FOR OUR FARMERS

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXVI, Issue 7906, 24 September 1929, Page 2

FOR OUR FARMERS

VALUE OF ENSILAGE TO DAIRYMEN CROPS THAT MAY BE USED METHODS OF SAVING Apart from a few the dairy farmers on the Waihi Plains and adjacent districts have not yet realised the value of ensilage as fodder for their herds, but doubtless as time goes on and the benefits are demonstrated by those producing it others will give attention to ensilage production. For the information of those who may be contemplating the provision of this valuable ration during the “flush” growth of pastures in late spring and early summer 'we give the following hints, taken from a lecture delivered to Hawke’s Bay settlers recently by Mr R. P. Connell, of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture.

It was stressed by the speaker that one of the main reasons why ensilage was being advocated arose from the fact that in addition to having a decidedly high value as a fodder to replace such crops as mangels, green oats and turnips, ensilage was capable of being introduced into the farm work in such a way as to be of great assistance in obtaining the best results from pastures and particularly from manures applied to pastures. . * • The first fact to be

considered was that the best accompaniment of phosphate top-dressing of grasslands was close grazing and the second that under the conditions commonly prevailing close grazing can be carried out readily only when ensilage production is adopted. This iatter fact is well demonstrated where phosphatic manures are used freely on grasslands to the extent of three hundredweigh an acre or more annually. In districts when the grass paddocks commence to produce more rapidly than the stock being carried can consume the growth being made, steps are taken to see that the surplus growth is made available for the production of ensilage. This means simply that at the commencement of the flush period a suitable sized paddock is closed up for ensilage production.

SUITABLE MATERIAL For ensilage production very suitable material apart from surplus grass growth is provided by (1) the first cut of lucerne, which usually comes to a fit stage for mowing when weather conditions do not favour hay saving; (2) special temporary pastures such as ryegrass and red clover mixtures: (3) cereals, such as oats, two bushels mixed with tares, one bushel an acre sown in autumn, then let run for a crop to be mown in December; (4) maize or millet grown possibly for green late summer feed and not needed for that purpose, or grown specially for ensilage. The time to cut may be determined as follows: In the case of pastures, when the predominating varieties or kinds are in bloom; oats and similar cereals, when the grain is thickening from the milky to the doughy stage; maize, when the cobs are taking on a glazed appearance. Detailed information as to methods of saving for ensilage may be obtained from the department’s recently prepared bulletin, which is available for free distribution. This bulletin goes fully into the system of saving in which the silo, the trench, the pit and the stack are variously used. Where conditions are suitable for their adoption the pit method or the “pit trench Waikato” method is favoured as each of these methods enables the ensilage to be saved with a minimum of labour and wastage of material.

The pit, or “pit-trench Waikato” method calls for sites which allow of easy filling from above and which provide a good road from the opening for carting out the cured material in the winter or early spring, .and which are free from the danger of ground water seeping into the stored ensilage. But for the fact that it is not always possible to get sites meeting these requirements other methods of saving enilage would but seldom be considered.

ATTRACTIVE FEATURES When the pit (or the modifications) cannot suitably be adopted then the stack system is avalalble. More farmers successfully adopt the stack method than any other —it is advantageous because the site chosen can be made to fit in with where the material to be saved is produced or where it is to be utilised. On the other hand the stack system results in more waste in passing from the green material to its cured product and it is laborious unless carried out with the suitable modern equipment, which is somewhat expensive. -This consists of sweeps , and stackers which, though somewhat expensive, are great labour savers and can also be used with advantage in hay making, and call for outlay which is well justified if any considerable area of ensilage is to be saved. It often proves good practice for a group of farmers to share in the cost and cooperate in the operation of modern sweepts and stackers. Attractive features of ensilage are: (1) It can be made when the material is ready, irrespective of the weather.

(3 ) Rough material which could not be used suitably otherwise makes edible ensilage. (3) It is a farmer’s best insurance policy against the occurrence of a bad season, in which pastures and other special forage crops may unexpectedly fail, for it will keep for years if necessary and is not subject to damage from lire and vermin. (4) It lias a wide range of use. It may be fed in the spring, pr again, if there is a shortage of grass in the winter or early summer or autumn; it may he fed practically as soon as made, if necessary, and it Is suitable for both sheep and cattle. (5) Especially when modern, labour saving equipment is used ensilage does not involve a hurried rush , of heavy work, but fits in well with the ordinary farm routine and in dairying; Hie time available betvyueu 1 milkings enables a suitable amount; of laboi\r to bp put ip at the ensilage.