PASTURE MANAGEMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 81, 9 August 1929, Page 5

PASTURE MANAGEMENT

INTERESTING address. At the Parish Hall last night an interesting address on pasture management was given by Mr J. M. Smith, of the Deaprtment of Agriculture, under the auspices of the local branch of the Farmers’ Union, Mr M. G. Trotter president of. tue branch, presiding. Mr Smith said that from Octohei to January the pasture production was 15 per cent, in excess of the requirements ; of the catt/le, from February to June there was a deficiency of 5 per cent., and from July to September a deficiency of 10 per cent. The object of pasture management must be t 0 even up the grass production throughout the year. Another object was lessening the use of the plough. He did not think they could dispense with cropping at the Stratford Demonstration Farm. The only way to do that would be by reducing the number in the herd, and the question arose whether that would paj. TWO OPTIONS. In sowing down pasture the farmer had Hie option of two things—to sow inferior grasses suited to tlie land in its virgin state, or to improve the land to make it suitable for the better grasses. On newlyfelled bush country those grasses suited to the fertility of the ground would give better results than the superior grasses, which needed higher fertility. To help the farmer the Department had made a selection of grasses which were suited to varying types of land. The average Taranaki land lent itself to improvement!, being generality 'Hat and capable of preparatory cropping. Taranaki did not use much lime In its top-dressing, but. some should always he used, and lime could he made the foundation of their manures. UTILISATION OF GROWTH. A great point was utilisation of

pasture growth. There was no sense in forcing growth at the flush unless plans were formed for the using up of growth by feeding off or storing for winter use. If grass got too rank it would kill off the clover and finer grasses. If sward was kept cljose i,t would get rid} oi ’ many of our weeds, and it was claimed that grass which was kept going and succulent was equal in feeding value to linseed cake. At 1 ]io Stratford Demonstration Farm last year the grass had got out of hand. It had been mowed and stacked and, though of inferior quality, it had been found vervy useful to feed out in conjunction with ensilage. The chief thing, however, was the excellent effect it had in improving the sward. Sulphate of ammonia was good for bringing away good growth in the early spring, but when it was used the phosphate dressing must be kept up. Mr. Smith answered a number of questions and was accorded a vote of thanks for his address.