SUMMER FORAGE CROPS FOR NORTHERN DISTRICTS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 3, 20 September 1916, Page 200

SUMMER FORAGE CROPS FOR NORTHERN DISTRICTS.

J. BROWN,

B.Sc.Ag., N.D.A., Director of the Fields Division.

MAIZE.

Among the annual forage crops adapted to districts, of fairly high summer temperatures it is doubtful whether maizegiven favourable conditionsis surpassed either in yield or in nutritive value. It fulfils the more important requirements of a supplementary forage crop for dairy stock in that it is cheaply produced and easily handled. Maize, however, has certain limitations. Although by sowing early- and late-maturing varieties, or by successive sowings at intervals of two or three weeks of any early variety, the period during which it is available for feed is extended, its use for forage purposes may be said to be restricted to the months January to March, after which, except in unusually favoured. localities, its growth is apt to be brought to a standstill by low temperatures. A frost-shrivelled crop of maize fodder is practically useless for the purpose for which forage crops are' fed to dairy cows. Certainly maize supplies the want of succulent green feed until pastures freshen in autumn, but it will not be gainsaid that it would be an advantage in many cases to carry the supplementary forage feeding right into the month of May and even June.

, It has been said above that maize is easily handled, but the handling of any crop implies labour, which, unfortunately, is none too plentiful on most dairy farms. It may therefore be considered a defect in maize that it cannot be pastured without excessive waste. Added to these disadvantages one must allow that maize is somewhat exacting in soil-requirements. It does not as a rule produce satisfactory crops for forage except on the better classes of. land, and even on the latter the occurrence of a brief spell of dry weather is sufficient to provide a check to its growth from which it seldom makes a satisfactory recovery.

SORGHUM.

It is with the view of suggesting more general trials of a few other crops with similar general adaptations to maize that these notes are written. The value of the sorghum crop as a source of succulent

feed for dairy stock is well known, 'but its use might be greatly extended in our northern districts. .

- Sorghum requires higher temperatures than maize for germination and early growth, and should not be planted anywhere before November. On dry soils, on poor soils, and on soils of a refractory nature it excels maize. The occurrence of dry weather and deficiency in soil-moisture delays the growth of sorghum, but does not permanently check it as in the case of maize. Provided a spell of cold weather does not ensue, a most vigorous growth of • sorghum takes place with the arrival of rain after a hot dry spell which would suffice to wither up maize completely. It retains succulence in. stem and leaves for some time after attaining maturity or even after light early frosts, and this valuable characteristic is of no little service to the farmer who grows it, in enabling him to continue a supply of succulent feed into the early part of the winter.

Only the sweet or saccharine varieties’ of sorghums have any general utility in New Zealand, and the varieties of these on the local market are Early Amber. Cane, Planter's Friend, and Sorghum Saccharatum. Amber Cane and Saccharatum are the varieties for late summer feed, as they reach full maturity as a rule in about four months' from sowing. Both are fairly fine-stemmed, and if seeded fairly thick the surplus over forage requirements can be cured as hay, which provides an excellent, nutritious, and palatable chaff for either cattle or horses. , Planter’s Friend is a late variety of very slow growth at first. Usually a fortnight elapses before the braird is noticed, and' for some weeks thereafter the growth is very small. The subsequent growth, however, is of astonishing rapidity. The plant is very drought-resistant, and also frost-resistant when mature.

The cultivation of sorghum; is similar to that for maize. On a well-prepared surface the seed <is either drilled in the usual way with a grain-drill, allowing the. seed to pass through every fourth or fifth coulter, when from 5 lb. to 6 lb. of seed per acre are required ; or, if the rainfall is good, the seed may be broadcasted at the rate of . about 20 lb. per acre. Broadcast sorghum when" not required for green feed may, as already . indicated, be converted into excellent hay. . The feeding of horses' on sorghum chaff supplemented by an allowance of maize is not uncommon in New South Wales and Queensland, and in those States excellent results have been achieved in the fattening of steers in the same way.

SUDAN GRASS.

Sudan grass, a member of the sorghum family, has recently acquired a good reputation as a summer forage. It was tested by

several farmers in the Auckland district last year, and the reports were not only encouraging but so enthusiastic as to warrant a recommendation for further general trials, of this valuable forage. The following extract from the letter of a Manurewa correspondent, written at the end of April last, gives the grower’s experience: "I sowed a patch of Sudan grass on the 30th October, 1915, and about a month afterwards started to cut some when about 15 in. high, and have cut it eight or nine times since, and am still cutting for pigs, who devour it in preference to anything else. I cut it for pigs when from 12 in. to 18 in. high. One part. I cut only four times and then let it go to seed ; some of this I made a little hay with. My horse and cows left oats for it, and any time I have given it to them they prefer it to anything else. It has fibrous roots like wheat or oats, is very leafy, and the more it is cut the more it stools. It has reached about 6 ft. 6 in. in my patch, which was sown after early potatoes. I gave no manure except what the potatoes had. On one plant I counted the stalks, and reached 140 ; but with those I .allowed to seed I have some plants which will number about fifty stalks carrying seed, and in some cases I have noticed where I cut the seed-heads well up the > plant , has ■ thrown some more seed-heads from the side of the stalk. The seed is ■ a good fowl-grain.”

Sudan grass is not only a rapid grower but is most droughtresistant. During the summer of 1913 the'writer grew a crop of it at the Queensland Agricultural College. The condition of the soil with regard to moisture at the time of sowing was satisfactory, but no rain "fell during the seven weeks which elapsed before the Sudan grass produced its seed-heads at a height of about 6 ft. and with great luxuriance of leaf. During this period the maize crops generally proved a complete failure, and even the more droughtresistant sorghums wilted badly. In fact, this crop of Sudan grass was the only green break in a parched and withered landscape. Part of the crop was cut off for cows, and although the weather continued dry the Sudan grass shot up afresh, providing a complete carpet of green feed for grazing. Its grazing-value during the height of the summer is very considerable. It is certain that a good stand of Sudan grass will bear repeated grazing.

Sudan - grass seed is procurable from Auckland seed - firms. Neither it nor any of the sorghums is recommended for growing south of the Waikato, except as a trial in good sheltered paddocks which have the advantage of reflected heat from surrounding hills. Sudan grass should be drilled through every coulter at the rate of 15 lb. per acre, or broadcast at the rate of 20 lb.

It should be noted that the view is put forward that none of the sorghum family are safe feeds for stock until they have run into seed-head, owing to their liability to develop prussic-acid poisoning. That this has sometimes happened is not to be doubted. The writer has, however, fed all kinds of stock repeatedly, and indiscriminately- on various sorghums without bad .result, and is aware that this is -generally done. The Ontario Agricultural College, in Canada, uses sorghum with oats and red clover as .its standard summer pasture. Except when the crop has been unusually stunted in its growth from any cause, such as drought or cold, the danger of poisoning would appear to be infinitesimal.

MILLET.

Among the same class of forage crops the millets occupy an important position as quick growers under warm, moist conditions. They are favourite catch-crops in districts with good summer rainfall in Australia. Japanese millet is grown to a greater or less extent throughout the North Island. Except for its rapidity of growth and suitability for ensilage this variety has no particular recommendation. The stalks are somewhat hard and coarse, and as mature fodder it is less palatable than any of the crops previously mentioned, while the same characteristics render it not very suitable for hay, although, as mentioned, it makes a good ensilage crop. It, however, stands grazing fairly well, and any one distrusting the sorghums on account of possible poisoning might try Japanese millet.

■ The common foxtail or Hungarian millet is much finer in the stem, and if cut just immediately after the seed-stem emerges it provides a hay crop which is not to be despised. It is necessary to cut with the mower and cure in- the swathe, as the crop is too bulky and succulent to cure in sheaf when harvested by a selfbinder. The best .of all the millets, however, either for pasturing; green. fodder, or hay, is the White panicum, characterized by white inflorescence and seed, which distinguish it from other varieties. White panicum is a great stooler, and is a first-class pasturing crop.

All the millets are seeded at about 12 lb. per acre if drilled, and 20 lb. if broadcast. They flourish under warm, moist conditions only, and are adversely affected by cold nights. They function chiefly as grazing, green feed, and hay crops in place of oats and other temperate cereals, which if sown under such conditions in summer would inevitably succumb to rust.

OTHER FORAGE CROPS.

The warm-district leguminous forage crops, such as cow-peas and soya beans, have not hitherto proved generally successful in this country. A perennial forage crop which has provided a good stand-by at all times of the year in some of the Australian States is Indian or cow cane. ' A "supply' of cuttings ’of this■ crop has just been received by the Department from the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, •' and these are being ' grown .at Ruakura, Tauranga, and other places in the North this year. If the result is favourable cuttings will be available for distribution later. . r • . .