ENSILAGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1923, Page 4

ENSILAGE.

There is on view at W. Jeffries and Co’s Show Roms, samples of ensilage made from Algerian oats and from ryegrass and clover by Air AY. Berry, of Herepo, South Westland. In an interview with ATr Berry he informs us that stock eat it readily. Care has to be taken when first feeding, to feed n little at a time until they get ac-

customed to ii. Once stock acquire a taste for ensilage they prefer it to good clover, . hay and many other foods, and show preference to the ensilage made from the Algerian oats to tlmt -made from ryegrass and clover.

Air Berry had successful results with ensilage four years ago. This past season o acres of land wore sown with ryegrass and red clovc-r along with Algerian oats in the latter end of October. A commencement was made to harvest this for liav during the beginning of the last week in February, the oats being over ripe. The weather conditions becoming wet and continuing so, there was no hope of saving it for hay so a stack for ensilage was commenced. After the portion which was harvested for hay was stacked, sufficient green material was cut each morning that could be stacked during the day. As there was not sufficient area of crop to make a fair sized ensilage stack, a crop of ryegrass-clover hay of second growth from It acres was utilised for the completion of tlie stack. The whole stack of ensilage was made during weather conditions too wet to make hay, the rainfall for February month being !).(!;{ inches which fell on ‘2O days. The ensilage has turned out very satisfactory and has been the means of -aving feed under conditions which otherwise would have been lost, and lias provided good feed for stock during tile past three months. Twelve in calf cows, seven milk cows, eight two year olds and twelve calves have been fed on if. during that time; tho milk cows having a hay ration in addition. Air Berry is quite satisfied that, there should be no loss of feed through failure to make bay due to wet climatic conditions when ensilage can be so easily made under adverse conditions.