XV. 



pear are grown as a range crop for cattle, while in some localities they are actually 

 planted as a farm crd^. In Queensland, however, Opuntias are already in posses- 

 sion of the ground, hence their employment as part of a cattle ration, if more 

 widely adopted than at present, would bring about a considerable amount of 

 destruction of the pest. Since cattle are, in our opinion, a very important, if 

 not the most important, factor in the spread of the pest, both by the breaking 

 down of standing plants, and by the distribution of seeds in the excreta, we 

 consider that they should, as far as possible, be kept away from growing pear, 

 the material which it is proposed to utilise as part of their fodder being brought 

 to them, preferably in a prepared state. 



It has been proved experimentally elsewhere that succulence, owing 

 to its influence on lactation, is an important factor in fodder for cattle, 

 especially milch cows. The presence in the ration of the succulent under 

 consideration — i.e., prickly-pear— not only had no detrimental effect on the 

 composition of the milk, but, on the other hand, led to an increase in quantity 

 without any depreciation in quality, so that there was a very distinct gain in 

 regard to the total yield of dairy products. Further, it has been demonstrated 

 in Mexico that this class of succulent food under the same circumstances reduces, 

 too, the diminution in these that is due to a lowering of atmospheric temperature. 



A suggestion was made to the Commission, while in Australia, that it 

 should be possible to make a transportable fodder from prickly-pear, chopped 

 up finely by machinery, and then sun-dried, either with or without the addition 

 of other food substances. No evidence of its use in this way was obtained, nor 

 did the Commission meet with anyone who could express an opinion based 

 upon experience and observation regarding the merits of the proposal. In 

 South Africa, a project to convert chopped prickly-pear into a "feed-cake" for 

 cattle by adding molasses, bran, and other nutritive substances was brought 

 under our notice. 



It should be pointed out that the matter of utilising prickly-pear as 

 cattle fodder is stUl in a more or less experimental stage. It must be admitted, 

 however, that within certain limits the prickly-pears vary considerably in their 

 composition — even so with regard to a single species as is evident from the 

 published chemical analyses relating to the different species. Accordingly it 

 must not be inferred that results obtained in feeding stock in one country, and 

 on one kind of prickly-pear, will apply generally to Australia. 



It appears, therefore, to the Commission that it is expedient for the 

 Government to undertake investigations, similar to those that have been carried 

 out in other countries, to test in a comprehensive manner to what extent the 

 commoner prickly-pear plants of this State can also be utilised to supplement 

 the various fodders at present in use for stock. A dairy herd consisting of a 

 sufficient number of animals should be employed, and such investigations should 

 be controlled at every stage by exact scientific methods, so that whatever results 

 be obtained these may be attributed to their true factors, the variations affecting 

 lactation arising from recognisable causes ordinarily obtaining being eliminated 

 in estimating them. 



The attempts to utilise prickly-pear as ensilage have not as a rule been 

 a success. However, a satisfactory result has been attained from a complex one 

 in which are laid down alternate layers of Opuntia and maize or sorghum. Since 

 prickly-pear is available throughout the year, there does not appear to be any 

 necessity to convert it into ensilage, except in cases where the object in view 

 is a readily transportable fodder. 



