10 Aug., 1916.] Growing Feed for Cows. 505« 



GROWING FEED FOR COWS : LESSONS OF THE 



DROUGHT. 



By Jas. Grant, Dairy Swpervisor. 



The drought of 1914-15 was disastrous to the dairy iariuers of this 

 State generally, for two reasons, one was overstocking, and the other 

 was neglect to make enough provision for a bad winter; dairy farmers 

 were thrown on their own resources, as grass was not to be had at any 

 price. 



A few did make provision, amongst them was Mr. Chas. Bland, of 

 Yarram, who, at th)e beginning of 1915, made up his mind that he 

 was in for a bad autumn and winter. Mr. Bland has a farm of 160 

 acres, close to Yarram; the land is level, and consists of good, friable 

 loam over a clay subsoil; and is good farming land, except a portion 

 liable to floods along the Tara River. 



Of this he cultivated 20i acres in 1915, Of the 20 acres, he had 

 a paddock of 8i acres of stubble ploughed up and worked at the begin- 

 ing of March. This was drilled with 2^ bushels of Algerian oats, and 

 50 lbs. each of bone and superphosphate; this came up well towards 

 the end of March ; another 5 acres of oat stubble was treated in the 

 same way later, and came up in April; also 7 acres was sown with 80 lbs. 

 of wheat, and 80 lbs. of bone and superphosphate^ — this came up on 

 the 1st June. 



On the 14th June, the 8i acres were ready to be fed off, being then 

 6 to 8 inches high, fairly thick, and growing well. Into this fifteen 

 milking cows, some of them strippers, were turned. During July,, 

 twenty milkers were grazed on the twO' oat paddocks; and in August, 

 twenty-five milkers were grazed on the 20| acres, having the run of 

 the three paddocks alternately. There were also on the farm 10 

 springers, 10 yearling calves, and 4 horses; these, with the cows, had the 

 run of the green feed during August and up to 15th September, when 

 they were all taken off. The yearlings were sold at good prices, and 

 the springers came in in good condition. 



The returns for the thi'ee months from 14th June are as follows: — 



Milk sold last fortnight in June 



Milk and cream sold in July 



Milk and cream sold in August 



Milk and cream sold to 15th September 



Profit on yearlings 



Grazing springers (5 weeks at 2s. 6d.) 



Mr. Bland has also from tiie 20i acres, 30 tons of good hay. 240 

 bushels wheat, and a stack oi wheaten straw. 



These cattle and horses had the run of the rest of tlie farm, on which 

 there was little grass and less nutriment, till about 1st September. A 

 large number of cows and other cattle died in Yarram district that 

 winter from impaction througli want of green feed. 



Air. IMand is satisfied that it pays to grow winter green stuff for 

 the dry cows, as tliey then co!ne in in good lieart, and milk well. 



Now, if Mr. Bland had not put in this early green feed, he would 

 have had to see some of his cows die. to sell his yearlings at a low 



