Feeding the Milking Herd

Te Ao Hou, Spring 1954, Page 52

Feeding the Milking Herd Autumn-saved pasture is a valuable milk producing fodder and for best results should be rationed to the herd by use of the electric fence until the spring feed comes away and hardens up. Unless sufficient reserves of this pasture are available for full feeding, the remainder of the feed should be made up with silage and a balance of hay. When Autumn-saved pasture is finished, the herd should be rotated round the farm. Paddocks should be small enough to maintain between twenty and thirty cows per acre where pastures are of a good standard. The electric fence should be used to subdivide larger paddocks. Cows should not be kept more than one or two days in a paddock and, if necessary, cleaning up can be done with dry stock. The paddocks should be lightly harrowed to spread droppings, and left to freshen up for the next grazing.