ON THE FARM

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23259, 21 July 1945, Page 3

ON THE FARM

WINTER FEED 1 Adequate Preparation Essential j The snowstorm of last week-end and the conditions which have prevailed since have amply demonstrated the absolute necessity’ of an adequate provision of those types of winter feed which are unaffected by even the most rigorous winter. July and August are the months i most feared by farmers in this district, ias they know from experience that I these months arc the hardest on the ■ breeding stock of the farm. Yet, ■ knowing this, it is remarkable how I many fail to make adequate provision I for this period. This is probably ! because, even with the worst condiI tions, stock will at least live through. ■ until grass growth commences. It is well known, however, that during this . time breeding stock, whether they be j ewes or cows, should not. be called upon ! to draw from their bodily’ reserves to ! mature their unborn offspring' if the | best results are to be obtained in the , coming season. Actually, in the district ! the chief concern is for the ewe flock, I as sheep occupy the most important ; place among livestock on the farm. At, ' this time ewes need to be extra well i fed ai d cared for, which can only be I done if adequate supplies of suitable feed have previously been grown so > that. *iiey are available for this period. ■Three Types

When snow falls and lies thickly on the greund and is followed bv a slow thaw, ns has been the case during the last week, three types of winter feed stand o it as being most suitable. These arc Chou Mocllier. hay and oat sheaf chaff. As they are suitable under the worst conditions, it follows that they will be ro under less drastic ones, and the future aim should be to see that adequate supplies are available during the next winter so that, come what may. livestock will not suffer at the critical time. In planning for winter feed the question is how much can be grown—not how little can one get away with, an over-supply with some waste in the spring is far better than short rations through the winter. By growing Chou Moellier either as a substitute for part of the usual area of turnips or swedes, or as an addition to the usual programme, a suitable green feed so essential at this time is provided. Further, because of its tall habit of growth it is little affected by snow and is therefore available to stock at all times. For best results Chou Mocllier requires to be grown on land in good heart and the better crops are produced on fields out of grass. Land preparation differs in no way from that required for swedes or turnips. The main essential is that preparatory cultivation should begin as soon as the ground can be worked. Early cultivation is half way to success. Plan now to have an area cf Choi Mocllier. Hay And ChafF As far as hay and chaff are concerned an ample provision of one or the other is all that is necessary. Hay, w’ell made from lucerne, cut at the proper stage, is probably the most suitable dry fodder for winter that can be produced on the farm. A small area will supply a large amount, of hay. and. with the increasingly large number of farmers who have their own mowers, rakes and sweeps to cope with their areas of grass seeds and clovers, the gear problem is not serious. The best lucerne hay is made when immature growth is cut and stacked in goed condition. It is uneconomical to feed leafless, stalky lucerne hay to sheep. Actually it should be made so that it is a concentrate when fed.

Again plan now to sow an area of lucerne next January by beginnthg to cultivate a suitable area. For the coming winter if no lucerne stand is available an area should be sown in oats for chaff during the spring and with so much land at present unsown this should not be a difficult thing to do. Ample supplies of Chou Moellier and hay or chaff are the best insurance against a severe winter—this has been clearly demonstrated during the last week.