10 Feb., 1916.] Ensilage. 97 



ENSILAGE-ITS VALUE AND COST OF PRODUCTION. 



By R. R. Kerr, Dairy Supervisor, Research Farm, Werrihee. 



In successful dairy practice, from a productive and economic stand- 

 point, tlie feeding of the dairy cattle is the farmer's chief concern, and 

 it needs very little experience to convince any intelligent farmer that 

 any lack of attention or thought on this important subject will soon 

 he shown hy a decreasing yield of the cows and a falling off in con- 

 dition. Again, experience proves that one must expect a small yield 

 the succeeding lactation period. 



For any certainty of profitable result these feeding operations must 

 be planned many months in advance, because no man has any certain 

 idea of what Providence holds in store in the shape of rainless periods, 

 floods, pests, and unforeseen contingencies. These hard times are experi- 

 enced in all countries, and are apparently a reminder against careless- 

 ness, and perhaps necessary for the proper working of the universe. 

 In the present season abundant crops and pastures abound in the many 

 districts of the State, and it behoves us to make the best use of our 

 opportunity and make provision for the lean times that surely come 

 every few years. 



One of the cheapest methods of conserving any green fodder is to 

 convert it into silage, as, if jjroperly made, it means having succulent 

 fodder at all times, and a more healthy animal as a result of its feeding 

 in the dry months. An all too common excuse for not making silage is 

 — too costly — too much work; both erroneous expressions in practice, 

 as it is, practically speaking, the cheapest feed in a bulky form that 

 one can obtain. 



The work of filling seems to prey on the minds of many men, all 

 forgetful of the fact that to obtain a similar result would entail the 

 continual growing and cutting of green crops in all weathers and every 

 day in the year. 



In the case of the farmer, wliat is meant for caution, so often proves 

 quite the reverse, and is actually extravagance, seeing that it costs him 

 in the long run more than he can afl^ord to lose. That the hesitation 

 so common amongst farmers to incur even highly remunerative expen- 

 diture can be departed from, was shown recently, when herds had to 

 be replaced. But, unfortunately, it was to meet misfortune rather than 

 future needs. One farmer expressed an opinion current among many 

 of them. He said that " For farmers to incur tlie outlay is all very 

 fine for Government experts to talk glibly about. Building a silo and 

 making silage costs money and means a lot of work." Farmers holding 

 just such o]>iiiions eame before the various Boards, which sat to con- 

 sider api)lications for cattle advances, (S:c. ^Fost of them assured the 

 Board lliat they could easily meet an advance of £250 if the Govern- 

 ment would only advance the sum. When the herd was intact they 

 would not lay out tlie small sum in a silo which would have saved their 

 cows, but they were quite prepared to incur a new liability of perhaps 

 five times the sum, and depend on a new untried herd, not yet acquired 

 to meet it. 



*22S. - r. 



