for us to see 90% production whereas
similar cheaper concepts see in the 80% range
and often much lower. Our average production for the entire year(including starting a
new flock at 16 weeks and keeping them for
one year) is usually 80%. Also with our latest
design, we have seen a large improvement in
the cleanliness of the eggs as well as a decrease
in floor eggs. Please visit our website at www.
stoltzfooslayers.com or contact us through one
of the options below if you are interested in
pastured eggs or our mobile chicken houses.
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January and February
Special
Fertrell Sheep Nutri-Balancer is a premix
vitamin & mineral Supplement. A nutritionally complete premix, with no added synthetic
copper.
50 lb bag 10 % off through February 29th, 2016
Also available in 10 lb bags
Tips from the Front!
Just a reminder; Please fax or e-mail your orders
to the office if possible: Fax :717-367-9319 or
theresia@fertrell.com / beth@fertrell.com
This is the time of the year when staff members
are often out of the office at meetings and tradeshows. When calling the office and staff is not
available, PLEASE DO LEAVE A MESSAGE
in their voice mail. We will return your call as
soon as possible.
Our staff’s phone extensions are:
Animal nutrition :
Jeff Mattocks ext 229
Casey Rodger ext 224
Agronomy:
Dan Dalton ext 256
Monica Pape ext 255
Orin Moyer ext 227
Local Sales :
Don Brubaker ext 225
Seth Epler ext 222
Orders:
Lynn Hartman ext 230
Theresia Tredway ext 221
Production:
Paul Douglass ext 228
Shipping:
Beth Knaub ext 223
Questions & Answers
How long does it take to get land disturbed
by pipeline digging back to production level?
How long it takes land to recover from a severe
disturbance such as the installation of a new
pipeline will depend on how well it was taken
care of during the disturbance and how it is
remediated afterward. For example, it is possible to erode large quantities of top soil and/
or to cause compaction issues if topsoil is not
protected or equipment is used heavily, especially
in wet conditions. It is also likely that a higher
level of weed pressure may be observed after the
land is remediated for two reasons: 1.)Moving
topsoil around will bring new weed seeds to the
surface and stimulate their germination and 2.)
Weeds are very good at colonizing recently disturbed soils.
How should someone return land that has
been disturbed to production? First and foremost, it is important to observe the land in question and gather as much information as possible.
Take a soil test to see if soil fertility levels have
changed. Use a penetrometer to see if compaction has become an issue. Grow a cover crop to
smother out new weeds that may be colonizing
the area. If compaction is an issue, consider a
cover crop with a deep tap root to break this
up. Observe how plants are growing in that
area - is the cover crop growing consistently?
Do leaves look yellowed? Which weeds, if any,
are persisting?
Once you have information on how your land
was affected by the disturbance and have taken
these initial steps to remediate and rebuild the
soil, your land should return to its previous level of productivity. Feel free to call the Fertrell
Agronomy Department to discuss any issues
you may have when rebuilding your soil after
a disturbance.
The leaves on my flowers look like they have
mold on them. What can I spray on them to
prevent this from happening next fall?
Three things must be present in order for a
plant to become infected:
1. an infecting microbe
2. a suitable environment
3. a susceptible host plant
One of the best ways to prevent plant infections, whether viral, bacterial or fungal, is to
improve the health of the plant, thus preventing
it from becoming a susceptible host. To ensure
plant health, be sure that your plants have the
fertility they need. In addition to fertility, kelp
is a great way to boost your plants’ immune systems throughout the year and to prevent stress,
which can lead to infection.
For prevention, mix the following ingredients
in 1 gallon of water and apply every 5-10 days:
2T liquid kelp
3T liquid humic acid
To treat an infection, apply every 5 days:
3T baking soda
2-3T Serenade or other product with bacillus
subtilis
1/4 gal milk
3/4 gal water
The Farmer to Farmer
Marketplace
Hay, Forages, Grains and Livestock:
Young milking goats – ½ Nubian , also young
billies several months old; 1 Nubian billy out of
regular herd 3 years old. Stephen F Stoltzfus Sr,
1055 Blain Road, Blain PA 17006 717.536.3122
(T0915)
Equipment:
Poultry Processing Equipment - Ashley, Pickwick, Featherman, Poultryman pickers and
salders. Vacuum packing machines, shrink bags,
knives, kill cones and any equipment for poultry
processing. We ship anywhere; Jim McLaughlin, Cornerstone Farm Ventures, Norwich, New
York 607.334.2833 or on the web at
www.chickenpickers.com (P0107)
Barley Sprouting System – 500 - 600 lb capacity. Perfect for small dairy or other animals.
Heating, Watering and fan all goes along $2900
or make offer. Phone 610.806.2287 (T0915)
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2016 Winter Farmer Meetings
FRIDAY • JAN 15
DAIRY & CROPS
Belleville Community Hall
11 Walnut Street
Belleville, PA
January 2016
FRIDAY • JAN 8
POULTRY PRODUCERS
TUESDAY • JAN 19
DAIRY & CROPS
Lester Byler’s Farm
8506 Bundesburg Road
Middlefield, OH
Miller’s Natural Foods
2888 Miller Lane
Bird In Hand PA
Pending
TUESDAY • JAN 26
FRUIT & VEGETABLE
TUESDAY • JAN 12
DAIRY & CROP
Miller’s Natural Foods
2888 Miller Lane
Bird In Hand, PA
Miller’s Natural Foods
2888 Miller Lane
Bird in Hand, PA
March 2016
THURSDAY • MAR 3
DAIRY & CROPS
North Lansing Firehall
1189 Auburn Road (Rt. 34)
North Lansing, NY
MONDAY • MAR 14–17
DAIRY & CROPS
Western OH, Indiana
Location to be determined
WEDNESDAY • JAN 13
SWINE PRODUCERS
TUESDAY • MAR 22
DAIRY & CROPS
Miller’s Natural Foods
2888 Miller Lane
Bird In Hand, PA
Friedland Moravian Church
2750 Friedland Church Road
Winston-Salem, NC
THURSDAY • JAN 14
DAIRY & CROPS
Mile’s Twshp Fire Co.
102 Broad Street
Rebersburg, PA
February 2016
WEDNESDAY • FEB 17
DAIRY & CROPS
Montour DeLong Fair Bldg
Washingtonville, PA
TUESDAY • MAR 29
DAIRY & CROPS
Mo’s Pub and Grill
3357 State Route 11
Malone, NY
Please RSVP to 800-347-1566 one week prior to meeting date.
Please check Fertrell face book and upcoming Fertrell Notes & Quotes for more details.
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HPAI EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN
HIGHly PATHOGENic AVIAN INFLUENZA
1
2
WATCH
Monitor your birds daily for sudden death; decreased egg production;
swelling or purple discoloration of head, comb, eyelids, hocks;
diarrhea; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; severe lethargy;
neurological signs such as head tilting.
report
immediately call the pa department of agriculture’s Bureau of Animal
Health & Diagnostic Services (pda) for sampling instructions if you
suspect hpai. Do not remove dead birds from your property unless
instructed to do so by PDA.
24-hour hotline: 717.772.2852
3
4
alert
If pda confirms hpai on your premises, contact your neighbors,
veterinarian, farm suppliers and Penn State Extension to alert
them of the diagnosis.
protect
Protect other flocks by restricting traffic onto your property.
Disinfect shoes, clothing, vehicles and equipment.
Important phone numbers for
HPAI outbreak:
In the event of high mortality and suspicion
of HPAI on the farm, use the 24 hour hotline
first to start the testing process. Please continue
down the list to engage Chris Herr and Rachel
Cloninger as early as possible so they can help
be a resource for you and others. Others will
be engaged as needed but their numbers are
included for your reference.
24-Hour Hotline 717-772-2852
Chris Herr, PennAg - 717-940-9273
Rachel Cloninger, PennAg - 717-673-9943
Greg Hostetter, PA Deputy Secretary of
Agriculture - 717-409-9198
Dr. Craig Shultz, PA State Veterinary
717-303-8668
Dr. Nan Hanshaw, Bureau of Animal Health &
Diagnostic Services - 717-443-1207
Dr. Greg Martin, Penn State Extension
717-413-8110
Dr. Sherrill Davison, UPenn/New Bolton Center
610-636-1683
Foamer
Jeff Risser, Risser’s Poultry
717-572-5381
Dan McNally, Risser’s Poultry
717-368-2662
for more information, visit extension.psu.edu/avian-influenza
Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants
without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
13
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we made the test very straightforward and
simple. Using the same 10x12 dome pasture
pens and straight run Heritage Whites from
S&G Hatchery, we designated three separate
pastured broiler pens with 50 chickens each.
As distributors of non-GMO project veriWe labeled the pens with bright, laminated
fied feeds, we get quite a few requests for
cards according to each run’s associated feed
different feed formulations. Every farm has
type so that there would be no confusion.
a different situation, so we understand the
need for special formulations specific to their
Initially, all of the chicks were brooded toneeds. When one of our feed manufacturers
gether and started on a standard 21% nonbegan offering “Least Cost Formulations”
GMO chick starter feed. We did this so that
(LCF) for large scale producers who were
all of the chickens would have the same base
trying to save on overall feed costs, as farmers
line and could start with a clean slate once
ourselves,we were definitely interested. The
we split them from the brooder after week
idea behind a LCF feed is that you target
two to their individual pastured pens.
nutritional levels such as protein and energy, but you use the lesser expensive grains
Week three observations immediately began
where ever possible. Therefore, the formula
to display a difference between the feeds.
may change throughout the year depending
The chickens in the LCF fed pen were more
upon what is regionally available and what
wasteful, as if they were hunting and pecking
the commodities markets are doing.
through the feed being relatively selective of
what they would consume. The other pen
On the outside, this concept seemed like a
was fed with a standard Fertrell formulated
good idea. We promoted the LCF feed opnon-GMO ration with soy and had much
tion to a number of our farm clients as a cost
cleaner eating habits with minimal waste.
saving measure. The first couple of months
This observation also synced up with comwent by without complaint, but as second
plaints from other farms using the LCF feed.
month ended and beginning of the third
Though early in the test, the first week in the
month arrived, we started receiving quespastured pens seemed to confirm at least that
tions about poor performance issues and
observation. Despite the waste, everyone was
birds not gaining as they normally should.
thriving, lively, and active.
At the time, we were using the LCF feed
on our own batches of broilers without any
Weeks four and five mirrored the same eatnoticeable issues. However, like many family
ing habits as week three. The chickens had
farms with children as part of the equation,
not hit the growth curve that we normally
the reports from the field are not always acsee in the last two weeks, but we were already
curate. As the concerns seem to climb, we
seeing size differences in that the pens with
felt compelled to test this issue further. Nuthe LCF-fed birds were measuring smaller
tritional analysis of the feed did indeed show
than those in the standard feed pen.
the proper target levels, so what was the difThe differences became very apparent during
ference? What was causing our issues?
week 6. There were noticeable differences
in the size between the LCF and standard
Finally, being results driven farmers, we defeed formulations. Again as in weeks three
cided it was time to run a side-by-side test
through five, the feed waste continued in the
of the standard non-GMO chicken grower
LCF pen. Additionally, this was the beginagainst the non-GMO LCF equivalent. Takning of their growth curve, and feed coning into account the ages of our “field hands”,
sumption was climbing in all pens, although
Does Least Cost Formulation
Save Farmers Any Money?
by Ginger Shields
14
faster in the LCF pen due to the waste. At
this point we decided to process the chickens at the end of the 7th week, as the birds
in the standard feed pens were reaching the
desired size.
In the 7th week, the differences were becoming more and more significant. In general,
the overall mortality at this point was the
same. To be honest, we had 0% mortality
in all pens once they hit the pasture, so the
LCF feed at this point seemingly did not
impact mortality – just feed efficiency. Our
observations also aligned with other farm
observations when using LCF feeds.
Processing day finally arrived - the LCF
batch first and the standard feed formulation second. Upon observation, the LCF fed
chickens were typical, with no abnormalities
present in the viscera. With the noticeable
difference in size and disinterest in feed, we
were expecting poor gizzard development
and abnormal livers. We were surprised when
they all appeared normal and weren’t surprised with the lower-than-normal average
dress weight of 4.15 lbs across all 50 birds.
Not terrible, but certainly not what we normally see at 7 weeks.
Next through the line was the standard
formulation-fed batch. Again, the outward
appearances of the chickens were good, except that these birds were noticeably larger.
The viscera showed no abnormalities, and
only a few birds showed affected livers. Some
on the larger end of the spectrum had pleurisy, but this is not out of the norm, having
only affected a handful of the larger birds.
This group of 50 weighed in at an average
of 5.25 lbs., more than a pound more than
our LCF birds! This difference, at 21%, was
significant.
In general, the LCF batch consumed approximately 10% more feed which, again,
was a significant number. Being that we have
high shipping costs, our feeds are quite a bit
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more than those with more local mill access.
In this test batch, the LCF feed cost $0.36/
lb., the standard formulation was $0.39/lb.
and the 21% chicken starter was $0.42/lb.
Naturally, with the $0.03/lb. difference in
price, you can see why folks opted for the
LCF option when we began offering it.
Considering the above, let’s break down the
numbers into the per-pound-dressed-weight
yields. First we’ll do the standard formulated
batch. At 5.25 lbs. dressed average, with 12
lbs average of grower feed plus 1 lb average
of starter for a total of 13 lb of feed per bird,
the gain ratio was 2.48:1. The total cost of
feed including the 21% starter was $0.98 per
pound of gain.
The total cost of feed for these birds, includ- It is clear that not all grains are created equal,
ing the 21% starter, was approximately $1.25 nor are all designed to support optimum
per pound of gain. Wow, that is significant! performance in chickens. When using an
LCF feed, you certainly open yourself up to
With the total feed costs being approxi- these sorts of issues, as suppliers frequently
mately the same when taking into account change the formulations to take advantage
the waste, the real difference was in perfor- of the least expensive grains. At the end of
mance. At the end of the day, the feed-to- the day, trying to save money on your chickgain ratio says it all. There was a significant ens by sacrificing feed quality really may not
loss in feed efficiency when using the LCF be saving you money when your business
feed. The loss brought about by waste and is production and that production is based
poor performance was so significant that it on performance. I would encourage you to
completely negated the benefits of the feed run similar tests if you are using Least Cost
cost saving.
Formulated feeds. You may find that the cost
Promptly following this experiment, we savings are truly not there. “Feed the animals
dropped the LCF line of poultry feeds al- to make money, not to save money.” is our
together.
new motto.
Feed Type
Avg Dress
Weight
21%
Starter
19%
Grower
Final Feed
Conversion
Cost per/lb
of Gain
LCF Feed
4.15
1 lb
13.2
3.42:1
$1.25
Std Feed
5.25
1 lb
12
2.48:1
$0.98
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PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE PAID
ALABAMA MAIL SERVICE
DECATUR, AL 35602
PO Box 265
Bainbridge, PA 17502
Phone: 717.367.1566
Fax: 717.367.9319
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