FEEDING OF ENSILAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1934, Page 24 (Supplement)

FEEDING OF ENSILAGE

ELIMINATION OF TAINT. In recent years ensilage has rightly become so popular that there is now a much smaller need for general information about either its role in our farming or its manufacture, remarks Mr. R. P. Connell, of the Fields Division, Palmerston North, in the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture. But there is still scope for its profitable extension for the purpose not only of building up reserves of feed to be used during critical periods of pasture shortage, but also of controlling pasture growth more efficiently in November and December. At times silage may usefully be fed to stock in September. : In the case of cows in milk two facts should be kept in mind:— (1) Silage as commonly made, by itself, does not constitute a ration which allows cows of heavy yield to produce to their maximum capacity; this is because of the amount of woodiness which commonly characterises the material from which silage is made. (2) In the feeding of silage to cows in milk some cAre must be taken to obviate tainting of the milk; silage should not be kept close to the place of milking or of storing of milk and cream; the person or clothing of milkers should not be permeated with the odours of silage. Experience has shown that simple precautions of this fiature eliminate all risk of dairy produce developing silage taints. In Taranaki, where ensilage is largely used by farmers for winter feeding, it is evident that the necessary care is exercised, as the questionaire submitted by Mr. J. M. Smith to all farmers taking part in the field competitions includes the question: “Have you had any trouble from taint due to ensilage ?”• The answer has* almost invariably been in the negative. With ordinary care there is no danger of taint. MORE MANGOLDS The substantial increase in pig-keep-ing which is expected warrants greater attention to the raising of crops suitable for feeding to pigs. There is considerable recent field experience indicating that the feeding of such crops as mangolds, swedes and chou moellier in considerable quantities in winter and early spring to pigs is giving attractive returns, says the Journal of Agriculture. Of these, the mangold is especially important, both because of its high potential yield of nutriment an acre and of the fairly common belief that the mangold in some obscure way is unsuitable for pigs. Mangolds are very heavy croppers, giving huge returns, as evidenced by the results of the Taranaki competitions, where Mr. H. T. Paul established a record of over 170 tons. It is understood that that record has been easily beaten at Koru. POWER FROM MAIZE A company has been formed in Southern Rhodesia for the production of power alcohol from maize. To commence with it is proposed to erect a plant capable of producing 960 gallons a day at a cost of about Is 6d a gallon. The residue, it is stated, will be made into concentrated cattle fodder. If successful, there may be a time when such a scheme will find a starting-point in New Zealand, and then the farmer who grows maize may at last realise a better price for his product. Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay are both good maizegrowing districts and farmers would probably welcome such an industry (says the Hawke’s Bay Herald).