Winter-feed Crops in North Otago

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 78, Issue 4, 15 April 1949, Page 385

Winter-feed Crops in North Otago

'T’HE key to increased annual production from stock is the provision A of extra feed during winter and early spring. The number of stock on any farm is limited to what can be safely carried during these periods and is not related to the number that could be carried during the summer months. Tins article by J. A. Graham, Fields Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Oamaru, deals with the practices adopted in North Otago for the provision of winter-feed crops and suggests methods of improvement.

'"T’HE soils of North Otago are mainly A medium to good clay loams and, with the exception of the poorer hills of the Kakanui Range, they produce good cereal crops, particularly wheat, and fairly good pasture. The climatic conditions generally are good, with long periods of bright sunshine, and are suitable for the type of farming adopted. The average yearly rainfall is 21 to 22in., which is sufficient, provided it is fairly well distributed throughout the year, but drought conditions sometimes prevail. The winters are usually comparatively mild, with frosty nights and good sunshine during the day, but periods of unsettled weather with cold winds and rain are usually experienced during the late winter and early spring. Because of the climatic conditions and other factors such as grass-grub and porina caterpillar the life of pastures is comparatively short, and there are very few old, high-grade pastures such as those in many parts of the North Island and Southland. On the better-class land the life of pastures normally may be 5 to 6 years and on the lighter, shingly land as low as 2 years. Short-rotation farming is there-

fore practised throughout most of North Otago and cropping, together with fat lamb production, plays an important part in farm economy. Dairying is not practised extensively and is mainly confined to the fertile Waiareka Valley and to the outskirts of Oamaru. The farmer normally establishes a certain cropping and pasture-renewal policy, and the growing of supplementary fattening and winter-feed crops is fitted into the general farming programme. , ' , Growth of Pastures Though dry conditions are frequently experienced, the recovery of pasture growth after rain is usually rapid. The autumn flush .is usually obtained before early frosts retard growth, and sufficient accumulated pasture growth is available to carry stock through May and most of June. Occasionally this autumn flush is not obtained and the winter is entered with the paddocks in a very bare state, such as occurred in the 1947-48 season. Farmers then have to resort to growing additional areas of greenfeed cereal crops and this often means using areas intended for other crops.

During winter grass growth is retarded under normal North Otago conditions and in unfavourable seasons may be almost at a standstill. Spring growth is usually evident about the end of August or early September, but often pastures do not provide more than a green bite until early October, with a surplus during November and December. Lambing begins early in September and the .calving of factorysupply dairy herds begins about midAugust, both preceding the spring flush of pasture growth. Need for Supplementary Feeding It is the aim of all progressive farmers to get as many lambs as possible away fat off the mothers with a minimum of mortality in both ewes and lambs. The , greater the number of milk lambs the less is the need for supplementary fattening crops. For this purpose it is essential that the ewes be kept on a high plane of nutrition from' the last 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy right up to weaning time. It has been demonstrated in trials that ewes well fed during the latter part of pregnancy produce heavier lambs" than poorly-fed ewes. The lambs are stronger, more vigorous, and more easily fattened. The ewes have higher milk yields and have a marked resistance to such complaints as pregnancy toxaemia, nutritional abortion, and milk fever.

The basis • of all feeding should be the provision of an adequate supply of fodder to meet the various requirements throughout the year. Ideally grassland should . fulfil this requirement, but though it comes fairly close to that ideal in some regions of the North Island, in the South Island, particularly on the poorer country and in the higher altitudes, grass is largely a seasonal crop. If a farmer carried sufficient stock to utilise all the feed available during the spring flush, there would be insufficient feed available during the rest of the year, or if he based his stocking on the amount of pasture available during the winter, ' he would have an enormous wastage during the spring flush. However, by making hay of the surplus spring pasture growth and growing supplementary crops for periods of shortage he is able to strike a balance between the two. and maintain a more uniform stocking.

Though the provision of supplementary feed is a feature of the farming practice of North Otago, there is still room for considerable improvement. A succession of mild winters may have given some farmers a false sense of security, but it is certain that many farmers do not make adequate provision for winter feeding of their stock. Last season, after a dry summer and autumn, the winter began with . bare pastures, and the turnip and swede crops were poor or a total’ failure. The autumn-sown grasses, and especially those sown late or on a poorlyprepared seed-bed, were also backward. The chou moeliier crops were reasonably good, and fortunately the autumn-sown cereal crops came away well. On many farms an area of hastily-sown oats and perhaps a small quantity of hay were the only feed available. Luckily, the winter turned out to be one of the mildest on record, and the stock wintered well, but if the winter had been hard,, the feed supply on many farms would have been critical. The farmer cannot control Nature, but he can at least ensure that he has an adequate supply of hay on hand.

Swedes and turnips do not occupy the important position in North Otago that they hold further south, but both are grown. The most common practice is to rely on summer- or autumn-sown grasses and cereals with, the addition of hay. The practice is unquestionably good and results in healthy stock, but too often the supply is insufficient or not properly utilised. The following table shows the acreages of the various feed crops grown in Waitaki County. Part of the area of oats grown for chaff is also fed off, as is some of the area grown for threshing, which is not shown in the table.

HAY, GREEN FODDER, AND ROOT CROPS GROWN IN WAITAKI COUNTY IN 1946-47

acres Grass and clover cut for hay 3,175 Crass and clover cut for silage 75 Oats for chaff, hay, or silage 2,122 Lucerne cut for hay or silage 3,104 Ra P 8 10,686 Chou moellier and kale .. 2,508 Swedes .... 1 Turnips ... .. " Turnips and rape (mixed) . . 282 Mangolds .. .. 331

Hay The disposal of surplus spring pasture growth is not the problem in North Otago that it is in the higherrainfall areas, as it is shut up for either hay or a grass seed crop. Though the acreage of pasture hay fluctuates from season to season, the area shut up in the district has been smaller in recent years. This reduction can be ascribed partly to the increased area utilised for grass, and clover seed production, but has been offset somewhat by the increased amount of lucerne hay produced. The North Otago climate is eminently suited to the production of well-cured, good-quality hay and. it is undoubtedly the best standby the farmer can have for fodder. It can be fed to all classes of stock in periods of drought as well as during the winter and can be fed alone or in conjunction with greenfeed or root crops. With the use of the pick-up baler the making of good hay is not the problem it used to be and larger areas of pasture might well be set aside for hay. Lucerne Lucerne thrives best where the summer is warm and early and under conditions of low to medium rainfall. Except in some of the country south of Maheno, which has an impervious subsoil, and some of the light, thin, shingly soil of the Steward Settlement, North Otago conditions are very suitable. for its growth. Some farmers consider that lucerne is difficult to grow, but provided attention is given to the well-known factors associated with a good establishment, the risk of failure is not great. In 1946-47 Waitaki County, with more than 3000 acres, had the greatest area of lucerne, cut for

hay or silage in the Dominion. There are few farms in North Otago 1 where lucerne could not be grown to advantage and the total area in this district could well be extended to ■ 10,000 acres: Lucerne has been aptly described as the “king of fodder crops.” In North Otago it has certain advantages over permanent pasture both as a hay crop and a greenfeed crop. It comes away early in the spring and produces good grazing at a time when pastures are usually backward. Being moderately drought resistant, it will often provide green forage when other grasses and clovers have dried off in the summer. It is a more permanent crop than pasture and when properly cared for a stand will last for many years. Stands of 10 or . more years old are not uncommon. On established areas three to four cuts a season with a yield of 4 to 6 tons of hay are usual, which compares more than favourably with the 2 to 3 tons obtained from pasture. Lucerne hay is more palatable than pasture hay, is rich in protein, and has a considerably higher lime and phosphate content. As breeding stock require these constituents to a high degree during pregnancy, and as root crops and greenfeed . oats are notably deficient in them, lucerne becomes V invaluable for feeding either on its' own or in conjunction with these crops. Though the lucerne plant is not considered to be adapted for grazing, and indiscriminate grazing undoubtedly shortens the life of a stand, lucerne could play a far more important part as a grazing crop than it does today. It can be treated as a temporary hay crop and be grazed during the difficult spring months and then be shut up to produce a crop of hay. By subdividing an area it could be rotationally grazed

and this would allow the plants to recover from grazing. If a certain length of leaf is maintained and injury to the crown avoided, a partially-grazed stand should last for, many years. Even if the life of a stand is shortened by grazing, it is still a worth-while practice. Lucerne should not be grazed late in the autumn, as it is advisable to leave some of the, autumn growth to protect the plants from frosts during the winter, which results in earlier spring growth.

Greenfeeci Crops Greenfeed is a very convenient means of providing succulent, nutritious fodder for periods of shortage. Temporary pastures and greenfeed cereal crops sown in the late summer or early autumn are widely grown to provide winter feed. North Otago conditions are very suitable for both the growing and feeding off of these crops and good results are obtained. Sheep fed on greenfeed come through 1 the winter in a healthy condition and soil fertility is built up as a result of the stock droppings. Short-rotation ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, and green oats are the most popular crops and Black Skinless barley, Cape barley, and ryecorn are grown to a less extent. The grasses produce feed of a much higher quality than that of the cereals and especially are higher in the protein so necessary for m-lamb and milking ewes. The cereals are also lower in minerals, but these deficiencies can be largely balanced by feeding off in conjunction with good-quality hay, particularly lucerne, or a good run-off on grass. Temporary Pastures Short-rotation ryegrass: This com-paratively-new ryegrass has given good results in North Otago as an out-of-season feed producer, particularly in its first season of growth. It is widely grown and is extensively utilised, as a greenfeed crop; in fact, it has largely replaced Italian ryegrass for tins purpose. Its ability to establish itself quickly, to produce good autumn, winter, and spring feed, and its quick recovery , after grazing make it an invaluable greenfeed crop. It appears to have most of the virtues of Italian rye-

grass and in addition it produces more summer feed and is more persistent. Short-rotation ryegrass requires fairly high conditions of fertility and unfortunately on some of the lighter soils its virtues of persistency have not been realised. There have been some disappointments with its performance after the first year, but often these have been the result of failure to sow clover with the grass or to apply lime and fertiliser. Some farmers are now making a practice of sowing an area of this grass each year to provide winter feed, a practice which could well be extended. Italian ryegrass: This is another very useful producer of winter feed, but it

is not as extensively grown now as formerly, chiefly because of its lack of persistency. It produces slightly more winter feed than short-rotation ryegrass, but not as much summer feed. For winter feeding the best results are obtained with both of these grasses if they are sown in January or early February on a seed-bed which ha's been fallowed for some time. Unless a seed crop is required, it is advisable to sow cowgrass or Montgomery, red clover with these grasses. After producing good grazing the paddocks can be shut up to produce a crop of hay, and if they . are then spelled, the clover will come away to provide good late-summer grazing. Short-rotation ryegrass has also given good results as a lamb fattener when sown down with rape in the spring.

Greenfeed Cereal Crops

Green oats ,are a valuable winter forage crop and when sown in the late summer or early autumn will provide, a succession of feed from late autumn until September. After providing feed the crop is frequently shut up for chaff or grain. The most popular feed varieties are Algerian and Duns, the former being more extensively grown. Algerian tillers well, will stand close grazing, and recovers well after grazing. It is rust resistant and is probably the most drought resistant of any variety. Duns is slower growing than Algerian, but can be fed off later in the spring and is therefore more popular in late localities. Some farmers prefer an oat that will provide good feed and also be satisfactory. for milling. Achilles, though it has not been extensively grown m the district, has given good results for this dual purpose and is likely to become more popular.

Greenfeed barley is not extensively grown, but is sometimes grown to provide early-winter feed, especially when the season has been dry and the pastures are bare. Black Skinless is the variety most commonly grown for this purpose, as it produces a good bulk of feed quickly. It .is more palatable, produces more feed, and recovers better after grazing than Cape barley, but it is not very suitable for latewinter feeding because it runs to stalk quickly. The Cape variety has slower initial growth, but it can be grazed later in the winter. _ t Chou Moellier Chou moellier does well in North » it d is gradually gaining popularity. It is more widely grown than swedes, and is especially, popular with dairy farmers. Its greater use.can be attributed to the large amount of sueculent feed it produces and its. recuperative powers after attacks of disease and insect pests. It does best when sown in paddocks out of lea, and. being a gross' feeder, responds well to heavy manuring. Root Crops ■■*' A , ■ The .acreage of the swede crop, which has never been as important as it is further south, is decreasing. The climate is not particularly suited to the growing of swedes, as they thrive best in a cool, moist climate, but when conditions are suitable good crops can be obtained. Even in dry seasons fairly good crops can be produced, provided they are sown in a paddock of good fertility, the cultivation is good, and fertiliser is applied fairly liberally. The most popular varieties are Superlative and Grandmaster, but in trials conducted in the district by the Department of .Agriculture the new variety Calders has given promising results, Large-scale trials are being carried out ■ with, this variety this season, and seed will be available commercially for • 1949 sowings. ■ White-fleshed turnips occupy a larger acreage than swedes, but are not

widely grown and are mainly confined to the southern part, of the district, the foothill country, and some _of the lighter land near the Waitaki River, Turnips have a much lower feeding value than is generally realised and should always be supplemented by good-quality hay, chaff, or a good runoff on pasture. Turnips do well on turfy country and are an invaluable first crop after ground has been ploughed out of browntop or tussock, in. Conserved rasture It is a good policy to reserve some of the autumn grass growth for winter feeding. Autumn-conserved grass has a fairly high feed value and is equal loot ci, be c"cen“ated S on a few fnd Remainder of the doc „ add ocks left; unstocked until grass paddocks left unstocKea Jul y 01 AU Susr. ' , , Winter spelling of pastures also promotes earlier spring growth, because the grass benefits from going through most of the winter with plenty of cover to the crowns of the plants, Another method of providing feed for winter'and early spring is to encourage out-of-season pasture growth by autumn topdressing, and m this respect the South Island lags behind the Nor This should be done before grass growth ceases in the autumn, OTe f era bly in February or March. . - ... . . . 1..1. Weakness in Utilisation There is no doubt that feed crops are often poorly utilised in North Otago. Far too often stock are given the run of a whole paddock of greenfeed and when the paddock has been grazed they are turned on to a bare pasture until the greenfeed has recovered sufficiently for a further grazjng. . This results in a check to the stock and is one of the most common causes of troubles in ewes. It is generny agreed that optimum results are obtained when areas are fed off in breaks and supplemented with hay and a run-off to pasture. It ensures a continuity 01 supply and eliminates checks

to the stock. , Other, common faults are either allowing greenfeed to grow too rank before grazing or prolonging close grazing, which results in injury to the plants. _ ■ x ,

Recommendations

Too much stress cannot be laid on the necessity for adequate winter-feed supplies. It is better to come through the winter with a surplus than to be short at critical periods, which inevitably occur every few years. The recommendations of this article may be summarised as follows: — 1. A greater reserve of hay should be built up and carried. 2. Greater use should be made of lucerne both for hay and to provide discriminate grazing during periods of shortage. • 3. Each year a paddock of shortrotation ryegrass or Italian ryegrass and red clover should be sown to provide winter and early-spring feed together with a crop of hay. 4. Oats should be sown early in the autumn to provide winter greenfeed and should be supplemented with some hay. 5. Greenfeed crops should be fed off 'in breaks. 6. Swedes can be successfully grown in the district, but require well-culti-vated ground and fairly high conditions of fertility. 7. Turnips are a good crop for poorer country, but do not constitute a balanced ration and should always be supplemented by hay or chaff. 8. When possible some grass paddocks . should be shut up during the winter to provide feed for early spring. 9. Out-of-season pasture growth should be encouraged by topdressing early in the autumn.