HAYRICKS DOOMED.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18947, 17 May 1933, Page 4

HAYRICKS DOOMED.

CHEMISTS AND PRODUCERS

EXPERIMENTS IN BERKSHIRE,

CATTLE FOOD OF FUTURE

Upon 40 cows conscripted for biochemical research work at the Imperial Chemical Industries Experimental Station at Jealott’s Hill (Berkshire) rests the destiny of that picturesque landmark, the hayrick (says an, English paper). And the condition of these cattle, together with the milk they yield and the butter produced from it, makes it only too clear already thgt that destiny ultimately will be—disappearance. For the hayrick, happily though it adorns the landscape, is a monument to waste. The reason why has just been explained to me. Briefly it is— Grass as grass is a valuable food containing .20 to 30 per cent, of crude protein.

Grass allowed to wilt into hay is a food containing only 11 to 12 per cent, of crude protein. Dr. S. J. Watson, who is in charge of the bio-chemistry work, has been seeking to preserve in the grass after it has been cut the original quantity of protein.

“Heath Robinson” Maohlne.

By employing a monstrous Heath Robinson sort of machine to dry the grass as soon as it has been mowed he has succeeded.

All through last summer this machine was busy swallowing grass and blowing hot air over it in preparation'for the feeding experiments now going on. Forty tons of grass were thus “treated.”

The tests have yielded results that should in due course lead to a revolution on every farm throughout the country. It has been found that—

The dried grass is equally as gooi as most concentrates —averaging, like bean meal, 17 to 18 per cent, protein —and three times as good as hay. The butter produce of cows fed on it contains Vitamin A in a far more generous proportion than the butter of cows fed on hay.

Vitamin A is the anti-infective vitamin, yielding protection against chills, influenza, etc., and dried-grass butter might therefore well be called “Anti’Flu” butter.

It is rich and yellow in colour, contrasting vividly with the pale product of hay. Also, it has a superior flavour to hay butter. As I have stated, the drying plant is Just a Heath Robinson affair. Chemists put it together, and not, engineers. It consists merely of an oven and a band along which the grass is carried. It is of an immense size, and the chemists admit that an engineer could build a drier half the size to do twice the .work at half the f csj#Vrj. The grass, when it comes”' out, is bright green, and hardly distinguishable from living grass.. It is slightly brittle, and is easily baled and stored.

“Circus’’ Driers.

' Mr B. A. Fixsen, secretary and demonstrator, told me to-day that In the future we'would probably find—1. Farmers owning their own drying plants. 2. Drying faotorles In agricultural areas.

3. Circus driers—J.e., driers, privately or company owned, travelling from farm to farm.

The farmer will save all the money he now spends on Imported foods for his stock.- In short, he will be a step nearer .to being self-supporting. His cattle will enjoy In the-winter food of the same‘quality as that they enjoy In summer.' They will be perpetually “In clover.” : Experiments are also being carried out here in ensilage, since ensilage, though not comparable with dried grass, is superior to ordinary hay in protein value. Among the methods of ensilaging that are being tried is one adopted from Finland, producing what is known as “A.1.y.” fodder, named after the inventor of the system, Dr. A. I. Virtanen.

It entails the stocking of grass In huge containers; and of “killing” It with an acid preparation, i Theoretically the method should result in the grass retaining all its protein contents, but the experts hero are non-committal. “Our experiments show,” they say, “that we cannot make a definite pronouncement yet. Moreover there are many problems connected with this method of ensilaging still to be solved.”