GRASS MUST BE SHORT.

Shannon News, 29 July 1927, Page 2

GRASS MUST BE SHORT.

V ALUABLERESEARCH . ON PASTURE MANAGEMENT. "By a series of most careful and elaborate . experimei:'::, carried out principally at .Cambridge, it has been ascertained that if only Ave can keep our pastures 'really closely grazed, the herbage produced does not deteriorate after the first, flush, but .maintains its high quality throughout the growing season, and* represents the cheapest form of protein obtainable. Moreover, the digestibility and , mineral content are also maintained. "Young grass, in fact, resembles the best linseed cake. v These :eem simple facts, but they are mostly iicav ones, and in effect demand a new system of management of grassland. ' Except in a feAV favoured districts, our pastures are never closely grazed throughout the summer, and we noAV know that unless the grass is constantly taken off Avhen'it is a feAV inches high a tremendous reduction in feeding value oecurs." —Morning Post. ' Mr. W. Gavin, C.8.E., M.A., writes about an interesting conference at Cambridge in the Morning Post, which, he says, '' may be termed well-nigh historic;' it will,-at any rate, be. regarded in the future as a landmark of agricultural research and progress.. "It Avas wisely convened by the Ministry of Agriculture for county organisers and agricultural advisers to hear at first hand from the leading agricultural scientists the results of recent research, so that they in their turn might bring them to the notice of individual farmers for introduction, Avhere applicable, into actual farm practice.- - - '• v ; .«s "Most assuredly the .Conference served its purpose, for if so happens that results of far-reaching importance were disclosed in connection Avith grass land, results Avliich are ••■■■•'oaly now emerging- from vthg : realm- -6fi-»the research -worker,- but whieh, • translated into practice, may well constitute the greatest advance made by agriculture.;for many years." After dealing with some of the features of the conference,- Mr. Gavin adds: — "Incidentally, it Avas found by Dr. Woodman riii. his brilliant Cambridge experiments -that there appeared to be a defini|e.,...relationship betAveen the . quantitie's q£ \ nitrogen phorus in herbage. This is' ah-inter-esting fact Avhich may possibly have '.an important bearing on general metabolism. ~

"It 'lnustbe'emphasied" -'that-' this maintenance of the feeding value o'f grass through the summer is only obtainable whcV'i't- is constantly cut off or grazed, .never groAA'ing more than a few inches high. As soon as it begins to mature the value at - once falls, and falls rapidly. "Thus science confirms at last the practice of the best graziers of the Midlands, which' lias ben based on the saying that 'Avhat groAvs in the night should be eaten next day.' And it condemns Avith no uncertain voice the light grazing that- is the almost eA r eryAvhere else. WHEN GRASS GROWShT-0 MATURITY.

.':.' To • let grass grow toi maturity is definitely to sacrifice the cheapest protein food that is obtainable. Not. only do Ave lose by the tremendous fall in value of the herbage so groAving, but this very herbage prevents nfeAv young shoots, rich in protein, from being produced. ■- .

"It may Avell prove to be profitable to send the moAving machine over all portions of field not efficently grazed, simply to bring about a neAv growth of young bhoots. These shoots are, in fact, the farmer's cheapest source of protein—the cheapest factory; -in the Avorld for the conversion of,inorganic into organic nitrogen. "For these reasons the early cutting of-hay also is of far greater advantage than "has hitherto ben supposed, and Avell repays the extra difficulty of making and the loss of bulk. Indeed, in some respects the later may be an advantage. - "There are, of course, many practical problems : to be' solved, and the capital cost of fencing land in. small paddocks, and laying on water to enable sectional grazing to be properly carried out, requires much study. "It appears probable, hoAvever, that, for the first time in the world's history, supplies of cheap nitrogen are in sight. Cheap nitrogen, applied to grass land, can be converted into cheap protein in the young giwing shoota of grass. • '

"If close grazing ean be put into practice, then these young shoots can be converted into beef, mutton, milk, or wool before their value is dispersed by the maturing of the grass. Furthermore, Professor Wood has already initiated experiments in storing the surplus of these shoots in the form of pressed cakes, for use in winter. "This, their, is the.;pic-tttre that the latest advance in knoAvledge. conjures up. It is idle to suppose that there are not many practical difficulties to overcome. It is equally idle to imagine that they will not be overcome, and at no distant date. GRASS—AND THE FUTURE.

"Except in-a few districts our pastures and meadoAvs receive little attention; they are just 'there' —they happen. The new knoAvledge. that is noAv emerging Avill quickly force us to look upon grass land in a different light, and in self-defence to devote as much attention to its control and management as Ave do to 'that of other crops." -i»