ENSILAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19439, 27 October 1925, Page 9

ENSILAGE

NUTRITIOUS AND PROFITABLE

It is with a good deal of surprise that northern farmers visiting the South Island dairying districts find that scarcely any ensilage is made at all down here. Farmers are always at the mercy of the vagaries of the weather and adverse natural conditions and a whole season’s output may be ruined by the ravages of drought, pests, or bad season on their crops. Turnip crops are easily ruined, and the hay-making season can be spoilt by a little unseasonable rain. The result of either of the contingencies means a marked decrease in the conditions and production of a dairy herd when pasture becomes scarce and the weather conditions are such as demand a steady supply of succulent food. Farmers everywhere are interested in anything in the nature of an insurance against weather conditions and the failure of supplementary crops; and yet in Otago and Southland one of the most effective methods of ensuring independence in this connection is almost totally ignored. The preservation of fodder plants by means of ensilage has long been recognised as a most valuable means of insuring the farmer against drought and pestilence. In the North Island especially, silos are springing up in every district, and each season sees more dairy farmers transferring their allegiance from the old-fashioned dry fodder of iho haystack to the more succulent and nutritious food provided by the silo. In almost all other dairying countries in the world the system has been adopted entirely, and all classes of farmers are using ensilage. Indeed, in most of the farms in Taranaki ensilage has usurped the place of the haystack, and has now become one of the essential parts of the years’ operations. The importance of this food for live stock generally cannot be exaggerated, and I am convinced that the best results cannot be obtained from the dairy lands and herds of this province until farmers adopt this new form of providing not only winter feed, but a stand by for any season of the year. In speaking to some farmers about ensilage, (states a writer in the ‘ 1 Otago Daily Times’’) I have found that there is some misconception regarding the feeding value of ensilage. Of course, the quality is chiefly determined by the material from which the ensilage is made. Inferior grasses and weed growths, and even Californian thistle, can be made into very fair ensilage, which is a good stand-by for the offseason when milk production is not the primary objective. Stfd, this class ot food cannot compare with the commodity prepared from good grasses, clover, lucerne, or maize. These materials made the finest ensilage, and it is in. these that the claim that ensilage has far more nutriment than hay canhot be disputed for a moment. The making of plants into hay does not improve the nutritive qualities, but the preserving of the same plants by means of ensilage results in a big increase in the nutriment of the food and makes it much more digestible. It has been stated by good authorities that tho processes passed through, and the changes effected, in the making of ensilage are practically identical with those which take place in the first stomach of ruminants. Again, ensilage contains certain laxative qualities which are not found in hay. It would bo impossible to feed cows continually on hay without providing some supplementary crop which would serve to counteract the binding tendencies of dry hay. Cows fed on ensilage, milk exceptionally -well, giving both quality and quantity, as has been amply demonstrated by experimental work on the various State farms. The Gore experimental farm took the matter up and studied its relation to southern conditions, finding them distinctly favourable. Farmers need rest under no misapprehension regarding the superiority of ensilage over hay as a fodder for all seasons. Good ensilage never taints the milk, which fact should be a distinct recommendation to dairy farmers -generally, as the tainted milk question is becoming a very vexed one. Feeding of Ensilage. For the early spring months dairy cows should be provided with a mixture of hay and ensilage, the latter being given in the morning for preference, and hay in the evening. During the summer, when the pastures dry up and hay is either finished or too dry, the dairy herd should be given as much ensilage as it can consume. Fifty cows would require about one ton of ensilage per day, allowing each beast a ration of about 201 b. twice daily. A cubic foot of ensilage should weigh from 401 b. to 561 b., according to the material from which it has been made. Question of Material.

The first question askeS by a dairy farmer who intends to take on ensilage is 4 ‘What is the best material!” Well, the best material is what is moat convenient. It would be foolish to bind a man to two or three special ingredients, as it is not always convenient or possible to use them. The advantage of ensitege lies in the fact that it can be made at all times and in any weather. There is always a lot of surplus feed in spring and summer, and heavy rough grass that cows turn up their noses at. All this roughage would otherwise be wasted, but any spare time can be spent putting it into the silo. Grass set aside for hay need not be lost because wet weather impedes haymaking. The question has also been asked whether crops should bo specially grown for ensilage. Tho answer is a decided affirmative. Many crops that will ensile do not occupy the land for any great time, and this is a consideration worthy of note. Oats, ryegrass, clover, tares, Italian and Western wolths are excellent materials for first-

class ensilage. Sorghums, millets, and especially maize are good materials, but these are mostly fed green. But, here again, in a good season there is often much of this food that is not used, and unless it is made into ensilage it is wasted. All the materials mentioned so far are crops generally grown, and thus a good supply of winter or supp’" inntury feed is obtained with a minimum of extra work. Probably there la ao LflUer material

for ensilage than lucerne. Two aspects of this crop should appeal to farmers. It has great food value, and it affords easily the most economical means of obtaining an annual supply of the finest ensilage. The lucerne field takes manw years to run dry, and even when pastures and grass paddocks are at their best, the lucerne crop keeps pace with their growth, though it has probably been cut regularly for years. Thus the first few cuts of early spring arc not needed, and as the weather at such a season is particularly unsuited for haymaking, the cuts must be either wasted or thrown into the silo. Then when pastures become bare the lucerne is again ready for cutting, and the first few cuts are safe in the silo ready for any emergency that may arise out of bad weather or drbught. The question of getting the last drop of milk from the herd, and the last ounce of fats is one that concerns every farmer, and ensilage provides a ffieaas by which production ean be increas. I considerably, quality improved, an i safety assured against climatic conditions which can so easily ruin a man’s whole season’s work. Thorough investigation of the ensilage question would repay all farmers, and the successful working of this system in the North Island should be sufficient inducement to southern farmers to at least give it a trial.

This subject is by no means the dairy farmers’ “pigeon,” as ensilage is eminently suitable for general use. It is of great value to young animals, breeding cattle, and growing stock, which would under ordinary methods be wintered entirely on dry roughage. In the absence of roots or in the event of a failure of the hay cut the dairyman is greatly handicapped, to put it mildly, if he has not made the fullest use of the opportunities provided by ensilage, and fat stock growers and feeders of all classes of stodk might well take a lesson from the dairy farmer. The soundness and health of animals thus fed is a certain guarantee of economical returns. The judicious use of ensilage for dairy cows, fat cattle, sheep, young stock, horses, or pigs makes It possible to keep a maximum of stock on a given area, thus increasing the farmer’s profits.