Use of Maize Millet And Sorghum For Feeding Out To Dairy Herds During Periods Of Poor Pasture

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 88, 30 August 1948, Page 5

Use of Maize Millet And Sorghum For Feeding Out To Dairy Herds During Periods Of Poor Pasture

,(By E. R. Marryatt, Fields instructor, Department of Agriculture)

For cutting and feeding out to milking cows during January, February, March and April when pastures may be supplying insufficient leafage for milk-pro-duction, maize is sometimes grown in the warmer parts of New Zealand. Because greenfeed maize does not require as long a growing season free from frosts as does maize grown for grain it may be sown for greenfeed in some districts where production of grain would be impossible.

Growing maize specially for is infinitely to be preferred to the not uncommon practice when other feeds fail during a dry summer, of making inroads into the maize crop which was planted specially for grain. As for planting maize for grain, thorough preparatory cultivation of the ground for maize for greenfeed is essential. Thorough cultivation implies early cultivation, so that sufficient- time is allowed for the working-down and mellowing of the soil to a fine and firm seedbed. Except in the lightest soils where too early cultivation before sowing has been shown to be detrimental to the following crop, as for example in the pumiceous soils of Rotorua,, cultivation should commence several months before the time of sowing. This early ploughing allows the winter rains and frosts to assist in breaking down the turf and large particles of soil and to reduce the number of harmful pests which may be present, as for example, the larvae of the Australian Soldier-fly (Metoponia rubriceps) at t Opotiki. 'Here, early ploughing means ploughing about three months before sowing if a good crop is desired on infested ground. In Rotorua, on the other hand, the best crops of swedes in recent competitions were produced when the ploughing was done •only four to six weeks before sowing. This may be due to the excessive.'leeching by hfeavy winter rains in these light soils which are deficient in humus. Seeding And Manuring Unlike the method of planting fDigram, however, maize for greenfeed is usually broadcast at the rate of 2 bushels to the acre and disced in. Fertiliser is also broadcast and disced in with the seed. For best the fertiliser should consist •of a mixture of equal parts of blood .and bone and superphosphate or •serpentine superphosphate and used at the rate of 3cwt to 6cwt to the acre, the heavier applications being made on the lighter land and for all -second and third crqps. Greenfeed maize can be sown at any time from mid-October to mid-November.

Varieties To Use Any variety of maize may .be -sown for greenfeed . but Hickory King has the name of being a good .greenfeed maize and Marigold also is widely used 'because, of its leafiness. Early Butler being quick-ma-turing. and a sturdy plant should be used'for greenfeed crops which fdr some reason have to he sown later than is desirable, because it is not only a maize which matures its cob earlier than do most other varieties but also it is a rapid producer of leafage and stalk and. quite a good greenfeed maize. Pfister is not re- ■ commended for use for greenfeed crops, although it could be used successfully if other recommended -varieties were unobtainable. Whichever variety is used, however, the best results will be obtained only if adequate cultivation has preceded sowing, for hurried cultivation just before sowing is likely to lead only to disappointment, particularly at Opotiki.

Utilisation Of Feed Greenfeed maize can be cut and ■carted out or fed-ioff in breaks. Feeding-out involves more labour, but is the’least wasteful method and is usually adopted. The “glazed grain stage” is the most economical stage of growth at which to use it for greenfeed or for silage, but it is used for greenfeed wbten it is required, irrespective of the stage of growth. It is riot a good fodder for milk-production but is . v v ery good for maintaining stock in .good condition so that their milk-production can be held where it is when feed-ing-out begins. Any surplus of «greenfeed maize after the growth of grass has recommenced in the autumn can be made into silage and so conserved for a later, period of low-produc-tion by pastures. Because of its large, round stalks, maize alone does not make good silage and should be mixed with layers of other finer material such as grass or leafy mil--7 let to fill in the air spaces between - the stalks. Making maize silage in -.s pit or trench or in a silo over-

comes this difficulty to some extent and in other countries green maize is chaffed and blown into tower silos.

Millet For Grazing Japanese millet can also be used for grazing in the summer and autumn.as has ben described for greenfeed maize. It may be broadcast or drilled in 7-inch rows at the rate of 151 b of seed to the acre in November-December when the soil has become really warm. Fertiliser recommended is from 2cwt to 4cwt to superphosphateor serpentine superphosphate to the acre. The use of some blood and bone with the super as recommended for maize is sometimes considered not justified by results, but it has a delayed good effect and makes re-establish-ment of pasture after the millet considerably easier. Preparatory cultivation should be as for maize, unless it is taken as a “catch crop” between seasons, when cultivation should be the best that can be given in the limited time available. The seedbed should be fine, firm, warm, and moist. Utilisation. Of The Crop The feeding value of millet is highest when the crop is from 6in to 9in high and falls rapidly after that. After, the first feeding-off the field can be shut Up for a second one which, however is usually light because the plant is then running to seed-head. Millet is not a highyielding crop apd although it is useful as a “catch crop” it should not as a general rule be used on light land unless well manured as already described because it demands fairly high fertility and is inclined to impoverish light soils, making re-grassing difficult. Sorghum On Sandy Soil Because of its low production in New Zealand compared with that of greenfeed maize, sorghum is not often grown. In hot, arid climates sorghum will outyield maize but, except perhaps on some of our coastal sandy country of the Bay of Plenty and North Auckland, our conditions greatly favour . maize. When grown for greenfeed for milking cows, sorghum should be either drilled in 7in rows or broadcast at the rate of 1 to 2 bushels to the acre. Cultivation' and manuring should be. as for greenfeed maize. Sorghum, should never., be fed-off except’ when- in full, flower;- nor should it be fed-off after it has been frosted, and particular care should be exercised to see that the young second grbwth from the stubble is hot. grazed-. . The'reason for these warnings is that there is a danger of poisoning from, prussic acid, which develops at certain ill-defined stages of growth, and different writers have stated that each of these periods can be dangerous; It is safer, therefore, to cut' the crop and cart it out and if the first cut is delayed until after it is 2 to 3ft. high, several cuts may be obtained. Both yield and quality' will be better, however, if the first cutting is delayed until the crop has come into head. As with greenfeed maize and millet, any surplus sorghum can be ensiled for later use.