Modern Fodder And Grain Storage Systems

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31053, 7 May 1966, Page 10

Modern Fodder And Grain Storage Systems

The latest methods of storing grain on the farm, the storage of fodder in silos for fattening cattle indoors and the improvement of land adjoining Lake Ellesmere following protection from lake flooding were features of a field day held in the Tai Tapu-Motukarara district last week for a group of farmers from the Hororata branch of Federated Farmers.

The programme was organised by the Farm Advisory Division of the Department of Agriculture and several officers were present to talk and discuss local farming conditions with the visiting farmers.

Mf D. P. Graham welcomed the visitors on behalf of the Tai Tapu branch of Federated Farmers and gave a detailed outline of his reasons and objectives for constructing tower silos for storage of high dry matter silage, or what is commonly known as haylage. This material, together with barley grain will be mechanically fed to cattle housed in pens—each pen containing up to 40 head of cattle. About two-thirds of each pen will be a bedding area, using finely chopped straw for bedding. while the remaining one-third will be a feeding and dung area. The pens are so designed that the animals can be penned off with gates during the cleaning. Everybody present was most impressed with the design and layout of the whole feeding and fattening system and wished Mr Graham well with his enterprise and in dealing with problems still to be encountered when the actual operation of fattening cattle begins in the near future.

The next stop was on the property of Mr P. G. Cunningham, Tai Tapu, where an inspection was made of his wheat silos and grain drying installation, Mr C, J. Crosbie, farm advisory officer (machinery), discussed in detail how farmers could erect similar silos and pay for the capital outlay involved over a short period—in Mr Cunningham’s case this was two years. Such silos would eliminate the worry about weather and labour for handling of grain and would prove a good investment for progressive farmers.

Mr Cunningham’s circular grain silos are arranged in a horseshoe layout around a centrally located concrete lined pit. from which grain can be conveyed by electric auger to any of the seven

storage silos, each with a capacity of 33 tons. The same equipment is used also for outloading. A fan driven by a tractor from the power takeoff is used for drying or adjusting the moisture content of the grain to a desired level of 15 per cent. While on the property a brief inspection was made of the feeding shed used for feeding a herd of 30 cows producing town milk all the year around.

After lunch the visitors proceeded to the property of Mr A. H. C. Nutt, at Motukarara, where an outline of farming practices and the silos in the district was given by Mr P. R. Barrer, farm advisory officer. Mr L. Galloway, sheep and wool instructor, discussed the present selection and flock breeding policy carried out by Mr Nutt.

Down at the site of the new stopbank erected to protect a portion of his farm from flooding by the waters of Lake Ellesmere, Mr Nutt outlined the benefits this scheme would confer to himself and other farmers located behind these protective works sited at 3.7 ft above mean sea level.

Mr J. F. Scott, farm advisory officer (drainage), outlined the methods by which these soils could best be desalted and drained for the production of improved pasture. The use of irrigation to promote the desalting process and to increase summer pasure production was also planned for Mr Nutt’s scheme. Land Improvement Mr D. J. Davies, instructor in agriculture, described the several land improvement schemes currently being planned for the district and outlined the progressive stages involved in bringing into production land, which for the greater part, was at present supporting salt rushes and other salt loving plants. Continuing with the theme of lake flat development a visit was made to the property of Mr L. W. J. Woods, who has recently purchased a block of country similar to Mr Nutt’s. It has a slightly higher elevation above mean sea level (between 4 and sft). Over the last summer Mr Woods has installed an axial flow pump with which he is able to flood irrigate over 200 acres at a time. Already, after three such irrigations this summer, it is apparent that a big change is taking place—useful grasses and clovers re-

placing the salt loving plants. Stock numbers have rapidly increased to three ewes to the acre and the improvement process is only just beginning.

Over the fence on the property of his brother, Mr H. R. Woods, could be seen a large area of country recently ploughed out of rushes and sown to improved pasture. This cultivation followed an eight-year period of flooding and aerial topdressing with superphosphate, the last application of super being at the rate of scwt to the acre. The afternoon’s proceedings were concluded at the property of Mr W. N. Dunlop, Greenpark, who is successfully farming a similar soil type. While his land is still partially affected by salt, it is at a much higher elevation, 10 to 12ft above mean sea level, and has not been flooded by the lake for a considerable period of time. Irrigation Mr Dunlop gave a most interesting account of his farming policy which is based on the irrigation of 70 acres of potatoes. This crop forms a large part of his income. In addition he saves grass seed and lucerne both for hay and seed and has an area of barley. Mr Dunlop has also specialised in fixing the Border Leicester Romney cross which has resulted in a flock with markedly improved fertility and wool yields. In arriving at this set breed, Mr Dunlop has achieved a very even type of wool in his ewes and the incidence of hairy britch is practically non-existent. As a result of departmental trials carried out several years ago, Mr Dunlop now topdresses his farm regularly with up to Bcwt of super per acre annually, and this combined with irrigation has enabled him to maintain a high rate of stocking. Miss E. E. Richards, president of the Hororata branch, thanked the local farmers for making their properties available and the several departmental officers, who had combined to give the visiting members a most educational field day. Miss Richards said that such visits to other districts could do nothing but good in promoting greater understanding of the farming problems in different areas, and in this instance how problems were being overcome in the drive for increased production.