Now is the time to plan feed budget

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 51, 27 June 1974, Page 4

Now is the time to plan feed budget

By Mr R. B. Gordon, Taupo farm advisory officer The recent rain was substantial and every millittietre was required to bring the moisture status back into our pumice soils, quite apart from interest in any mere side effects of increasing electrical generating capacity. The moderate temperatures over the previous 10 days has certainly givSn a welcome fill-up to some growth and particularly to those areas treated with nitrogen, which is aimed to make more feed available to the cows in late pregnancy and after calving, or even by rationed use to the ewes prior to lambing. However, the sudden dramatic drop in temperature, accelerated by the fluff of a mantle of snow on our high country, plus the usual frosts, is now putting the brakes on any growth. Feeding of cattle and sheep with winter supplements is certainly the mainstay of the feeding programme at this time of year. It is certainly somewhat of a juggle to ration out the feed supplies available, particularly with reserves limited as a back lash of the past season's bad drought. Feed budgeting is pretty much an "in-thing" these days and is very important when considering the optimum feed requirements for cattle or sheep wintering, and at calving or lambing and immediately after. The feeding worth of a common bale of hay is often misjudged, by its actual weight and even its feed maintenance capacity. Bales are generally around 26 kg (58 lbs). Now taking its digestible dry matter content this would come down to,, some 30 lbs and the maintenance for a run beef cow of 900 lbs (just over 400 kg) would be 9 lbs digestible dry matter. , Therefore, for body

maintenance, one of these avefage hay bales would only feed 3.3 of these run cows. If they are getting a picking of dry matter from the paddock they are needing this to help add an extra to lift their body weight. Most animals would need to do this especially getting nearer to calving from early July onwards. Lucerne stands should not now be grazed or used in any way if the objective is to get an early run of growth, and the use of the stands for grazing purposes from September onwards. Another point on lucerne stands. This is the season when spraying for various weeds can be effectively done if required, and it is the time when comrpercial interests have their onslaught to try to convince you your stands should be sprayed for this and that weed. However, chemicals are expensive and monetary liquidity in the farming sector is tight. So think hard and find out from independent sources such as the ministry advisers, whether spraying is really necessary. Often it is not. I have noticed there are some new lucerne Stands which have an infestation of mixed nodding and scotch thistles. Attention to tjiese at this time and using only the 2-4DB material at around two to three pints an acre usually deals with the problem and with minimal side effects to the young rising one-year-old*stand. For those farmers with

interest in lucerne, there is a short course at Flock House from July 16 to 20. It covers all fields on farming lucerne for grazing and supplementary feed. Applications for these courses have to be in 14 days beforehand. Applications are available from your local Ministry of Agriculture office. Incidentally, the fertiliser subsidy for this past 197374 season is on the maximum of 30 tonnes. It operates from June of last year to June 30 this year, so the necessary form should be completed and submitted, with the necessary receipted invoices, to the nearest ministry office. For those farmers in the Whakamaru - TirohangaTaupo areas we have been advised at long lost that the standard forms of drought relief measures have been granted. Your committee will be meeting shortly when more information will be available. There will be a one-day farmers' conference at Taupo on Tuesday, July 9 from 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Memorial Hall. Subjects to be covered deal with the fertiliser requirements for maintenance on Taupo pumice soils. Speakers will include research workers who have worked in these spheres. Mr Frank Ward, of the Meat and Wool Board Economic Service, will also discuss the impact of cost and returns in sheep farm profitability. Lucerne hay making developments, grass grub control and other subjects will be covered, too.