GRAZING TRIALS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 August 1938, Page 3

GRAZING TRIALS

WINTER-SPELLED PASTURES. The first lenient grazing of from about Bin. to about 3in. has been completed in the winter-spelled pastures in the Ruakura grazing trials, states the Journal of Agriculture. These pastures were closed in mid-April immediately after being grazed from 4in. to 2in. The growth to Bin. took seven weeks. With one exception, the seven fields each carried twelve cows to the acre continuously for two day-graz-ings and two night-grazings before they were grazed down to 3in. The exception was Field 9, which, grazed throughout the year, receives twice as much superphosphate and lime as each of the others. The basic top-dressing for all twelve fields on the farm is superphosphate at 3 cwt., lime at 3 cwt., and potash at 1 cwt. applied in the late summer or early autumn. Field 9 receives another 3 cwt. of superphosphate and another 3 cwt. of lime in the early spring. This pasture has constantly produced a little more than’the others, and for the first period of winter-spelling this year the extra production on it was outstanding. It carried the cows for an extra day and an extra night before they had grazed it down to 3in. This first round of winter-spelling and lenient grazing produced no apparent reduction in clover. I mention this not because it is unexpected, but because some farmers may be disappointed if the first round produces no visible results in reduced clover production’. The fact is that ,the clover really begins to become weakened after the first round, and it is the cumulative effect of round after round which makes grass the winner in the spring. Some farmers have asked for a guide to what area they should winter-spell. No figures for rationed grazing are available, but even without them it is possible roughly to estimate the approximate area necessary.