Farm Topics

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 250, 23 October 1935, Page 12

Farm Topics

HAY AND ENSILAGE

A recently published note on the feeding of ensilugo and hay referred to the high nutritive value of hay and the low nutritive value of silage. This is one of those loose statements that does so much harm. No doubt really well-made hay, especially when the grass from -which it is made h;is not reached the sccd-stalk stage, is a valuable food, but it is not such a good food for milk production as silage that has been well-nmdo from grass just 011 the flowering stage. Men who know tho possibilities in silage are commencing the making of silage this month, and those who make It carefully and use molasses (1 per cent, diluted with water, that is lib of molasses to every 1001 b of grass) will have a most valuable food for stock. 11l such silage is made from grass in the leaf stago it wilt do for pigs in the winter months.

SENSATIONAL PRICES At the recent Palermo sales of Scottish beef Shorthorns consigned by exporters from Scotland tho 65 bull's averaged in a round figure £750. Obviously' the beef men of tho Argentine havo every confidence in the future of their industry', and appreciate the fact that quality must win. A Collynie two-year-old red roan, bred by Dutliio Webster, made 60,000 dollars, approximately £4OOO. The reserve champion at the Perth sales last year realised 40,000 dollars. Others sold at 50,000, 37,000 and 30,000 dollars. The 37,000dollar bull was also Collynie bred.

DROUGHT IN ENGLAND Acocrdiug to reports sent out in the second week in August serious drought conditions were being experienced in many parts of England. Tho dry spell had just been broken in Scotland, but in England pastures everywhere were drying up, turnipsywerc thin and root crops small. Hundreds of acres of cornfields had been devastated by fire caused by tho sun, or, it is believed, iu some instances by' sparks from railway engines, many stacks and farm buildings having been destroyed. Many streams were drying up and in alt parts of the country farmers were carting water, sometimes long distances, for drinking purposes.

BLOAT A note 011 bloat iu cattle from tho University' Farm, St. Paul, U.S.A., supports tho comiuonsense advice being given by' keen observers in this country. Bloat is caused, says the rc-

port, by uni aims outing Ini'ge amount?; of easily fermenting foods, VVliiJn clovers are most likely |,o en.t/So it, rich arid rapidly-growing grasses, Ms well as i'rostod foods, are also likely to cause it. Giving animals a. partial lil'l o£ dry feed before turning linen to pasture will prevent the trouble, and for the first few days on rich pastare the animals, should be nllewed to graze only short periods. Those are two most important means of prevention, and their efficacy has been proved in this country. Reid, in his work, “Diseases of l;’nrin Animals in New Zealand," ml vises using a quarter of a pound of common salt in the drench to lie used after the attack of bloat. Ho advises Epsom Salts .for the drench, but other authorities recommend- gl'auber salts, which is less irritating to the intestines, though Epsom salts is to bo preferred about calving time.