CONTROL OF GRASS

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21365, 8 March 1941, Page 15

CONTROL OF GRASS

| PASTURE MANAGEMENT USE OF THE MOWER J The very favourable growth exj perienced in most districts during t the winter and spring has permitted j the saving of bigger areas for hay and silage. It will also rnnan that j bigger areas of pastures will have got out of control, thereby becoming rank and unpalatable to stock, Such I rough, stemmy pasturage, seed heads, { and also weeds such as thistles, buttercups, docks and rushes, should be cut with the mbwer to allow the more nutritious clovers and grasses breathing space. Wherever possible, the aim should be to keep pastures short and leafy, not a very easy task during the dry autumn period. Where grass growth is insufficient to give an adequate nutritious feed for high producing dairy cows and there are no reserve paddocks available for autumn use, it may be necessary to feed out good quality silage at this period of the year. The maintenance of dairy production usually forms a management problem at this j The flushing of the ewe flock pre- | paratory to putting out the rams is j another problem also dependent up- ] on the provision of Suitable nutritious feed. On sheep farms it should be possible to close up for several weeks at least some paddocks which have been previously well grazed. At a convenient time these paddocks may then be made available to the ewe flock. If the ewes have been in fat condition they should be put on short rations previous to being placed in the “flushing” paddocks. Careful Treatment Pastures in their first year require careful treatment if their future production is not to be harmed. Unless they are being used for specialised seed production, they shoud not be allowed to go to seed. If necessary, topping should be practised rather than a too severe grazing by sheep which might harm the finer grasses and clovers. For those pastures on the farm which require improvement, there are several methods which may be adopted. Firstly, ploughing up and re-sowing is always the quickest and most satisfactory method if also the most costly. Preparatory cultivation work should be carried out as soon as soil conditions permit, for a good pasture cannot be established on a hastily prepared seed-bed. Secondly, the improvement of pastures by top-dressing may be carried out now, if practicable, in the higher rainfall districts. Pastures cut for hay or silage may require a dressing now. Thirdly, there is the possibility of the improvement of thinned and deteriorated pastures by allowing them to run to seed, provided they contain a sufficient number of useful plants which may beneficially be increased by re-seeding. Fourthly, surface sowing of deteriorated pastures when the first good rains occur in the autumn is another method of pasture improvement.