PREPARATIONS FOR GREENFEED CROPS IN SOUTH ISLAND

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 73, Issue 6, 16 December 1946, Page 514

PREPARATIONS FOR GREENFEED CROPS IN SOUTH ISLAND

USE OF FALLOWS AND HARVESTED AREAS

By

E. B. GLANVILLE,

Assistant Fields Superintendent, Auckland.

r ’HE provision of greenfeed for feeding to stock during the coming autumn, winter, and early spring should now be given , much thought by farmers, particularly by those who practise arable farminc; in the South Island. Land which has been fallowed and areas from which grain crops are to be harvested should be used in this manner.

W7ITH the lean neriod of W g "wth ahead farmers would he WeU adviSed t 0 ma * e preparati ons now for the sowing of areas with suitable mo/// m"// T? Mrly Spring ’ OrL X* ? will h a ve been sown during the sprmg and summer > but it is still necessary to use available fallow land, and land from which cereal crops will be harvested, for more fodder . crops to ensure that adequate feed supplies are on hand for the periods when grass growth is dormant.

Suitable Crops o , • several crops can be grown now to su PPlement pasture and fodder crops which were sown during the spring. These include barley, oats, Italian ryegrass and red clover, and soft turnips.

/Barley is suited to warm, dry conditions, but . will not provide as’much feed in the winter as. will oats or Italian ryegrass and red clover sown early. , January sowings of Cape or Black Skinless barley will provide greenfeed ready for grazing in late February and March, with, of course, subsequent grazings. Sowing at the rate of 2J bushels an acre ,is best done z through every coulter of a grain drill followed by tine harrowing to cover the seed. Barley can be , sown . broadcast, and when this method is adopted the seeding rate should be increased to 3| bushels an acre, followed by a light stroke of the disc harrows, and finally tine harrowing to ensure covering. January-sown oats (Algerian) will be ready for grazing in late March and will provide further grazings of greenfeed through the winter. As with barley, oats are best sown through every coulter of a grain drill, the rate of seeding being 3 bushels an acre. January and February sowings of soft turnips will provide winter feed, but there is a risk in sowing this crop

when conditions are dry. Rain is required to germinate, the seed, and subsequent rains are necessary to keep this crop growing. Sowing. at <he rate of lOoz. an acre through every other coulter of a grain . drill with small seed sower attachment is the best method of establishing a . soft turnip crop. Special turnip coulters on the drill are advisable to prevent the seed being sown too deeply. If a suitable drill is not available, soft turnips may. be sown broadcast and lightly tine harrowed after sowing to cover the seed. The seeding should be increased to 11b. an acre when sown by this method.

February sowings of barley, ' Algerian oats, Italian ryegrass, and red clover will provide greenfeed from early winter onward, and the Algerian oats should continue producing feed into the early spring.

Ryegrass and Clover

March sowings .of Italian ryegrass and red clover provide valuable greenfeed in the early spring, particularly during August and September, when the feed shortage on farms is most acute. More care should be taken with the preparation of the seed-bed for this supplementary crop than need be taken with barley and oats. The seed, though often drilled in through every coulter of a grain drill, is more often sown . broadcast and covered with a light tine or brush harrow. . Both methods are satisfactory and the rate of seeding should be 1 .bushel of Italian ryegrass and 61b. of broad red clover an acre.

The sooner a start is made with the sowing; of these supplementary crops, the earlier will be the production of greenfeed. Late sowings will not produce feed for the winter; consequently fallowed land should be sown during January, and areas yet to be harvested should be worked for immediate sowing as soon as the harvesting of early grain . crops has been completed.