North Canterbury News: September 24, 2020
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HAY, BALEAGE, SILAGE<br />
30 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>September</strong> <strong>24</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />
HAY&BALEAGE<br />
• Triple and Double Mower Conditioners<br />
• 4x3 Large Square Baling<br />
• Round McHale Fusion Individual Wrapped Bales<br />
• Hay Tedder<br />
• 9 Metre Rotary Rake<br />
• Grass Sales and Purchases<br />
1951426<br />
Weather plays the game as season gears up<br />
By ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Spring rainand snow<br />
accumulationinthemountain<br />
basins areincreasing farmer’s<br />
optimism as the baleage,silage<br />
and hayseason cranksup.<br />
Oxford Ag owner Steve<br />
Macaulay says thespringrain<br />
had topped up reserves, which<br />
is welcome after an<br />
exceptionally drywinter.<br />
There is now some good early<br />
growth.<br />
‘‘This is providingabit more<br />
optimism forfarmers,’’ he says.<br />
His company, whichhas more<br />
than20fulltimestaff, anda<br />
seasonal staff of up to 50,is<br />
having significantstaff<br />
challenges because of Covid19<br />
borderrestrictions.<br />
‘‘But we have managed to<br />
increase our training and<br />
resourcesand embracedgood<br />
peoplefromother industries,’’<br />
he says.<br />
MrMacaulay saysheis<br />
confidentthesesolutionswill<br />
ensure OxfordAghas the<br />
resourcesrequired to service<br />
its clients’needs, butthisyear<br />
there will be no overseas<br />
seasonal staff to boostits<br />
numbers.<br />
‘‘I havefour United Kingdom<br />
ladswanting to comehere.<br />
Their cars are parkedinthe<br />
yardwaiting,’’ he says.<br />
However,the border<br />
restrictionsmeantheywill not<br />
❛All the international<br />
indices in place show<br />
our industry should be<br />
shining.❜<br />
—Steve Macaulay<br />
be joining the teamthis year.<br />
Mr Macaulay says,ingeneral,<br />
theagriculturalindustryis<br />
feeling undervalued by central<br />
government andthe wider<br />
populace.<br />
He saysthe concernsfacing<br />
theagriculturalindustryatthe<br />
moment are much wider than<br />
thechallengesofCovid19.<br />
‘‘All the internationalindices<br />
in place showour industry<br />
should be shining,’’ he says.<br />
Butthe pressurefromcentral<br />
government legislation meant<br />
theindustry was ‘‘really<br />
struggling’’.<br />
‘‘Weare trying to rightthe<br />
wrongs of 150 years, andset up<br />
thefuture for thenext100<br />
years, in awindow of few<br />
years,’’ Mr Macaulay says.<br />
‘‘The measures being putin<br />
placeare notgoing to be<br />
effective to achieve the<br />
outcomes required.<br />
‘‘Unfortunately,thatisgoing<br />
to killthe industryand won’t<br />
getthe environmental gainsthe<br />
legislationisaimed at,’’ he says.<br />
Also available •Horsch Terrano: Primary cultivator,chisel plough /ripper, discs &roller •Catros: secondary<br />
cultivator,5.5 metre discs and roller •Cayena Seed Drill: 6metre Tyne Air Seeder Drill •6furrow reversible<br />
plough •6metre maxi-till &roller with levelling boards combination •All tractors using GPS and Auto Steering<br />
•Operating aLexion760 tracked combine •5.2 metre Heavy Rolling Road Transportable<br />
Now Omihi Based -Please give Sam Bethell acall<br />
HURUNUI PH 0274 360 342<br />
B.A. MURRAY LTD<br />
177 Mt Thomas Road, RD 1, Rangiora 7471<br />
Phone: 0274 343 119 | Email: office@bamurray.co.nz<br />
Web: www.bamurrayagriculture.co.nz<br />
Promising start to spring ... An Oxford Ag tractor bales medium squares for baleage.<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
Key elements for great silage<br />
It is impossible to produce high quality<br />
silage from low quality pasture, no<br />
matter how good the fermentation.<br />
Both the quality of the ensiled<br />
pasture and the quality of the<br />
fermentation must be considered.<br />
What is pasture silage?<br />
Silage is pickled pasture. When<br />
pasture is ensiled, its sugars are<br />
converted into lactic acid by bacteria. It<br />
is the lactic acid which pickles the<br />
pasture, allowing it to be preserved for<br />
alot longer than it would have been if<br />
left in the open air.<br />
With wellpreserved silage, losses in<br />
feed value during fermentation will be<br />
small, and the final silage will be only<br />
slightly lower in feed value than the<br />
original pasture.<br />
Good quality pasture silage is agood<br />
source of energy and protein for a<br />
milking cow and can be used as afibre<br />
source when feeding highsugar or<br />
starchy feeds. However, apoor quality<br />
pasture silage (made from low quality<br />
pasture, or ensiled with low quality<br />
fermentation, or both) will not support<br />
high milk yield and will be suitable only<br />
for dry cows, or as afibre source to<br />
reduce risk of acidosis.<br />
Losses when making pasture silage<br />
Losses occur as sugars and protein in<br />
the grass are broken down by enzymes,<br />
and bacteria. This process starts as<br />
soon as the grass is cut. Losses decrease<br />
quality as well as quantity, because it is<br />
the highly digestible components which<br />
are most rapidly broken down.<br />
Losses during harvesting<br />
Losses depend on the dry matter of<br />
the pasture. The optimum dry matter<br />
for silage is 2530%, because total drymatter<br />
loss is minimised.<br />
It is best to cut in the morning of a<br />
sunny day for rapid wilting. Cutting<br />
after 1to2days of sunny weather will<br />
result in good sugar levels in the<br />
pasture, even when cut in the morning.<br />
Avoid wilting for more than <strong>24</strong> hours.<br />
Compact the silage well.<br />
In astack or pit, use the heaviest<br />
wheeled vehicle available. —Dairy NZ<br />
“FARMERS”<br />
•Baling<br />
•Silage<br />
•Hay<br />
•Cultivation<br />
•Seeding<br />
•Heading<br />
•Beet Lifting<br />
Contact Steve Murray 027 434 3119<br />
……..New Zealand Rural Contractor Of The Year 2002…….<br />
2315106<br />
ELMWOoD AG<br />
•ROUND BALING •<br />
(Mowing through to Cartage)<br />
Balage 1m -1.5m Hay 1m -1.6m<br />
•CULTIVATION •<br />
(Full Culitvation Service)<br />
6m Roller Drill &6mDirect Drill<br />
Rut Buster for HIRE<br />
2202690<br />
PHONE: Bill 027 485 8012 ~EMAIL: oxfarm@hotmail.co.nz
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