SEASONAL WORK.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16152, 29 November 1924, Page 18 (Supplement)

SEASONAL WORK.

THE PASTURES AND CROPI PROGRESSIVE FEEDING. (By “Practical.”) At this season of the year the pastures producie an exoess of feed. As a rule the farmer finds that his stock cannot keep down the herbage during the flush. It is calculated that the pasture produces about 70 per cent, of its bulk during the period from the middle of August to about the end of December. Hence it is wise to save this excess in the form of hay or silage. As the hay Is essentially a winter feed, particularly for dairy cows when the pastures are bare, this excess' of grass growth can be economically' made use of. If farmers save some of this excess growth, say 10 to 20 acres, and convert it into silage, they will have a succulent milk-pro-dueing feed, which may be utilised in the autumn if the pastures dry off through, dry spells, or special, crops! fall for the same reason, or other rca-" sons. Silage, moreover, can be kept for,any period when feed is short. Fodder keeps well; in the., form of sffage. v.’ ‘ ,T-, Sines the pastures produce the remaining jiO per cent, .of their bulk in the autumn and winter. it i 3 calculated that ■ cent.'’ of it is produced from .about'the- end "of December to May, .ah‘d the remaining' 10 per cent, during the winter months. Now cows, if adequately fed,, require more than th,e pastures can provide in the autumn and winter, when the pastures are often dry and bare respectively. Hence extra feed is necessary." When silage, in addition to hay, is provided the amount of feed from special crops need not be so great. However, some Is dbelraMsi- ■ Valus of Paspalum. Paspalum fills a useful place here :;This grass has proved Its worth in and the King Country, as well jj* north of these districts. The value 'Of good paspalum pasture lies in the 'Tact that when the pastures made up .■of English grasses and clovers go off towards the new year, paspalum takes up the running. It is a noteworthy fact that that in North Auckland, 'where reliance is placed on English grasses and clovers alone production (in milk drops off rapidly from the new year until the cows dry off. Where paspalum is provided, however, good late summer and autumn productioh is ■a feature of the dairying. Herd testing returns prove this. Where topdressing is practised the clovers are .present in paspalum pastures, and the (quality “of the feed so produced is much .Improved. That is the case, of course, Where suitable phosphatio manures are tilled. Subterranean clover, white Clover, trefoil (suckling clover) and lotus major all are good companions to.paspalum. For many years subterranidsn cloves has associated itself, apparently as a volunteer, with paspalum in North Auckland, providing a good combination. At Mangonul I first noticed, some five years ago, subterranean clover growing with paspalum. This clover shoots early and provides early feed before . the,paspalum comes away. Being a summer grass, it is well into November before paspalum begins to grow vigorously. Topdressed paspalum reduces considerably the need for autumn crops. In faet the top-dressing induces the growth of ryegrass and other English in the paspalum sward. This provides, with the clovers mentioned, good early feed. It, moreover, forces the paspalum up into growth and prevents to a large extent the sod-bound condition found in pure paspalum pastures. Short Succulent Grass.

There is always a tendency at tills time of the year for grass "to get away.” The different species bolt up Into seed. This must be prevented, If possible. Grass, if kept short, Is more succulent than if it Is allowed to seed and ripen off. If the grass could be fed up to the flowering stage (when it ia quite nutritious) all is well, but beyond it is not desirable in ordinary grazing to let it go. Farmfers know that when they cut hay or silage the aftermath provides good succulent feed, often with clovers prominent. I have known farmers to run the mower, set high, over the grass and clip the top growth. This is a good practice and to be commended if there is time available to ‘•do It.- < •

,i- Milfet, maize, sorghum and turnips ican be sown for seasonal feeding to the grass. Those who ;;iiave luperne arc, of course, fortunate While millet cannot be expected to ; give the milk-producing feed which lucerne or soft turnips provide, still millet has its place. Jt does not entail the labour of feeding out as with turnips. It can be fed off on the ground. There is no risk of taint from careless feeding and over-l’eeding as .with turnips.

Perhaps no fodder will give better late autumn and early winter feed than green maize. It puts conditions on the dairy cows or other stock, enabling them to face the winter well. This is more a recommendation for maize than its milk-producing qualities. Where the land is drier and well sheltered sorghum can be grown in Waikato. This crop can be grown with less moisture than maize. Hence should a dry spell tfc experienced, or a farmer is forced to use dry- uplands for his crops, sorghum is safer than maize. It should not be fed before it comes into flower, as it may prove poisonous to Ihe stock. Gases are recorded when trouble has been produced by immature sorghum.