Soft Turnips for Summer Milk Production

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 89, Issue 4, 15 October 1954, Page 395

Soft Turnips for Summer Milk Production

By

C. J. HAMBLYN,

Fields Superintendent,

Department of Agriculture, Palmerston North

|^AI RY farmers fortunate enough to have *•"' sown a crop of soft turnips last season in the process of renewing an old pasture were well rewarded for the small extra cost of putting in this crop. Some comparisons of butterfat production from farms where a crop of soft turnips was available for the cows in January, February, and early March, compared with production from farms where dried up pastures only had to be relied on for milk production, showed that the soft turnip crops were responsible for a considerable increase. Soft turnips are undoubtedly one of the safest, easiest to grow, and best crops for keeping up the milk supply in hot, dry weather, when pastures quickly lose their succulence. AS a wet or dry season cannot be foretold, it is not possible to plan for turnip crops for dry seasons only and thus avoid having a useless crop in the occasional wet seasons when frequent summer rains keep pasture succulent and growing strongly. By and large, however, there are very few seasons when there are not hot, dry periods from December on, when soft turnips would be invaluable in keeping up milk production. For this reason and also because the soft turnip crop leaves the ground in excellent condition for preparation of a good grass seed-bed, farmers who are making a round of their farms in a pasture renewal programme are strongly recommended to grow soft turnips in the’ process. Growing the Crop The white-fleshed varieties, of which there are four available from New Zealand-grown seed, are the best for

the purpose. The varieties vary in time of reaching maturity and in keeping qualities, but for best results at least two sowings about 2 to 3 weeks apart should be made, using an early variety and a later one in the first seeding. Soft turnips give best results when used as they reach maturity. The land, old pasture for preference, should be ploughed in September. A good discing of the old turf before ploughing helps in the quicker breakdown of the turf and is well worth while in most districts. The crop should be sown in 7in. drills in October, two sowings being made about 2 to 3 weeks apart. Seeding rate for drilled crops is lOoz. to 12oz. per acre and for broadcasting, up to 11b. Drilled crops invariably give much better yields than broadcast crops. Serpentine superphosphate or lime-superphosphate mixtures at wt. to scwt. per acre will give the crop a good start. Varieties recommended are:— First sowings: N.Z. York Globe, the quickest grower, and N.Z. Red Globe, an intermediate variety which gives a good crop on the lighter soils. Later sowings: N.Z. Red Globe and N.Z. Green Globe are recommended, the latter being slower growing, hardy, and a good keeper. If the three varieties are used as recommended, with the first sowing in MidOctober, soft turnips in good condition should be available from early January to late March. Using the Crop Soft , turnips can be break fed with the use of the electric fence. This method of feeding the crop, though somewhat wasteful compared with hand pulling and feeding out. cuts out a lot of work. The breaks should not

be too big. The cows should go on to the turnips night and morning for . 2 to 3 hours immediately after milking. If the cows are left on the crop too long or are on it too near milking time, objectionable flavours will develop in the milk and cream. The last of the roots can be harrowed out to clean up the break. Where the electric fence has been used in feeding off the crop and the remains of the roots lifted with the harrows so that they are cleaned up before the next break is opened, the land will be fairly clean, well consolidated, and with increased fertility at the surface resulting from the fedoff crop. A good shallow discing and then harrowing and rolling should prepare an excellent seed-bed. Where the crop has been carted off, weeds are likely to be bad and the land is best reploughed. Turnips leave the soil in quite good condition and are much better in this respect than millet or maize. It is well worth while to use the electric fence for feeding off the turnip crop not only because of the reduction in labour but also because of the maintenance of fertility, the very desirable consolidation, and the clean surface left. If wet weather sets in before the crop is all used and there is plenty of grass, farmers should not hesitate to get on with the job of preparing the land for reseeding to grass, since early sowing is all-important in the establishment of a good pasture. The soft turnip crop fits in’ very well in the process of pasture renewal, it is a cheap crop to grow, and there is no great loss if the crop is not required. It is easy to grow and reliable, and when it is break fed the land is left in excellent condition for quick and easy preparation of a good seed-bed for the new pasture.