VALUE OF ENSILAGE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 4829, 6 May 1914, Page 3

VALUE OF ENSILAGE.

SOME GOOD ADVICE. One of the strongest advocates for ensilage is Mr \Y. Dibble, Of the Agricultural Department, and during the past year or two he has been holding demonstrations in both Islands. He pursued the matter further before a gathering of farmers at Apiti. and in the course of an interesting address said that it should be an inducement to grow ensilage, from the fact that from one-third to one-fourth more stock can be carried on a given area, and kept in a healthy thriving condition. It will also enable dairy farmers to have a longer milking period out of the cows by letting them calve earlier during the spring. Continuing. he said: —1 would recommend ensilage be given to cows liefore they calve, once daily, averaging 301 b each. It will l>e foun dthatj they will <;alvo much easier, and also be inclined to have a much better How of milk. After calving give .each cow from 301 bto 401 b daily, with a dry fodder of some kind ,especially during the coh\ and showery weather of spring-time. In the summer months there is no necessity for dry fodder being fed with ensilage. It will also pay handsomely to provide a cover for each cow after calving, especially during cold, wet wcater. The cover should he taken off every fine day. If left on for any length of time without removal the cow loses so much of her coat that the benefit from the use of the cover is lost. Settlers on the Mataura Islands are carrying out an experiment in ensilage versus roots. The last report says the bullocks arc more contented and do hotter when fed on en-* silage in a clean paddock than when being turned on to roots to hoi]) themselves ; also that calves fed on one farm on ensilage had wintered better than calves on n neighbouring farm that had been wintered on turnips. A further trial is to be carried out during this coming winter and ensilage lias been made on several farms) for the purpose.” Dealing with crops for ensilage, he said: “Apart from grasses and clovers there are lucerne, maize, sorghums, millet, oats, and oats and tares, which make a valuable ration for feeding to dairy cows. These can he made in the stack form. I would recommend maize put in drills 24 to 27 inches apart and worked through the drills, with a cultivator; also oats and tares when chaffed or out. into lengths, as the above make an ideal food for producing milk of a firstclass quality. Oats and tares may be sown for preference in this district, owing to frosts. Sow in autumn two bushels Triumph oats and one bushel winter tares or vetches. Manure with bonedust and .superphosphate in equal quantities from 2owt. to 3cwt per acre; then sow in December and feed in February if necessary ,or earlier, if tbe need demands.” Mr Dibble recommended also the growing of lucerne, and experiments of silver beet for cows.