WINTER FEEDING

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 13026, 3 May 1940, Page 6

WINTER FEEDING

DAIRY COWS IX NORTH ISLAND

(By A. V. Alio, Local Organiser of Primary Production. Tauranga.) During April, when, on many dairy farms, there is a secondary surplus of grass growth, the winter feed position may he ascertained and the planning of the best use of the supplies of available foodstuffs in the ensuing months be made. Feed supplies on most farms are ample till June at least. It is more frequently during the early spring that lack of feed becomes apparent. By the conservation of permanent pasture in March, April and May, and by the intelligent rationing of the supplementary feed on hand, it is possible to obtain more prolonged use from the available feed supplies. It is desirable during April and May to shut up a few well-drained and i topdressed permanent pasture padj docks which contain a good sole of ryegrass. Phosphates may sometimes be applied to advantage for producing this out-of-season growth. These paddocks may then be fed off in the very early spring. In order to do this, it will be necessary to commence an earlier feeding out of hay and silage. During the late autumn and winter months, green feed oats and barley, and temporary pastures of Italian ryegrass or Western Wolths give a valuable supply of fresh feed. Such supplies of feed are desirable for cows which are to be milked in the winter. Root crops, if any are available, are then also being fed out in conjunction with hay and silage. On land liable to pugging, the best practice is to concentrate the feeding out on to two or three paddocks, either those that have a very light soil or those of which the pastures are becoming run out. On the light land the stock manure will improve the fertility, and on the run-out pastures much seed from the hay may be dropped and will establish later in the spring, or the paddock'may be later ploughed up.

Although late autumn calving are very much in the minority there are some farmers who carry out winter milking, particularly those who milk for town supply. Owing to the higher price generally received for ! winter milk it is payable to feed a moderate amount of concentrates up to 41b daily per cow. in addition to the roots and hay or silage available. To feed concentrates to cows of a low milk or butterfat production is, however, not likely to be payable, but the amount fed in the bails to individual cows may be adjusted to the production of the cow. Again, if there is little feed of high quality available in the early spring, it may be profitable to feed limited amounts of concentrates to early calving cows. To obtain the maximum production, it is essential to supply sufficient good quality feed in the early stages of lactation.