PROPER FEEDING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 123, 23 April 1940, Page 10

PROPER FEEDING.

TO ENSURE MORE PRODUCTION. ADVICE TO FARMERS. Correct as well as adequate feeding allows the animal to do its work competently and continually without strain stated Mr H. do O. Chamberlain, local organiser of the Council of Primary Production, to-day, in referring to management of stock in the war effort. This is particularly the case with dairy cow's. How many of the ills and indispositions resulting in low production are due to unwise management of the dairy cows’ feed arc as yet not fully realised, but certain it is that many of these troubles are in fact duo to what may be called indigestion, and poor production from an otherwise good beast can bo traced more often than not to the method of feeding. Every farmer realises that he must have come hay and ensilage to carry him through the lean periods, but not all look upon the saving of hay and ensilage as a factor in the correct management of their grass pasture, the organiser added. Too much food, especially of an unbalanced nature, can be as equally harmful to a cow as too littlfi and this is a point which requires to be more fully grasped. Rotational grazing is essential to tho health and full production of the dairy herd. Only by this method can sufficient paddocks lie shut up from the stock in the . periods of flush feed so that the amount of food taken by the cows can be regulated. The shut-up areas should ’be made into bay and ensilage even although the area may seem more than is required for the winter and spring feeding of the cows. In the Manawatu on most dairy farms there is a secondary surplus of grass growth during April and this is a period when the winter feed position may be ascertained and the planning of the best U6C of supplies of available foodstuffs can be made. Food supplies on most farms are ample until June at least. It is more frequently in July and August that lack of feed becomes most apparent. Hack of feed, in fact, becomes most apparent just as calving time, when a good supply of fresh feed is most required. ]3y 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 available feed supplies. It is necessary, if feed is to be available when' required, to shut up a few welldrained and top-dressed permanent pasture paddocks containing a good sole of ryegrass. It may be advantageous to give these areas a special dressing of 2 cwt of nmmoniated superphosphate to persuade them to produce this out-of-season growth. When cows calve they should be given a couple of hours on tho good feed in one paddock and then have their hay and ensilage fed upon an adjacent grazed area. As soon as the first i>addock has been grazed out the cows are given similar short spells on the next area, feeding out being done on the first. It is here that some thought is required in tho rationing out of the supplementary feed. All this time the winter-grazed paddocks are being spelled, and by the time ihe closed areas are grazed out there will be a good amount of feed once again on the winter-grazed ones. _ _ For farmers undertaking winter milking a few areas of green oals or barley or temporary pastures of Italian ryegrass and red clover will give a valuable supply of fresh feed. Root crops also should be fed out with the hay and ensilage. Again, those farmers supplying. towns receive a higher price for the winter milk and it is certainly payable for them to feed a moderate amount, of concentrates, say up to 41b daily, in addition to the roots and hay or ensilage. Of course, the amount given must vary with the production capabilities of the individual cow. The main point is that to obtain the maximum butterfat production it is essenial to supply sufficient good quality feed in the carlv stages of lactation. To do this some thought and organisation is necessary, but every hit of thought am! organisation so given will yield large dividends to the farmer and enable more anti more butler and cheese to be sent- home without making an increase in the number of the present herds.