Bridle and Bloat.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 25 February 1914, Page 3

Bridle and Bloat.

Increased attention all over the Dominion is now being given to lucerne growing, for the fact has been ally established that this splendid forage plant can be grown on the majority of our agricultural land, so th->t any suggestions for utilising the crop to the best advantage and minimising any risk there may he in feeding stock on it is worth consideration. In this connection the ''StocK and Station Journal" (Sydney) states that a qMr Woods, of Glen Elgin dairy farm, in the Inverpll distriit of New iSouth Wales, grazes his dairy cattle on lucerne, anil has been much worried over their blowing. Sometimes this happens within 20 minutes or half ah hoar after being turned into the paddock.

It is well known that cattle, especially when hungry, bolt their feed as fast as they can crop it. It struck Mr Woods that if he could prevent this danger would be minimised, if not completely done away with. He hai one cow which was notorious for blowing frequently, and one morning he put an old bridle on her with a bit in the mouth. The result was so satisfactory that he has been using it on others of the herd with the some good result. He.can now leave cows on the lucern6 paddock all day without showing si^ns of bloat at night. They are well filled but to no dangerous extent. Besides preventing bloat the milk flow increased, which was due no doubt to cows being left undisturbed whilst grazing. The effect of the bit in the mouth causes, the cattle to chew their feed before swallowing. The discovery, if it coutinues to be satisfactory, will revolutionise dairying in districts where lucerne is the staple food.