THRESHED HAY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 205, 13 August 1932, Page 9

THRESHED HAY

INSUFFICIENT FOR COWS IN Milk. In the early part of the winter representatives from the Wairarapa purchased large quantities 'of hiy in the Hastings district to tide dairy farmers over the winter and spring, owing to the extreme shortage of pasture that prevailed in the Wairarhpa. Threshed hay comprised the bulk of these purchases, as the price ruling for this forage was less than half the price of good meadow or lucerne hay. The action of the buyers in giving preference to threshed hay at the lower price was britieised at the time, but their reply was that finance was the etui of the situation. They also stated that there were ample supplies of roots, which, fed out with threshed hay, would make a suitable ration for dairy cows.

This statement may have been correct, when the cows wort dry, but when the herds are in milk, this ration is very unsuitable as a milk producer. All dairy farmers will agree that the most critical time in keeping cows in condition is from the beginning of August until the end of September. This remark also applies to dry stoek; therefore it must be doubly applicable to cows in milk. Dairy farmers in our immediate district afe blessed With a much earlier spring than that which takes place in the rest of the Dominion —with the exception Of Gisborne and the northern part of the Auckland province. Thus it is esenstial that dairy cows should receive a ration that is capable of providing sufficient sustenance to keep up their condition, besides producing a large yield of milk. A local farmer, Mr. A. j. Masters, of Twyford, in conversation with a “Tribune” representative yesterday, mentioned that he had experimented feeding out threshed hay with mangolds. The milk yield from the herd was extremely disappointing whilst on this ration, but immediately prime lucerne hay Was substituted for the threshed hay, ah immediate increase Was noted. The weather has been consistently gold during the time both operations were being carried out, thus giving a good opportunity for definite conclusions to be arrived at on the merits of each ration.

Now that the dairy season Fas begun it would be a wise action for sufficient funds to be provided for dairy farmers in the Wairarapa to enable them to purchase either meadow or lucerne hay for their cows in Yailk. There is no question that the initial outlav would be amply Compensated by a much higher production in their district.