Winter Work on the Farm

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 82, Issue 6, 15 June 1951, Page 481

Winter Work on the Farm

Seasonal Notes Contributed by the Extension Division

AT this period of the year work on farms is generally confined to tasks which have been held over for the winter, and much profitable time can be spent in the farm workshop in carrying out the many repairs and adjustments necessary. With the scarcity of pasture there is the important job of feeding out or in making the best use of grass available. On dairy farms the practice of storing grass for this period is increasing. On arable farms plans are being made and seed supplies are being ordered for spring-sown crops.

REPAIRING FARM MACHINERY

An annual overhaul of all farm implements and machinery is essential. It is a job to be done in winter when the weather restricts outdoor activities and affords

time for attention to machines and implements required to begin seasonal work in sound mechanical condition. To this end all equipment should be systematically checked for possible defects. Defects arising and temporarily repaired during the previous season’s operations should have been noted at the time as a precaution against oversight at the annual overhaul. List all broken, worn, or otherwise defective parts requiring attention; check each item off the list immediately repairs have been effected. Many repairs can be done in the farm workshop. Major repairs, especially of a technical nature, will require the services of a machinery agent' or a qualified farm machinery mechanic. A Department of Agriculture Farm Machinery Instructor should be consulted for advice and guidance if there is any doubt as to the course to follow.

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Care in both operational and storage maintenance of implements and machinery is the surest way to keep

down otherwise costly repair and replacement charges. It is a safeguard against inefficient, functioning of machines, besides prolonging their working life and consequently lowering operational costs. All items that are to . remain idle over a period should be thoroughly cleaned and, where necessary, lubricated before storage. Parts liable to rust should be proofed with paint, oil, grease, or special rust-resisting compounds. All implements and machinery should be protectively housed and, where necessary, dust-proof covers provided.

THE FARM WORKSHOP

Today most farms possess sufficient machines to warrant a well-equipped farm workshop. A well-lighted building with 300

to 400 sq. ft. of concrete floor space and a 9ft. stud should prove adequate for the average mechanised farm. More space and up to a 12ft. stud may be required where large header harvesters are repaired. A pit should be provided to facilitate working beneath heavy machines, with an overhead hoist available for heavy lifts. Other major items of workshop equipment which greatly facilitate farm repair and maintenance work would include a hand forge and anvil, engineer’s, carpenter’s, blacksmith’s leg, and pipe vices, sawbench, wall or power drill, grinder, and a suitable assortment of hard tools.

FEEDING WINTERSAVED PASTURES

IN most North Island dairying districts grass continues to grow until the end of June and fields shut

up in late April will generally be ready for the first feeding in late June or early July and a second grazing in late August or early September. Fields closed in May-June will provide feed for July-August. The grass should be fed off when it reaches a height of 7 to Bin. and, providing the grazing off is not too close and pugging does not occur, the area will recover quickly and give a

second feeding off. If fields have been closed too early and allowed to grow to 7 to Bin. a month or so before they are required, they should be grazed down quickly to 3 to 4in. and spelled again for grazing after calving. This rapid but lenient grazing is necessary to refresh the clovers by letting light into the bottom pasture and to ensure the quickest possible recovery of the pasture after grazing.

AVOIDING SWARD DAMAGE

Undue rankness in saved pastures should be avoided, as a heavy grass growth suppresses white clover and the underlying grass is apt to decay.

This stale pasturage will start to decompose and will become yellowish, musty, and unpalatable. Recovery after feeding off will be slow too. Yorkshire fog tends to increase in pasture shut for saved grass, particularly if rankness is allowed to develop. Rotation of autumn-saved areas around the farm and avoiding too long a storage period help to reduce the trouble. There is the other aspect though, where, in pastures of high clover content and consequently grave bloat risk, the reduction in clover and the provision of more balanced and' mature feed over the danger period are of considerable value.

METHOD OF FEEDING

The method of utilising winter-saved grass is one of the most important aspects, for on it wholly depends the success of the

system of saving autumn pasture. Rationing on a break-feeding basis is not only desirable but essential, and for this use must be made of the electric fence. Complete utilisation, giving maximum benefit and returns, can only come by fencing off small breaks each day with an electric fence. The size of the break to be fed off will depend on the size of the herd and the quality and quantity of the feed available. An acre of saved pasture 7 to Bin. high should be sufficient for 100 cows for 1 day, that is, 45 to 50 sq. yds. per cow per day, and the size of the break can be worked out accordingly. It must be remembered that this autumn-saved pasture is to be used until the spring growth begins, and if there is only a small quantity saved, it is better to reduce the size of the break than to have it all eaten out before normal pasture growth comes away. Where possible, a separate break should be made for day and night grazing, allowing two-thirds of the daily ration during the day and one-third at night,

BARLEY VARIETIES

IT has been usual to regard malting barleys and grain-feed barleys as distinct, but today much of the barley which is used for

feed is of varieties commonly regarded as grown for malting. Thus Research, the most widely grown variety at present, is a recently introduced Australian malting variety very suitable for direct heading. It has become very popular with farmers for this reason, but is not so favoured by maltsters because of its unevenness in maturity, which affects its malting quality. As a result much of the harvest of Research goes for feeding. Golden Archer has also come to the fore in recent years and is a good malting barley. Other standard varieties are Chevallier, Spratt Archer, and Plumage Archer. Kenia is a recent introduction which is also a good direct-heading variety and is well regarded by maltsters. Certified seed of all but Research is now available. .

FEED BARLEY

Cape and Black Skinless barleys are not malting types. Cape is grown, though to a less extent than formerly, for feed grain and for green-

feed, while Black Skinless is grown on a limited scale chiefly for greenfeed. Seed of Wong barley was distributed last autumn for the first time. This variety is suitable for greenfeed only and should be harvested for grain only to maintain seed supplies. It differs from other barleys in that though its initial production is not so great, it is able to withstand successive grazings.