FEEDING OFF WHEAT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20851, 6 October 1937, Page 3

FEEDING OFF WHEAT

TRIALS CARRIED OUT BY WHEAT RESEARCH INSTITUTE The question of whether or not wheat should be fed off is one about which great doubt exists. There has never been any experimentation on it recorded from any part of the world until that done by the Wheat Research Institute at Lincoln College during the last four years; and even these experiments are indecisive in result, or rather their result varies with the season.

Four Year’s Trials

In the trials at Lincoln Solid Straw Tuscan alone was used. , In each season four plots were fed off, and four left unfed in an ordinary commercial crop. The plots were about one eighth of an acre each in every case. Sometimes the sheep were fenced on to the plots, the rest of the field being unfed, and sometimes fenced off the plots, the rest of the field being fed. The feeding in each case was done when the crop was about 5 inches high, and took place about the middle of September. The feeding off was done quickly so that the plots would not be injured by trampling. Notes were taken each year on the recovery of the crop after feeding, the height and strength of straw, and the date of ripening. Finally the eight plots in each year were separately cut with the binder and separately threshed, the average of the four fed and four non-fed being used in tabulating the result. Yields After Feeding Off These were as follows: In one year the fed crop was 3 inches shorter in the straw at harvest, markedly more upright and a week later in ripening. In the other three years, the differences were in the same direction but were very slight, and usually hardly noticeable. The yields were as follows: — In 1933-34 there was no difference. In 1934-35 the fed plots were 5 bushels per acre worse. In 1935-36 there was no difference. In 1936-37 the fed plots were 4 bushels per acre better. In the two seasons when there was a difference it was quite obvious to the eye, both when the crop was growing and by the number of sheaves. All the crops were about 40 bushels to the acre. The result of the trial is therefore quite indefinite, and obviously there is a gain or loss acording to the season. Recomendations One is therefore inclined to say feed off any crop that is growing rank, especially on heavy ground, where It looks as if it might go down. There Is some evidence that crops go down worse after a wet winter, and one would suggest feeding them off then, as soon as the ground is dry enough. Also feed off if the supply of feed or change of feed is valuable to the sheep. But don’t feed off just for the sake of doing it. It is a mistake to suppose that feeding increases the yield by increasing the tillers, because every wheat produces many more tillers, than it can ripen into heads. Cross 7 The question has been asked whether Cross 7 should be fed. The answer is that no one knows. It certainly grows weaker in its early stages, and stands much better than any other wheat, so that it would seem to be less necessary to feed Cross 7 than any other wheat. One would say that it would be better not to feed it unless the crop were growing very rank, or on very heavy ground, or when the feed was of very high value to the sheep. General In every case where feeding off is done, the ground should be fairly dry so as to prevent poaching, and a large number of sheep for a short time is likely to be better than a few sheep for a short time.