AGRICULTURAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9128, 25 October 1917, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL.

INTERESTING GRASS TESTS

I Some interesting tests were conducted at Rawkesbury Agricultural' College in 1914 to discover which of a variety of grasses the dairy stock of the farm preferred. They were not feeding, b;it , p'alatabttity tpsts, the cows being the testers and th^ officers of the college merely the timekeepers and recorders. The experiments werey carried out when the grasses were in the young stages of growth, and again later in the season. Quarter-acre plots of introduced and native grasses were provided, the plots running in adjoining strips. Four well-fed, Jersey cows* were turned on to the plots about 8 a.m. and left until 11 a.m., when they were taken off for two hours, turned on again at 1 p.m., and removed a little after 3 p.m. Care waa 'taken'''to* give the cows an opportunity: of, testing all the grasses, and they appeared ,to show bo: preference for a grass they were compelled to: remain on the plot for some time to ascertain if they would eat ..the grass under compulsion. The approximate time spent by each cow on each plot was noted and reported upon fully. The introduced grasses "thus tested were Paspalum, Rhodes Grass, Hungarian Brorno, Texas Blwr, -JWermial-Rye (in; head), Prairie (just coming into head), and Weeping Love Grass. The native grasses were Paddock Lovo Grass and Rare Blue Grass.

In the first trial the average time spent on the Prairie was 136 minutes per cow, on Paspalum 61 minutes, on Hungarian Brome 41 minutes, and on Perennial Rye 18 minutes. Only an average of about-20 minutes was spent on the whole of the other plots. At tliis stage Rhodes" Grass and Texas Blue were eaten, but only on compulsion, and the cows could not be induced to eat two native grasses. In the second trial, conducted when the Prairie was in a very advanced stage, the average of the time spent on the Paspalum was Jl4l minutes per cow, on the Ilimgarian,Bromo 57 riiin-' ntes, and on Teff grass 17 minutes/ Rhodes grass was nibbled at, but not appreciated; and in no circumstances could the cow be compelled to eat either of the Love grasses or Rare, Blue.

The results were conclusive enough to show that Prairie, Paspalum, and Hungarian Brome were easily the most palatable in the young stages, and Paspalum and Hungarian Brome in the seeding stages. Even in its mature stages Paspalum was eaten readily, and in both 1 rials Rhodes grass was only eaten under compulsion.

A remarkable feature of the experi-1 ments was tho disfavour with > which the native grasses wore regarded. To confirm the lesson of the observations, bundles of Rare Bine grass were placed among some cattle in the yard, where they were refused just as the green growth had been in the. paddock. As the . beginn ing of an"; im-.I portant study the trials arrr noteworthy.

The ninth annual .sale of cattle from the Orchard Lake' herd oI: Warren TMcCray, of Indiana, was a sensational dispersal of JTcreford stock. The 76 Heref ords offered realised £26,250, while the bull Martin Fairfax was sold: to a Canadian buyer at the fine price of £3400. A cow with, a heifer calf at foot made £1000. .An• average. ;of £476 was made for 25 bulls, sons and grandsons of Perfection Fairfax, the Hire' of the: £3400 bull. Not; one of the 75 animals sold v.v. tinder £200: Writing of the sale, the Chicago " Breeders' Gazette " . ssiys, the. .ardour of the whiteface enthusiast ■•seeiiis to be at fever heat this year, itnd the coveted prize. is apparently not to be denied him by high prices. There are those who talk of still higher figures,. One thing is certain—the.strength and scope of the apparently unsatisfied-de-mand for Herefords'is unparalleledin the history of the breed. 1 ■' " . '