CATTLE FODDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1941, Page 7

CATTLE FODDER

USE OF STRAW PULP, NEV/ BRITISH PROCESS. One million tons of straw can be given the feeding value of 500,000 tons of cereals by a new pulping process which is the latest contribution of agricultural science to Britain's foodgrowing campaign. At a cost of only £3O, a plant can be built by farm labour which, by soaking 4001 b of straw in caustic soda, will produce 1,4601 b of straw pulp each day. enough to provide a daily ration for 20 fattening beasts i or twice as many young animals. Already installed on 250 farms in the United Kingdom, the plant consists of two concrete tanks separated by a ramp and' occupying 12ft by 12ft of ground. Livestock can normally utilise only from.' one-half to one-third of the nourishment in straw, chaff or cavings, but pulping makes these materials palatable and doubles or trebles their breeding value. Thus each ton of straw yields 31 tons of straw pulp, and 1001 b of straw pulp, whether from wheat, ,barley or oat straw, has the feeding value of 91b starch, 111 b maize, 1211 b barley or rice meal, 151 b oats. 151 b dried sugar-beat pulp, 1201 b mangolds or 1301 b swedes. Balanced up with a suitable protein food such as ground-nut cake, it is relished by fattening or growing cattle, dairy cows or lambing ewes. The pulping can easily be fitted into the farm routine, one ten of straw requiring only 10 man-hours’ labour, 180 lb of caustic soda and 6.ooogals of water.