VALUE OF LUCERNE.

Shannon News, 17 June 1924, Page 4

VALUE OF LUCERNE.

PAbIUIILSG OF STOCK.

RISKS To BE AVOIDED.

The value of lucerne a* a grazing crop must confmend itself to stoca ■owners In dry districts. Being very drought-resistant, it o£t ® n P 2®J C " ceptable green fee l w hen other sucI culent fodder is scarce or non-existent, I and after a long, dry spell, it is almost an axiom that lucerne is the hrst plant Ito grow 'when raiu comes, ike pasi turhig of stock upon lucerne, howI ev™ “to .attended By two \to the plants and one to the st<H^; { Lucerne should not be pastured dura b 1 the first or second season ot its growtxi, ) as the plants are not ’then sufficiently strong to withstand the inevitable trampling. Again, it will not stand continual grazing at any t*™ 6 ’ method should be to put sufficient stock to eat it down quickly, and then remove them off befoi'e the yoving plants have commenced tb shoot, ine paddock should be subdivided into small lots for grazing, so that the stock can be moved from one to the other in quick succession. Tempoiary fences (says an officer of tb nfNew South Wales Department of Agricuiture) should be erected and shitted as required. This prevents injury to | the plants, and reduces the loss of * 6 liven with reasonable care, the use of lucerne as aipasture will inevitably lessen the life of the plants. Lucerne not irrigated and fed off by stockm the drier districts will probably rcqune to be resown after a very short Period, perhaps as short as four years. Whenever possible, a cut for hay or green feed should be taken. While grazing is permissible on the higher lands, it shodld hever be .prddttsed on _ rich, alluvial flats. It will inevitably result in the lucerne being thinned out, with the further result that, not only will ithe yield be reduced, but the hay will be of a coarse, rough quality, possibly full of weeds. ' “Bloat," or hoven, is caused by feeding stock upon green, succulent fodder at a time when the stomach is practically empty; or by 1 giving .anabundance of gas-producing fee., before the digestive organs of the animal have been accustomed to dealing with such material. Cattle and siicep appear to be the only domestic animals subject to it. If the lucerne is wet at the time of eating, the liability to bloat is increased, and tdie danger is especially great when the crop is in the early stages, of growth, in the drier districts there is not as great danger of bloat,as on riuh alluvial flats, for the simple reason that there is, not the same abundance of succulent fodder. Stock should not be put on lucerne when it is wet. The danger is accentuated in humid, windy Weather. If possible the animals should go in with a full stomach. They should first' have their appetite appeased with grass, green maize, sorghum, or other similar feed. Bloating usually occurs when hungry animals are put on the feed and eat large quantities, and it also occurs if thoy are put on and taken off for periods. They, should be kept on continuously and never allowed to get hungry. If the stock cannot be placed in the paddocks with full stomachs, they should be taken on and herded for twenty minutes or so, and then taken off for about an hour; then put on for another twenty minutes, and the process repeated until the stock are no longer'hungry. This practice is recommended whenever the stock are being introduced to lucerne after other feeding. When they have become accustomed to the feed they can be left alone.