ENSILAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 November 1940, Page 9

ENSILAGE

POSITION IN WAIRARAPA INCREASE IN AMOUNT MADE. OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH RESERVES. (By N. Lamont. Masterton). One effect of the excellent grass growing season being experienced at present, is the considerable increase in the amount of silage being made. As a means of conserving surplus grass growth, ensilage has many advantages over hay, particularly in a season like the present, which is outstanding in many localities for the earliness and luxuriance of the clover growth. This sappy material can easily be made into first class silage in spite of broken weather, and, in fact, in many cases it is capable of turning out a product of high milk producing quality which can partially at least replace soft turnips.

VALUE OF SILAGE, It must be borne in mind that whereas hay is at best a maintenacne fodder quite incapable of stimulating milk production, silage can be either a maintenance or a milk-producing fodder depending on the way it is made and the raw material used. A common belief is that any rubbish will make good ensilage, but this is 99 per cent, fallacious. I say 99 per cent, because it is true that a coarse unpalatable plant may be eaten after it is ensiled because it has becomes saturated with juices from palatable material; on the other hand the average food value of the silage is unquestionably reduced by the inclusion of rubbishy raw material. Ensilage is no more than a preserving process, and the average quality of the final product is no better than the average quality of the raw material used.

OPPORTUNITY FOR DAIRY FARMERS. If a fairly mature fibrous raw material is used a product is obtained which is similar in food value to hay and which can be used to replace hay—with the advantage that it is more succulent and, if well made, more palatable to stock than hay. This, combined with the fact that it can be made in broken weather is sufficient to substantiate the claim that silage of the more mature type should, on all types of farms, supply a large proportion of the winter keep. Even more important for the dairy farmer is the milk producing type of silage made from succulent clover pastures with a low fibre content. Most farmers have a good idea from the appearance of a pasture, whether their cows would drop in production if turned on to the standing crop or whether the quality of the grass was high enough to maintain production. If a paddock of long grass would be good enough to maintain production if fed off, then, if it is ensiled at that stage, it will provide a real milk producing silage that could replace turnips in dry weather. The exceptional clover growth this spring is providing a wonderful opportunity for dairy farmers to establish reserves of this milk producing type of silage—reserves which will make them independent of droughts, pests and other causes of crop failure. Even on the lightest country paddocks have been seen in the past few days grass, which if cut immediately would make silage of exceptional quality—l succulent, nutritious and rich in the protein which so helps summer milk I production in a normal season. The: season is providing a golden opportunity at a time When it is badly wanted. In many cases, it would be nothing short of gross inismanagement to leave these areas for hay with all the risks of bad weather which so often leaves the farmer with a leached, stalky product more suitable for bedding than anything else.

USE OF MOLASSES. Most farmers are now familiar with the procedure involved in silage making and will agree that it is not by any means such a tricky business as was once supposed. In any case, the writer will be pleased to supply any details that may be required by any making silage for the first time. There is one point worthy of special mention, and that is the use of molasses. This is a practice growing in popularity on the West Coast, and it is of particular importance in the manufacture of the succulent milk producing type of silage. There is a danger when ensiling very succulent, protein rich material that serious waste and heavy losses may occur both in food value and palatability. The use of molasses ensures that the •correct type of fermentation takes place and ensures minimum waste of valuable food elements while producing a very palatable sweet silage. The amount of molasses used varies, from 201bs. to 401bs. per ton of green raw material. The lower , figure suffices for a grassy raw material and the amount is increased for more clovery material until with say, fresh young lucerne, up to 401bs. may be used. The molasses is thinned with water until it flows freely and sprinkled evenly over the stack or pit as building proceeds.

A BIG ADVANTAGE. With other advantages of ensilage most are familiar —the fact that it can be made in broken weather may be a big advantage if our recent weather is a sample of what is to come. The fact that pastures recover so much more quickly than they do if cut for hay is also of great importance. While this year any spreading of labour demand by making some silage instead of all hay is very obviously essential. The writer will be pleased to supply any further available information on this subject; if possible by a personal visit.