GRAZING LUCERNE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 223, 9 February 1928, Page 3

GRAZING LUCERNE.

The question of grazing or cutting of lucerne has been discussed very widely in this district. A farming critic in Australia says : “ While there is always a certain risk in the grazing of cattle on lucerne and similar crops the question of labour is now becoming one of such importance that a man who is dairyfarming must sometimes take the L risk of having an odd cow ‘ blown ’ rather than face the labour involved in cutting and carting the green feed to his cows daily. No doubt this method is rather wasteful, and, where the number of cows to be fed is small and help is available, it is more economical to cart the feed to the cows. Those who have had experience consider that, provided reasonable care is taken, the average j cow will not suffer any ill-effect from j grazing on the growing crop. Care i must be taken not to let the stock 1 be too hungry before feeding, and to avoid giving cows free access to the field during periods of wet weather. There are some cows, however, that are very susceptible to ‘ blowing,’ and it would be wise to separate these from the herd. Needless to say, the risk is very much greater in showery weather, when the plant is making more rapid growth than when drier conditions prevail. Until cows become accustomed to grazing } crops of lucerne it will be wise not j to allow them to feed more than from 15 to 20 minutes at a time to j begin with, increasing the duration I as judgment suggests. As a pre- I ventive of bloating, some men of ex- ' perience recommend drenching a cow that is subject to the trouble with about one pound of Epsom salts before feeding. Another plan that is followed with success on one of the farms under State supervision is to place feeding racks containing hay or chaff in the paddock that is being fed. It is said that the affected cows seem to know by instinct what is required to put them right, and take a few mouthfuls of dry food, which drives out the gases that cause the discomfort.”