Pampas Grass in the King Country

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 60, Issue 1, 15 January 1940, Page 45

Pampas Grass in the King Country

Practical Experiences of Value As Supplementary Winter Fodder

J. M. HOPKINS,

Instructor in Agriculture, Taumarunui.

THE past winter in the southern portion of the King Country has been very severe, and cattle especially have . suffered through shortage .of winter fodder. Although the weather conditions were mild until well into the winter months, the exceptional dry spell in the autumn caused most of the . pastures to be well eaten out, and they did not recover sufficiently to ensure adequate winter grazing for cattle. Ailments in cattle, especially . dairy cattle, have been exceptional this spring,. and no, doubt many of . these

troubles were directly caused by a weak and starving condition due to , insufficient feeding. In the ordinary course of events only limited amounts of root and hay crops can be grown because of the small percentage of ploughable and easy country. As such crops cannot be grown in large enough quantities .to winter sufficient —and cattle are necessary on all of this hill country —something more is needed to tide stock over the worst months of the year. There is no doubt that pampas grass will fill that want. In the past a great, deal .has been written about.

pampas grass as a supplementary winter fodder, and it is felt that a further plea for its extended use will not be out of place. Established Plantation Of the established plantations in the district, several have been fed off for the first time this winter, and the results have more than repaid the outlay in setting up the areas. Two of

these plantations are worth quoting. They are owned by Mr. M. W. Coates, of Aukopae, and Mr. W. H. Fife, of Niho Niho. • ' The first has an area of approximately quarter of an acre. Feeding was begun on July 23 with 35 calves and eight cows, and access to the feed was allowed for two hours each day. This was continued for two weeks; and the stronger calves and some of the

cows were removed. Up to the end of August the number of stock having access to the plantation was 30 calves and three cows, and it was estimated that two to three weeks’ feeding was left on the bushes. Hay was also fed each day to the cows and calves, and at the end of August they were in a very strong and healthy condition. Although this plantation is small, it can be seen that it has served a valuable purpose, and Mr. Coates intends to establish other areas this spring. Mr. W. H. Fife is very enthusiastic about the value of pampas grass, and altogether he has approximately four acres of the grass well established. At the end of August two plantations, one three and one four years old, and each of one and a half acres, were being fed off with 50 bullocks, and a one-year-old plantation of one acre had already been fed off with 21 calves. The latter plantation should not have been fed off until fully grown, but shortage of feed compelled Mr. Fife to give the calves access to it, and he considers that many of the calves would have died were it not for the pampas grass. Mr. Fife is preparing the site for another plantation,

and his method of establishing pampas grass is worthy of note. Time for Planting Seedlings are planted in the spring in a cultivated nursery bed, and are left there for one year. The following spring all foliage is removed from the plants to within one foot of the butt, and the plants are lifted and set out in the permanent area, which has been prepared beforehand. Preparation of the plantation site consists of clearing secondary growth, spitting the holes ..for the plants, and fencing the area. The best time of the year to establish pampas grass is in the spring, when the danger of heavy frosts is over. Seedlings may be obtained for 35s per 1000, plus freight, and may be planted directly in the permanent , site or in a nursery bed. Both methods are successful, but much depends on how the plantation is looked after once it is established. For the first year, at least, all secondary growth and grass must be kept away from the plants. Once on a sound footing, pampas grass requires little attention, and, except for fencing, is not costly to establish.

The Department of Agriculture has planted eight acres of pampas grass on steep, unploughable country on Mr. F. J. Fougere’s property at Tatu. This plantation was one year old in October of this year. On this type of country, which is of the poorest, it will probably take four years to reach the feeding stage, but if the grass can be grown successfully on this class of land it can be grown almost anywhere. Inspections of this plantation reveal a fairly high percentage of strike in the plants (approximately 90 per cent.), necessitating little in the way of replacement of dead plants. Conclusion It is stated that more interest is being taken in pampas grass in the district by the actual experience of individual farmers, and it is hoped that this will tend to inspire many to take the necessary steps to establish areas of this grass. If production is to increase and the - country in question is to be maintained in grass it is necessary to have large numbers of cattle, and their feeding in the short periods of the year is an all-important matter.

-tin— —ini—till—tin—mi——ini—mi—mi— nil—tin—■ I . j [ The experiences of two farmers I [in ths southern King Country 1 j give further proof of the value j = of pampas grass as a supple- J 1 mentary winter fodder for j I cattle. If production is to in- j I crease and this country is to be j I maintained in grass, large num- = j bers of cattle are necessary, § j and their feeding in the 1 f short period of the year is 1 j all-important. I

e^i— ".mi—.mi—mi— —mi——mi— Illi—llli—llli—ll «£«