SEASONAL NOTES

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 70, Issue 5, 15 May 1945, Page 529

SEASONAL NOTES

Winter Feeding of Stock

A GOOD reserve for ample winter A GOOD reserve for ample winter xx feed is invariably a feature of the most highly productive farms. Shortage of . feed limits the winter carrying capacity, while reliance on poor quality, badly balanced winter rations is a common cause of low production among dairy herds and high mortality with ewes and lambs. Semi-starvation of farm animals over the winter is not uncommon, and the lack of sufficient winter feed /is a definite weakness in farm management.

The coarse winter fodders, such as hay and ensilage, are highly nutritious and digestible when, of good quality and when fed as properly balanced rations. If inferior roughages, such as mouldy hay or poor ensilage, straw, pithy or diseased roots, are fed to stock, they will not constitute a proper maintenance ration, and will lead to malnutrition, digestive troubles and a lowering of natural resistance to disease. This applies particularly to dairy heifers, hoggets, and wet stock.

Digestibility

Unlike plants, animals must extract the nutriment after swallowing, and the indigestible portion has to be emitted. Consequently, unsuitable feed is a menace to the health of stock. Digestibility depends on the food itself and on the animal consuming it. For example, ruminant animals may be able to digest about half the fibre in their food, while horses and pigs digest only a small portion. Digestion in animals is a very slow process, taking three or four days at least. Good, clean drinking water aids digestion and should always be available.

Bulk in the Ration

All animals, especially ruminants, require bulk in their ration, but too much is risky. If feed is too concentrated, lack of bulk upsets the action of the digestive juices. If feed is too bulky the animal is unable to eat enough to obtain the necessary nourishment. For instance, a ewe, which is unable .to consume more than about 301 b. of dry matter weekly, would require 851 b. of wheat straw or 501 b. of oat or barley straw or 501 b. of very poor hay as a bare maintenance ration. As this, is beyond her capacity, she must suffer from malnutrition.

Balance the Feed Ration For economic and, safe feeding the necessary balancing of the winter ration with regard to the proportion of protein to carbohydrate must be taken into account. Flesh, blood, and wool contain a high proportion of nitrogen. This is the important element in protein but' not in carbohydrate, which includes the sugars and starch in the feed and supplies heat and energy. Young animals require more protein and less bulk in feed than mature animals; dairy cows a higher proportion than dry cattle; working horses require extra protein. Good meadow and lucerne hay are relatively high in protein, which largely accounts for their very great value as feed during the winter when little grass is available. Good pasture is a balanced ration and has about 75 per cent, of water, while roots, containing sugars, have about 90 per cent, water and hay about 15 per cent. Roots and good hay form a well balanced ration in nutritive properties, bulk and water-content. Although the autumn has been good for pasture growth, much hay is of inferior quality due to weathering and will increase difficulties of feeding for those unfortu-

nate enough to be largely dependent on such feed, especially if an early or a prolonged winter is experienced.

Use of Poorer Quality Feed

Poor quality hay or ensilage should be reserved for the dry stock, but if required for wet stock, these fodders should be fed out early when the needs of the animals are least and before growth in pastures becomes too meagre. Stock which enter the winter in a healthy condition are more easily maintained, but when vitality is low some difficulty must be expected in effecting improvement at this season of the year.

Aim of Winter Feeding The tendency in winter feeding wet stock should be to improve gradually and consistently the quality and quantity of the feed as pregnancy progresses . without sudden changes in diet _or breaks in continuity of feeding. Further, it is well to husband winter growth of grass for lambing or calving periods and make good use of special fodders, such as Italian ryegrass and red clover or greenfeed oats and barley, in the late winter and early spring periods to stimulate milk flow and growth.

FEEDING THE DAIRY HERD. The dairy cows are usually dried off during May, and an early start should be made with a winter feeding programme liberal enough to build up reserves for calving and for the next lactation period. Unless sufficiently fed over the winter a cow will have to draw on

her reserves to live while producing a calf and at the same time contend with severe weather conditions. It is well known that cows in poor condition at calving time put on flesh first instead of milk into the bucket, and that their peak production instead of being reached in about six weeks may take up to three months. A maintenance ration for an in-calf dairy cow is in the vicinity of 121 b. to 151 b. of good lucerne or pasture hay with at least 401 b. of roots. These quantities are approximately equivalent to 501 b. of good ensilage, which should be fed with a hay ration. The .quantity of the latter will depend on the quality of the ensilage. Heavier feeding for good producing cows should be practised if the reserve is large enough. An allowance of greenfeed, such as chou moellier carted out or rationed green oats or barley and saved winter grass, affords valuable additions to diet and a welcome change. The use of ensilage as a winter feed has gained some prominence in the North Island, but is less general in the South. If not required for winter feed, ensilage is excellent as a dry summer supplement and will keep for a number of years until required.

Sufficient good hay will be of considerable value in bringing the cows through the winter and in balancing the early spring greenfeed oats or barley ration. In feeding out hay or mangolds, the hay should first ' be spread out thinly in dry paddocks, and only after this is partly consumed should the roots be carted out. This practice will aid digestion while avoiding the consumption of halffrozen roots on an empty stomach. Cattle pumpkins* grown in the warmer districts may be carted out on to the paddocks when convenient, and sufficient can be split in a few minutes for the day’s requirements. As pumpkins do not keep well they are invariably fed out before mangolds which, for cows, require pitting for at least six weeks before consumption. Pumpkins are utilised with greater profit by the pigs on the dairy farm, but are largely grown for sheep in the northerly districts.

WINTER FEEDING OF SHEEP.

Winter feeding of sheep is required in some districts during the coming month, while in all districts it will be necessary over the next three months and into September. It is impossible to lay down any definite system of winter feeding, but it is false economy to winter stock with insufficient supplies, and some purchases in addition to home-grown crops may be profitable in some cases. Any break in the continuity of feed is liable to affect wool and carcass and may have serious effects on hoggets and breeding ewes.

The needs of the breeding ewe will increase as the lambing season is approached. At the present time ewes in lamb should be in reasonable condition, and supplementary feeding should be commenced before there is a tendency to lose condition. About 80 per cent, of pre-foetal development of the unborn lamb takes place during the last six weeks of pregnancy, and extra feeding over this period is essential. In the wintering of sheep the main supplementary crops are greenfeed, turnips, swedes, chaff, hay, or ensilage, depending on ease of production under local conditions. The growing of greenfeed cereals and Italian ryegrass has increased at the expense of the turnip crop, particularly on lighter, drier country in the south. Both are fed off in breaks of sufficient size for several days’ grazing. In the moister districts of the south swedes supplemented by hay or chaff are largely relied on. During the present autumn, club root has greatly reduced yields in these crops. A 40-ton crop of swedes is

regarded as sufficient to winter 15 ewes for 100 days for about a twohour grazing period daily except under frosted conditions, when the roots should not be stocked. To balance the swede ration one sack of oat sheaf chaff, preferably sprinkled with molasses, is needed for 100 ewes, or double this quantity if the roots are not available due to frost or snow. A ration of 21b. per day of good hay or oat sheaf chaff on bare paddocks will keep sheep from losing weight. Poor quality roughage, such as straw, in the ration requires supplementing with grain or good hay. There is no advantage in crushing the grain except for failing-mouth ewes, but gorging must be prevented. This is overcome by feeding with chaff in troughs, allowing a' space of 9in. per sheep at the feeders. Supplies of good quality lucerne, clover or grass hay are hard to replace and make for economic feeding of all roots and greenfeed cereals over the winter to early spring period. — M. BATES, Instructor in Agriculture, Alexandra.

Sprouted Wheat for Seed Purposes

BECAUSE of the very large proportion of sprouted grain in many lines of this season’s wheat, great care will; have to be exercised in connection, with the selection of seed wheat for the coming season. It is doubtful whether there are sufficient lines of first-class seed available to ensure the sowing of the 300,000-acre target for 1945-46, and in all probability some lines containing sprouted seed will have to be used. This will not be a serious disadvantage, provided farmers obtain a report on the doubtful lines and increase the rate of sowing to ensure that sufficient satisfactory seed is sown to give a good braird. The Seed Testing- Station of the Department of Agriculture has arranged a service whereby any farmer wishing *to have his seed wheat tested can obtain a report on the line, and farmers generally are advised to send samples representative of the line to the Seed Testing Station, Department of Agriculture, Palmerston North. Experience has shown that a mere germination test is not sufficient and may give a wrong impression of the value of a line of seed wheat. Speed of germination and high vitality are the essential features of good seed wheat, and the test to which samples submitted -by farmers will be put will cover these points.

Growth Groupings To provide a workable basis for the evaluation of wheat for seeding, the total growth of samples under test will be grouped into four classes: A. Seedlings of high vitality and germination speed: First-class seed. B. Seedlings of lower but fair vitality, and/or of slower germination speed: Fair-average seed. C. Seedlings of low vitality and of slow germination: Low-grade seed.

D. Seedlings very weak and abnormal: Valueless as seed. This grading of seedlings will be carried out at specific stages in the test, and with the use of controls of known standard. . ’ From this the farmer will know just what percentage of seed within the sample will come into each grade, and his sowing can be adjusted accordingly. Where the sowing is carried out under ideal conditions it is considered that the seed in the line shown in classes A, B, and up to half of C will germinate and establish in the field. If the sowing conditions are only fair, it should be reckoned that only A and B will establish, and where the conditions are definitely unfavourable farmers should reckon on only that proportion of the line classed A establishing. For obvious reasons particular the existence of a very wide range, of sowing conditionsa fine degree of precision cannot be expected of this service. Nevertheless, it is hoped that .it will at least provide a useful guide to the selection of seed wheat from partially-deteriorated lines. Owing to the lateness of the season, it is going to be extremely difficult to reach the production target as far as autumn sowing is concerned, so that every endeavour should be made to' ensure a maximum yield from the actual acreage sown; to do this farmers must ascertain the quality of the seed being sown and adjust the rate of sowing in accordance with that quality. Repairs to Fences REPAIRS to permanent fences and gates should be undertaken as soon as possbile in readiness for the coming season. Timely repairs save expense, time, and temper and entail less work. Fences are often in disrepair by the winter, but if well. erected little maintenance may be required other than the tightening of wires, replacement of staples, and general attention to posts and battens. Posts which are showing decay at ground level may be reversed. Stock-proof fences are essential for efficiency, but when left in a state of disrepair they allow stock to damage crops and may cause injury to livestock.

With the shortage of labour and the advent of the busy stock period, no time may be available later to carry out the necessary repairs. Subdivision Closer subdivision usually results in better utilisation of pasture. Much may be done with temporary subdivision, especially on the dairy farm, with electric fences and a few standards. Many have found even one plain wire satisfactory for confining dairy cattle and horses, for the protection of haystacks, and for feeding off crops and pasture in breaks. The electric fence is less satisfactory for sheep or pigs, although it has been used fairly extensively for such stock. In general, barbed wire is more effective than plain wire, but owing to damage to wool plain wire is usually preferred for sheep. Usually three wires are used, and they have been found sufficient once the sheep become accustomed to electric fences. After a period the current may be switched off even for several days without the stock breaking through. Electric fences are liable to “earth” when snow is on the ground or if wet herbage makes contact between the wires and the ground. Machines giving a double shock are preferred to the single shock type. Preserving Fencing ( Timber Preservative treatment with creosote allows timbers which were hitherto regarded as unsuitable to be used for fencing purposes. Before

being treated such timber should be winter seasoned to reduce splitting. Coal tar and soluble mineral salts are not recommended as fencing post preservatives. Green timber posts are considered slightly more durable than untreated ' seasoned posts, as there is less tendency to split at ground level, a condition which favours decay. General In erecting new fence lines on hill country which is liable to erosion subsequent maintenance may be reduced if the fences are made to follow ridges and spurs rather than sidelings. The general layout of existing fences on the farm should also be considered, as much improvement may be possible with little or no additional material by straightening fence lines and altering fences to more suitable positions. In all cases fencing must be studied in relation to the water supplies available. ’ . . The high cost of fencing and shortage of materials have been serious drawbacks to the erection of new permanent fences during the last few years, and many farmers are overcoming this difficulty by constructing their own reinforced concrete strainers and posts on their properties. . Those interested should obtain the free bulletin No. 184 “Concrete on the Farm” issued' by the Department of Agriculture.

E. M. BATES,

Instructor in

Agriculture, Alexandra.

Certified Pasture Seeds APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED Applications for the following Certified Government Stock grass and clover seeds are at present being accepted by the Department of Agriculture: Perennial ryegrass Italian ryegrass Hl ryegrass White clover Montgomery red clover. Applications for these seeds should be forwarded through any mercantile firm to reach the Director of the Fields Division, Department of Agriculture, Box 3004, Wellington, not later than June 30, 1945. Full details of the conditions governing application for these seeds were published in the March, 1943, issue of the “Journal of Agriculture.”