THE ENSILAGE SILO

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16364, 11 June 1927, Page 9

THE ENSILAGE SILO

"DAIRYMAN'S -SAVINGS SANK"

INCREASED BUTTERFAT

There .was a movement some .little while back amongst certain Australian dairy-farmers to urge the Government; to restore the provisions it made some years ago to enable dairymen to erect 'silos. ■ This ,was done by advances, repayable over a certain period. Whatever may be done in this direction, dairy farmers themselves, both in Australia arid New Zealand, would do well .to consider the value ot the silo. Mr. W. .Finn, of " Comely Ranks," Buncloora, Victoria, claims that with the aid of a silo and Jerusalem artichoke thistles winch .were growing on his farm he and his brother substantially increased the .biittorfat production of their herd. " The silo is the dairy farmer's savings bunk," .was how he put it when discussing the maltter at the local show. Continuing, Mr. Finn said that a few years ago the Jerusalem artichoke thistle was declared a noxious weed, hut he had it analysed and found that it contained certain food properties for cows. Although prickly, the thistles were cut and chaffed nnd fed to the cows at the rate of four kerosene tins a day. ]lt proved to be as good as maize, which the cows often left in preference to the thistles. If concentrated >foods were not well mixed with the thistles the cows would pick out the thistles and leave the other food. There, was a fair area of thistles on his ground, and they could be cut. for most of the year. The more they were cut the more they seemed to grow, but grass would not grow near them. Only for the fact that ho had used the thistles as ensilage he would have experienced a serious time during the past t,wo years.

Mr. Finn said he had grazed his cows on lucerne, and grew about five acres of dun peas, which wore cut and used as a mixed ration. In addition, ,he sowed eight acres of New Zealand black oats, .which did wonderfully well during the dry weather, and .had fed them down .four times. No matter how bad the year, if a dairy farmer had a. silo on the farm he hail something to tall hack on. Any green food could be put into it, as well as maize, lucerne, oats, and pea straw, which, . however, was not quite as good in food properties are other foods. But die considered the best ensilage of all was the thistle. "ft would pay any dairy-farmer., to get an .overdraft at his bank and paj 7 or 8 per cent, for it in order to build n sifp," he said. "It will return him l£> per cent, on .his money. That is why j say it is absolutely a savings bank for .the dairyman. A lot of stuff that now goes to waste can be used in it. I would grow maize and green oats for it, and suggest that a 75 to 100 tons silo should be provided for £0 cows. I believe two tons per cow is a reasonable provision. Dairy-farmers should also grow two acres of green stuff per cow each year. They are not doing it, ond that is reducing their income. Tf the cows were fed better it would pay the farmer, but with many the animals either have to eat grass or starve, and in-tioine -cases -they- are starved, not wilfully, but through,.kic-k of proper provision. Top-dressing is essential to dairy farms, aud in three years the carrying capacity will be doubled. It brings.on the plovers particularly. Grass hay Plight also be ( pat into the silo, but it A wi)l have to be .cut green, and I would not recommend it. I consider £ioo in a silo, is a far better investment than leaving it in the bank, and T think dairy farmers should adopt the silo more generally."