A DEFENCE OF ENSILAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22368, 15 September 1934, Page 3

A DEFENCE OF ENSILAGE

VALUABLE STOCK FOOD REASONS FOR NEGLECT SOME INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS “Farmers are going out of ensilage making.” This is a statement which has been heard by the writer during the last year or two in certain quarters (says a correspondent signing himself “ Observer ”). A fairly close investigation oi the position indicates that this is contrary to fact, although unquestionably there are some farmers who are dissatis*' tied with ensilage, particularly the type of ensilage they had been making. _ It is interesting to note, he continues, that after the introduction of ensilage into Britain some 90 years ago it fell into disfavour, and actual ensilage_ making has only been taken up again in Great Britain within the past few years. The reason for the failure of ensilage to become popular after its introduction into Britain was due largely to the fact that the type of ensilage made was of a very sour nature and most of it was cut from pasture which had been allowed to get too mature. Even to-day, however, ensilage making is by no means as popular in the Old Country as it is in New Zealand. Even in the Dominion ensilage making is only really popular in two districts—in the Waikato and in some other dairying districts of Auckland and in Taranaki. A NEGLECTED FODDER. Up to within comparatively recent times ensilage making was neglected on a large number of dairy farms, and still is in Otago, possibly due to the fact that it is a practice involving a considerable amount of labour. There has also been a lack of knowledge on how to make ensilage that was suitable for stock. Nowadays, with modern sweeps and labour-saving equipment, much of the back-breaking difficulties of ensilage making has been overcome. Further, us in Britain, much of the ensilage made in New Zealand—in fact, most of it even today—has been cut from pasture that has been allowed to grow too long. The epochmaking advances in connection with the value of short grass has revolutionised ideas in connection with the productivity of pastures. It may also be stated that the question of shortness in pasturage applies equally ns well in the making of ensilage which has a high nutritional value, and particularly a value suitable for milk production. In the early days, also, grefut stress was laid upon the maintenance of correct temperatures in the making of •ensilage. This, no doubt, deterred many farmers from making a product that seemed to require a good deal of technical knowledge. However, farmers find now that with a little practice and due regard to the few«fundamentals and simple considerations, it is possible to make first-class ensilage without the use of thermometers, although, possibly, even better materia] could in many cases bo made if more attention were paid to the maintenance of correct temperatures. UNSATISFACTORY MATERIAL.

There is no doubt that quite a number of farmers have not secured the value from ensilage that they have been led to expect, and the writer considers that this is due to the fact that far too much of the ensilage in New Zealand has been made from unsatisfactory material, particularly from herbage that lias been allowed to get too mature. Those men who have followed in practice the developments of modern grassland farming now find it highly profitable to cut ensilage in the leaf stage; in fact, on some farms the grass and clover is not allowed to get any longer than nine to twelve inches before it is mown. This type of material, made into ensilage, has been found in practice to provide first-class fodder for dairy cows and also for sheep, and were more of this type of material used there would be less talk about farmers going out of ensilage making. Quite apart from the value of the ensilage in the leafy stage, there is the fact that when this is done the cutting is carried out early in the season, thus allowing of a good recovery of the pasture before the advent of the dry summer month. HIGH NUTRITIVE VALUE.

Much evidence could be given, both from the results of scientific research in England and elsewhere, and also from the practical experience of farmers in New Zealand, that ensilage of the type mentioned above—that is, made from short grass—has a high nutritional value and is an invaluable ration for farm stock. Quite apart from its usefulness in winter feeding, ensilage, with its moisture content, is of particular value for feeding out during the _ dry summer months when pasturage is A ration of ensilage given to cows prior to calving has been found particularly valuable from a health point of view, and, provided care is taken, there is no need to fear any effect from this product. Ensilage stocks are free from risk of fire and from attacks by vermin. The fodder, as indicated, is highly nutritional, and can be fed at periods of pasture scarcity, and the making of ensilage, when cut early in the season, is a very important factor in the proper control of pastures.

TOP-DRESSING FOR ENSILAGE. The most experienced farmers are now finding also that it pays to top-dress their pastures intended for ensilage. Again, if an early crop of ensilage is required, it is advisable to close the paddock from stock early and not to graze the pasture too hard in the early spring. A topdressing of either sulphate of ammonia (where phosphate has already been used) at the rate of lewt per acre, or where no phosphate has been applied that year, it is advisable to apply ammoniated super at the rate of 3ewt per acre, gives a quick response of luscious herbage, and this treatment allows the pasture to be cut often three weeks earlier than where no top-dressing has been applied. The importance of early cutting has already been stressed. Some farmers follow the procedure of top-dressing with ammoniated super after the ensilage has been secured so-as to get a quick aftermath. Possibly both practices could be carried out on the one farm—top-dressing some pastures prior to shutting up for ensilage and some just afterwards so as to get a succession of feed. HAY. What has been said regarding the ensilage crop applies equally to hay. Hay of good feeding value can be secured provided the grass crop is cut early and this earliness of cutting can be stimulated by top-dressing as recommended for ensilage. In the case of hay, this is even more important than with ensilage, as if it is cut early it allows of a good recovery before the dry spells in summer.

The writer thoroughly believes that there is no justification for the statement that ensilage has any detrimental effect on the feeding of stock, provided it is made along the lines indicated above.