ENSILAGE IN SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XVIII, Issue 5, 20 May 1919, Page 284

ENSILAGE IN SOUTHLAND.

DEMONSTRATION AT GORE EXPERIMENTAL AREA.

By

W. J. McCULLOCH,

Fields Instructor, Invercargill,

Ensilage-making has been so far very little practised in Southland — in fact, ensilage might almost be termed an unknown quantity in most parts of the district. It is hoped, however, that in future more interest will be manifested in this very useful form of preserving our surplus summer growth to assist in tiding over that period between the last of the turnip crop and first spring growth, which is so keenly felt in the South.

During the past season a few progressive farmers made the attempt, and in nearly every case good ensilage has resulted. Most of these ensilage-makers, however, were not without their initial troubles, owing in some cases to inexperience and in others to well-meaning but mistaken attempts to improve on proven methods. A few references to some of these cases may be of use to prospective makers. One farmer, for instance, after considerable labour making an excavation in a terrace, struck a nice spring of water. He laid planks over this and built the material on top, having also a portion of the fodder protruding out

of one end. The result was uneven heating, and anxiety. Such an excavation is quite unnecessary. The same farmer afterwards made a stack in the open with success and a great deal less trouble.

Another settler started to build a stack on good lines, but was worried because the temperature did not immediately rise to the required degree. On visiting the farm I found that the crop of oats and tares, which was very heavy, had not yet matured sufficiently. Strange as it may appear, the general idea seems to be that the material should be very green for ensilage. This is wrong ; the cereal should be beginning to turn colour at the ground, with the grain in the dough stage. If one is forced to cut too early, the crop should be left lying to wilt for a day or so before stacking,' and even then the farmer should not get impatient if the temperature does not rise quickly. Simply go ahead with other work on the farm—for a week if necessary — until the temperature is right before adding more material. It will always rise if given sufficient time. . '

In another case I found a very nicely built stack sinking unevenly, the cause being unknown to the builder. It was evidently the result of a heavy gale of wind a few days previously, which had driven all the heat , to’ one side of the stack. The remedy in this case was to hang a stack-cover on the windy side and so prevent the wind from driving the heat through. - :. ,

. Yet another farmer had built a rough structure of heavy planks in the form of a square, with spaces the width of the planks between each. Into this structure the material, which had been bound in sheaves, was tramped endways, sideways, and in all directions. The result was that'the outside of the stack did not sink evenly, having got jammed between the planks in the open spaces, and consequently the air gained admission for some distance from the outside. Thus the heart of the stack was splendid ensilage, but probably 2 ft. or 3 ft. of the outside would be wasted. ■ .

An important point should be emphasized. Some farmers imagine that ensilage is simply one grade of fodder. This is not so. Ensilage is simply a fodder preserved in nearly its original state. Thus, if Canadian thistles and Yorkshire fog are made into ensilage one can only expect to take out a food of similar feeding-value plus the advantage of the fermentation which has taken place and which makes any fodder more digestible. To make the best ensilage one must use the best material, and as economy in handling is a very important factor the farmer should endeavour to do so in a wholesale manner by the use of the proper devices, which can, if necessary, be home-made and cost very little'

THE GORE DEMONSTRATION.

During the past season a useful demonstration of ensilage-making on approved lines, with specially grown crops, was carried out by the Department at the Gore Experimental Area. In order to have sufficient bulk of material to make a stack four sections of land on the area were selected, aggregating some 8 acres. These sections were sown in different mixtures for the purpose of obtaining information as to the yield in the district of certain crops acknowledged as suitable for ensilage generally. All the mixtures were sown on 1st October, 1918,

with superphosphate at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre in each case. The cutting of the crops took place between 14th and 19th February, 1919. The following were the mixtures and results : —

Section 1. —Huguenot wheat and golden tares, sown at the rate of 2 bushels of wheat and 1 bushel of tares per acre, gave a yield of 7-91 tons per acre. It should be stated that the wheat after brairding was for some time easily the best crop of any,, but eventually fell behind the others badly, with the result that the tares took possession and were a splendid crop to the detriment of the wheat. This may be attributed to the fact of wheat generally slowing up during the tilleringstage, together with the backwardness of -the past season at that period and the more hardy nature of the tares to withstand such conditions. I am of opinion that even in ordinary seasons in the South such a mixture is not too well balanced, and that the wheat should be more heavily seeded and the tares decreased. A very important fact demonstrated is that this crop should be sown a month or six weeks earlier, but in the present case unforeseen circumstances prevented the work being carried out.

Section 2—Cape barley and golden tares, sown at the rate of r| bushels of barley and 2 bushels of tares, gave an average yield of 7-15 tons per acre. This crop came along very well, and matured fully three weeks ahead of any of the others. The balance of barley and tares may be considered just right for the proper growth of each.

Section Ryecorn and golden tares, sown at the rate of r| bushels of ryecorn and 1 bushel of tares, averaged a yield of 8-63 tons per acre. The balance in this case might be improved, as the ryecorn certainly had a smothering effect on the tares, and I would suggest slightly less cereal with the same amount of tares. In other words, the ryecorn, although very good, might have been sown thinner to. the advantage of the tares. This crop, matured earlier than the wheat, but not so early as the barley.

Section 4. —Garton oats and golden tares, sown at the rate of 2 bushels of oats and 1 bushel of tares, yielded some 12 tons per acre. This was a very heavy crop, and the balance of tares would be considered about right, but the oats matured later than the ryecorn in section 3. Although the result of the oats-and-tares mixture demonstrated it to be much the heavier crop to grow for ensilage in the South, still the fact should not be ignored that owing to the more hollow straw of oats ensilage experts do not prefer it, being more in favour of the firmer-strawed cereals. This does not refer to feeding-values, but more especially to the making of ensilage. It is contended that there is less risk of mildew with the more solid-str awed cereals.

The making of the ensilage was carried out under the supervision of Mr. W. Dibble, Assistant Agriculturist. The stack was built on a base of 23 ft. by 18 ft., this being rather larger than usual owing to no hoist being available. . The estimated weight of the material ensiled was 50 tons. During the operations Mr. Dibble gave an address on ensilagemaking generally to an appreciative gathering of farmers, also boys of the Gore High School.