FEED FOR DAIRY STOCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2209, 2 July 1896, Page 5

FEED FOR DAIRY STOCK.

By Dairyman. | , j i |

After a close connection with the dairy business and lotjg observing the methods in use by farmers of providing feed for their stock, I am inclined to think it is the n-rxt important step the farmer must take, not only to increase the production of his cowb, but also to improve the quality of the product. The South Island farmer must use judgmnri and provide feed other than turnips while his cows are in milk. Too much importance cannot b3 attached to this, and there should be no holding back tp s?e what your neighbour is going to do in the matter, but let everyone try and see who shall be first to do away with turnip 3as feed for milk. When this is done we shall have taken a big step in the direction of improviqg the quality of dairy produce, and we shall have the pleasure of bearing less faullfround'with our cheese and butter at the beginning and - end of each season." ■ •' . The expsriencs in making-ensilago has.not been, so far as I h*ve bsen. able to learn, anything like a success. Although a nnre costly method, I believe the pit system is much the besh, and, if so,' much cheaper in the end. But'le wing the silo question, out altogether, we will consider other means of procuring a supply of winter feed; and to ensure successful dairy-farming this question cannot be overlooked. All over the South Island more grass might be«cub and cured for hay., In Ofca«o and Southland this is in some seasons difficult as now practised (as was the case last season), simply because the'right time is not chosen for cutting the grass, and it is no!i worked right after cutting. Every opportunity muit be watched on good drying days to get the hay dry and secured as soon as possible. With a kicker (hay tedder) little difficulty will be experienced in this. ' Oa an ordinary good day a boy and one horse and a kicker will do astnuch to dry the hay by keeping it turned and loose as in three days as ordinarily worked, besides having the hay of much batter quality. This, with green oats or Gape barley, wili make good feed for autumn, and- with oats cut green and cured and with mangels for'spring. In the feeding of dairy stock farmers should have their paddosks divided so that the cows in milk and those not in milk can bs fed separately, giving tho3e not in milk straw and turnips, for as a feed for stock not in milk turnips/will be iound as good as anything grown on the farm. Summer pastures should also be divided^ so as to run the cows, say, a week in each, giving the one not in use a chance to spring up and freshen, which will be, found a great advantage in the health of the stock, quality of the milk, and growth and production of grasi. - The farmers in the North Island are, I conclude, much belter situated, being able to cut hay and tura it better than'those of the South Island. I have Been very few successful crops, of turnips in the north, and I am inclined'to think .maize made into ensilage, oats out green and oared or pat ia silos, ojj mangels' moat be

tne chief gfeeh feed, and grabs cub, and curecfoLS hay the staple. " I sliall give my of farming as it is done in the nortb. ,sbe farmer?, -with but ,f6w -excejrao'ns,' try io pat = on stock enough; id)' Bummer to, keep, down the . gr»w, which is in mosb'piacas of rank growth,, whan they should fence oft a part 'of •thi'fatm for hay and divide the balance' sb »s;to bs able to give the stock a change every week. When this meadow land is cut and the gra* B or hay secured, it will shoot up so that by the- time tbp.gr&J* in the pastures begins to fail it will afford a third and fresh pasture. In this way thoy will have loss stock to oare for',- but hob necessarily less value. Oa the contrary, their stooki.will bB in better condition to go through -the winder, and a smaller number will produce quite' as much, if not more milk than would have 'been produced if the farm' had been overstocked. *Ifc is not sD much ia the middle of) summer that overstocking is felt, but' in earlyi spring,. when the cows are firsb corning to milk. If in a poor winter-starved condition, then tbeyneyer reach their full capacity, as the first thing done is. to build, up the run-down (system ; by the time that is done ths usual period for the, flow, of .milk to fall off is reached, aud such cow* fall off as rapidly as those that star bed in good condition, and consequently gave good yields from the beginning, so that I 'don't think the loss can be estimated at less than 50 per cent. A liberal supply of salt placed .where cows can help themselves at all times will help to assimilate tbeir food.-, Keep; them in a healthy con'difcion, and increase both quality and quantity ,of the milk. > I amabsolutely,certain,that until .these facts, are realiied; by,- the farmers and parried out there will always be d'fliculties to overcome. • ' ' , I should like to see those very talkative bodiek, • the farmers' clubs, taking up the subject. Taefy never seem-to "get at far- as anything oh dairying—or .at all- events -no, further than, saying that milk under, 3^4 per g*lton does nob pay. -But if they go into^ it they will' find they are produoing nothing that will pay better than milk at 2Jd per gallon, to say nothing of ,ihe indirect gain 'of improving their farms.- y\ Thefarmers of New Zealand have the stock (true it could be improved), the farms, the factories, tbe most favourable climate in the world; all thty lack is careful thought and energy to push their , vantage ', to a sacoessfnl issue. •