Reserves of Feed

Northland Age, Volume 4, Issue 12, 21 December 1934, Page 4

Reserves of Feed

Some Summer Work Many unsatisfactory financial results in farming may be attributed directly to lack of adequate or suitable feed during those critical periods

when the amount of feed directly available from pastures is below the requirements of the stock that could be carried profitably as the result of suitable adjustments in the feed supply, remarks the writer of the Farm Extension Service notes issued by the Fields Division and Plant Research Station. The field work done in early summer greatly influences the distribution of the feed supply for the following year. Hence some consideration of this work seems timely. During November and December, pasture utilisation should be designed

to avoid as far as possible the development of flowering or coarse growth on pasture under grazing—as grass growth becomes more mature it becomes correspondingly more fibrous, less nutritious, and less digestible. In addition, bottom sward-forming species such as white clover may be hampered seriously. And, further, the more pastures are allowed to become tall and stemmy the more do they fall off in respect to their output of leafy herbage during a considerable and critical portion of the producing season—i.e., during late summer and early autumn—whereas pastures which have not developed to the flowerng stage are characterised by a more continuous and greater production of leafy feed. Much of the undue development of coarse summer growth of pastures would be obviated were ensilage ex-

ploited to the optimum extent, and at the same time valuable reserves of feed would be built up. Probably some who should practise ensilage still hesitate to do so because of the belief that it is either unduly laborious or that it calls for special experience. While it can be made laborious, it also can be made a light task, and a main objective should be the elimination of all tedious, unnecessary effort. The work relative to ensilage can be lightened greatly by intelligent preparation, for which there is still ample time on many farms. Conveniently located ensilage pits or trenches may be made. It is significant that in leading grass-farming districts trenches have grown in popularity in recent years. This is because suitable locations for trenches, which are really modified shallow pits, can be found on most farms. Experience shows that drainage is not of special moment in selecting sites for trenches, although, of course, a really badly