TEMPERING DROUGHTS. 
ScreNTISTS IN REPLY. 
Fodder for Lambing Ewes and Lambs. 
The points raised by Mr. Blyth were submitted to Professor Watt and to Mr. 
Richardson. Their comments are summarized as follow:— 
Professor Watt— 
(a) Information from farmers, pastoralists, and officials of the New South 
Wales Agricultural Department did not agree with Mr. Blyth’s state- 
ment, that lucerne hay or silage made from natural growth killed 
lambs. 
(b) The methods previously suggested—feeding on lucerne or other hay, 
silage, and perhaps a little grain or bran and molasses—would be 
even more suitable for short, dry spells than for prolonged droughts. 
(c) If dry spells occurred with the frequency mentioned by Mr. Blyth it 
was absolutely essential to lay in a reserve of food. It should be a 
good business proposition to lay in a store of lucerne hay in bales 
when the price was low, as the stuff did not deteriorate. 
Dealing with the proposal generally, he points out— 
“Tt would undoubtedly be a tremendous advantage to graziers if an ideal 
foodstuff, in ideal form for feeding, which would not deteriorate, could be 
prepared, and stored by the Federal Government, or some other agency, and 
sold during drought times at a reasonable price. 
“The solution of this problem would: probably, however, be more difficult 
than the present problem before the graziers. I would repeat, that if lambing. - 
ewes and lambs are to be brought successfully through a dry spell, part of the 
ideal ration should be succulent, and no succulent feeding-stuff would keep’ 
for an indefinite period unless it could be conserved away from the air, or in 
a silage pit. Owing to its bulk and deterioration after the pit is opened for 
any length of time, the only place to store it is on the station, near where it 
is to be fed. If graziers could conserve enough silage it might be feasible for 
the Government, or for an association of the graziers themselves, to buy the 
dry part of the ration on a cheap market, and store for sale when a dry spell 
comes to any district. 
“T do not agree with Mr. Blyth’s statement that all graziers have tried 
conserving fodder, and have all given it up, or that the irrigation plants are 
all idle now. he high prices ruling for stock may help to resuscitate those 
that are idle now. I agree that the losses of stock during droughts are of 
national importance, especially at the present time, when the whole of the 
energies of the people in Australia should be concentrated on increasing 
production, and especially primary production. 
“ Although further research into the ideal food, or combination of foods, for 
lambing ewes and lambs is very desirable, I agree with Mr. Richardson, that 
propaganda work is even more important.” 
Mr. Richardson— 
(a) Mnsilage, lucerne hay damped with water and molasses, bran and 
oats were extensively used in Victoria during the last drought with 
highly successful results. 
(vb) Any cake that could be put upon the market must necessarily cost a 
great deal more than the sum of the costs of the component parts of 
the cake. Any cake evolved must necessarily be mainly composed of 
the foodstuffs which are grown in Australia, e.g., cereal hay, lucerne, 
grains, together with such supplementary material as bran, oil cake, 
linseed, or molasses. 
Dealing with the proposal generally, he points out— 
.(c) “The forages, other than grains, available in greatest quantity in 
Australia are wheaten, oaten, and lucerne hay, and these must form 
the bulk of the ration fed to stock in times of drought. The best 
method of utilizing these various forages, in combination with other 
foodstuffs, e.g., molasses, brewery by-products, bran, linseed, in times 
of drought for feeding young lambs, has not been the subject of 
systematic investigation, and there is no doubt that such work would 
he of considerable value to Australia. It might well be a problem 
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