MODERN VIEW ON TOPDRESSING PASTURES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 25, Issue 3761, 27 May 1936, Page 3

MODERN VIEW ON TOPDRESSING PASTURES

(By G. H. Holford, B. Sc. (Agric.) Bledisloe Medallist, Director, The Fertiliser Advisory Service.)

Whilst the case for top dressing needs no special pleading, there is,.l believe, scope for a better understanding of grassland manuring for maximum returns to be secured from this practice. There is no more important agent available to farmers for the reduction of costs in livestock products than the manure bag, but the degree in which it is effective will depend on;' due attention being paid to certain fundamental considerations. POINTS TO CONSIDER IN TOP DRESSING. Just to top dress is not good enough. Attention must be given to the class of soil, type of pasture (i.e., constituent grasses and clovers), condition of pasture, time of year fertiliser applied, class of fertiliser applied, its amount, and methods of grassland management, both prior to and subsequent to top dressing. THE PRESENT POSITION. Let us consider some of these points in relation to the present season. The abundant autumn rains produced in South Auckland district an exceptional growth of feed over recent months. This has enabled a high level of production to be maintained from dairy herds. For the sheepman in particular it has meant considerable difficulty ill regard to pasture control and slowness in fattening lambs. Also trouble in scouring, especially in hoggets. There is a possibility of some hogget mortality this coming winter, and a veteripary authority informed me that nrach of this could have been avoided by the feeding of dry feed—good hay if available or chaff to counter the detrimental effect of too much lush feed for the sheep. The use of the mower would also have helped to control pastures where land conditions suit it. For the dairyman too, the abnormal autumn growth is likely to have its reactions in the coming months. The excess pasture growth had made a more than usual rain on soil fertility, necessitating the application of even heavier than usual manurial dressings to replace the lost soil .mineral elements. Coupled with this is the fact that heavy “back end” production will have put an abnormal strain on the dairy cow, with the necessity to build her up again before next calving day. Fortunately the season was favourable to saving considerable acreages for ensilage and hay. On the other hand inclement weather damaged a good proportion of the hay crops, rendering them of lower feeding value. I believe that there is a strong case for saving greater areas for hay than is the case at present—even if it means making less ensilage. A good topdressing programme on suitable pastures, with duo attention to sound pasture management methods, will, as I have often seen demonstrated, enable a very substantial increase in growing grass available for winter feed, which combined with hay enables dairy stock to be adequately, and what is important, cheaply fed in tho winter months.

I am not condemning ensilage—far from it—it is a most useful winter fodder, also especially if made from leafy grass excellent for feeding out in a dry autumn, more particularly in areas where there is little paspalum. At the same time a very considerable amount of labour is involved in making large quantities of it, and if at least part of the ensilage requirements can be replaced by nutritious “winter grass,” well, so much the better. I will briefly outline how some farmers are doing this. In fact, one Buckland farmer has completely eliminated ensilage making from his annual programme. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN SECURING WINTER GRASS. Before I outline the necessary conditions for growing “winter grass.” I will hasten to state that under some circumstances it is inadvisable to attempt it, at least to the extent of placing reliance on pasture and hay, with the minimum supply of ensilage and roots.

On land liable to wetness in winter it is obvious that even if grass could be grown well into the winter that the pasturage could not be utilised by grazing stock. We know that on some areas of the Waikato the practice is to winter stock off the farms because of water logged conditions of certain soils for winter. Even on dryish soil conditions it is necessary to have suitable pastures. It is little use trying to get any adequate amount of “winter grass” from pastures comprised mostly of brown top, Yorkshire fog or paspalum. The outstanding grass for winter production is Italian ryegrass, but since this is an annual this means sowing an area each year, which adds considerably to the expense of securing an adequate supply of this grass. THE METHOD OF SUCCESSFUL FARMERS. A practice carried out during the past eight years by a well known Matangi farmer could, I believe, be copied by many provided they had a field or fields of the desired type. The practice is as follows: A field of Italian is cut for hay in the seeding stage. The shed seeds germinate in early autumn on;the relatively open sward. These are manured in April with a good dressing, up to 5 cwt per acre of neutral ammoniated super. The result is that in June or July there is a splendid growth of Italian (or Western Wolths, as this can be used if the right type can be secured) up to 20 to 24 inches in height This feed is -rationed off by feeding it for about one hour a day to the early ealving cows. When there is sufficient pasturage on other fields to adequately feed the cows the “winter grass” paddocks are closed up and in the spring a cut of leafy ensilage obtained. The paddock is then allowed to go for hay and seeds down again. The main essential in regard to this practice is that the paddocks must be sufficiently moist to enable a good germination of the self sown seeds, and that the moisture supply either from the soil or from rain be adequate, so that the seedlings can maintain a sturdy growth. Where irrigation was possible the practice could be certain over many areas. Whilst the soil moisture must be adequate, the field cantfot be too »'et in winter, other-

wise it would not be satisfactorily grazed.

ITALIANISING A PERENNIAL RYE FIELD.

Since this procedure may have limited application—although I believe it is well worth a trial by many farmers having suitable fields—the next best thing is to utilise a field with a good percentage in it of perennial ryegrass..ltalian is better than perennial ryegrass because it is a better winter grower, is more frost resistant and it provides a greater weight per acre of rich nutritious winter glass than does perennial. Failing an acreage of Italian then the next best tiling is to try and Italianise to some extent a perennial ryegrass field. In this, whilst it is important to choose a field with a high proportion of ryegrass, it will also help if this can be a sheltered one, with a sunny aspect, and well drained.

Here I want to emphasise another point, and one that I finfl is as yet only faintly realised. The field intended for “winter grass” must not be severely grazed in late autumn, and it should have a good percentage of leaf on the plants at the time of top dressing. The later the top dressing the greater the need of leaf growth, since the uptake of fertiliser in a short period is dependent on the functioning of the leaves. Time and time again I have seen marked differences in response of fertilisers applied in the late autumn solely because of the difference in amount of growth on the pastures at this time. The main idea is to apply the fertiliser a few weeks prior to the winter, when plants are still growing, so that the growth takes place prior to rather than in the early winter. To get winter grass in suitable quantities one must select ryegrass dominant fields, sheltered if possible, and these well drained and to leniently graze prior to top dressing.

; TYPES AND QUANTITIES OF FERTILISERS TO APPLY.

The next point is what fertiliser or fertilisers to apply. Experience has shown that it is essential to use a phosphatic manure of the water soluble type, e.g., superphosphate. Further, that the influence of the phosphate is increased by the addition of a nitrogenous fertiliser. The popular fertiliser—and one that has proved itself, Is neutral ammoniated super. The usual period of application is Aril—May. For late May applications more than usual attention must be paid to having leaf on the sward and to sheltered fields, but given an absence of frosts quite good results will accrue from late applications. Not less than 3 cwt neutral ammoniated super should be used —4 cwt is better. Where lime gives response, 5 cwt of lime per acre can be profitably applied too, and in some districts attention should be given to potash manuring. I might mention that one farmer informed me that he found ammoniated super definitely extended the growth of his paspalum fields later into the winter.

NITROGEN ASSISTS GRASS TO RESIST FROSTING.

The effect of the nitrogenous fertiliser added to superphosphate is that as well as increasing growth it enables the pasture to resist frosting. Each winter 1 have observed the green appearance of "winter grass” fields secured by using ammoniated super in April and May. This frost resistance is most important, as pasturage that, is “burnt” loses much of its feed value. Having secured the “winter grass” it should be rationed out in winter and early spring by feeding it about one hour per day in addition to the use of ensilage, hay and roots where these are grown. 1 have seen sufficient evidence to be firmly convinced that within the next few years the production of “winter grass” in the manner described will extend considerably, enabling dairy farmers to start their herds off to a flying start in each season. But apart from the provision of “■.vinter grass” in the manner described, there is need for farmers paying .attention at this season to top dressing. Whilst the South Auckland district is looking most pleasing from a pasture standpoint, still winter conditions will soon put a different complexion on the landscape. The abundance of feed in early autumn encouraged many farmers to delay their normal top pressing programme—ln some cases to abandon manurial applications this autumn. I feel that an increase rather than a decrease in fertiliser application is called for, owing to reasons previously given, e.g., lhe drain on soil fertility and on the system of the cow. The sooner the manurial programme is completed the greater the chance of good pasture feed the coming winter and early spring. Apart from Increasing the quantity phosphatic manures enhance the mineral content of grasses, and it is minerals that tend to be short in such feeds as roots and hay. To get quick returns and maximum growth at least 3 cwt per acre of superphosphate should be applied.

It is very important to get as much of the top dressing done whilst the plants are still growing. In this way the fertiliser is enabled to yield the fullest influence.

Of soothing Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.