Full text of Agricultural News Letter : Vol. 9, No. 3
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r ic u F E D E R A L Vol. 9, No. 3 NEWS LETTER R E S E R V E B A N K DALLAS, TEXAS O F D^ A L L A S March 15, 1954 Silage Pays Off A supply of good silage is “just like money in the bank” to the livestock producer. When properly stored, silage maintains its quality almost indefinitely, is always available, and is a very desirable livestock feed. silage, according to R. E. Burleson of Texas A. 8b M. College. Moreover, the feeding value of the silage will be very similar to the feeding value of the forage that is put into the silo. Some of the more common crops used for silage are corn, grain sorghums, sweet sor ghums, legumes, and grasses. Molasses usually is added to legumes and grasses, in order to facilitate fermentation and to give a more pleasing odor to the silage. Specialists at Texas A. 8b M. College point out that silage is one of the cheaper forms of feed, being second only to improved pastures. It is estimated that 100 pounds of total diges tible nutrients (a measure of feeding values) The use of a few simple rules will help to will cost about 40 cents from improved pas insure high-quality silage. tures, $1.40 from silage, $3 from hay, and $5.40 from a mixture of grains and protein 1. Cut the forage when it is most palatable supplements. While these figures will vary and has the highest feeding value. With most with the market price of feed, the relationships crops, this means before a seed crop is formed, remain fairly constant. and with grasses and legumes, before the become coarse and stemmy. Corn and The use of silage is especially well adapted plants grain sorghums are harvested in the to many parts of the Southwest because of the dough stage andusually before the plants lose their flush growing season in the early months of green color or become extremely dry. the spring and summer, followed by hot, dry weather in which the production of forage 2. The material should be chopped in rela from pastures usually is sharply reduced. Fre tively short lengths, in order to facilitate pack quently, the amount of forage available from ing in the silo. Either a field chopper or a sta pastures during the early spring months is tionary chopper can be used satisfactorily. much greater than the livestock can consume. Hence, many pastures grow large, coarse, and 3. Silage should be well packed to exclude stemmy, and a substantial amount of feed is lost. Harvesting a part of this growth and stor as much air as possible from the stored ing it in the form of silage can provide emer material. gency feed for periods when pasturage is not available. 4. Moisture content of the material should be around 65 to 75 percent. If grasses or Any forage that is palatable before being legumes are used, molasses or another sugar or put into a silo will be palatable when it is starch material should be added. 2 AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER 5. When the silo is filled, the silage shoulddo not live in the presence of air become more be covered with straw, dirt, or other material dominant in the material. As they act upon to exclude air. Some farmers use building forage, lactic acid is formed. Lactic acid paper with dirt thrown on top. appears to act as a preservative and gives good silage its characteristic odor. Many different structures are used for stor ing silage. One of the more common is the of the bacteria may continue for trench silo, which is simply a trench in the 60Activity days or more after the silage has been ground — usually 12 to 14 feet wide and 8 to stored. If additional air comes in contact with 10 feet deep — in which the silage is dumped, silage material after storage, the bacteria packed thoroughly, and then covered. This is the which live in the presence of air continue to one of the less expensive structures and works act, bringing about spoilage of the material. satisfactorily if its location permits adequate Formation of butyric acid is one of the results drainage from the bottom of the trench. In of this process and gives the foul-smelling some soils, it is desirable to line the sides and odor to spoiled silage. bottom of the trench with concrete; in others, the soil structure is tight enough so that no In view of the fact that silage is the second lining is required. The sides should be smooth least expensive feed for southwestern cattle and straight. men and because the area is subject to drought in the summer and severe storms during the The upright silo has been used successfully winter, insurance for every stockman in many sections of the country. However, the to storeit asis good much silage as possible. In most labor required for getting silage out for feed communities, equipment can be secured for ing is considerable, and the initial cost of such digging trench silos and for cutting and stor a silo is higher than that for most other types. ing forage material. A dragline or bulldozer can be used in digging a trench silo, and a field Other farmers have found it desirable to chopper, together with enough wagons to build a box-type silo on top of the ground. The carry the material to the silo, is one of the sides can be of concrete slabs or wood and the common ways of cutting and storing silage dumped into the box and thoroughly more silage. packed. It is more difficult to put silage into this type of structure and also to pack it. In Dairymen have found that a supply of the trench silo, a tractor can be used to run silage is almost a necessity for a profitable over the silage and pack it firmly in place. dairy program. Many have found that milk Still another method is simply stacking the production increases as soon as they start feed silage on the ground and providing a cover of ing their herds silage. A substantial saving building paper or other material to help ex can be made in the feed bill of most south clude air. There is usually more spoilage in western stockmen by the use of silage. this type of storage than in structures where material can be packed more firmly and a greater amount of air excluded. Chemical Control of Grass in The important thing to remember in storing silage is that there should be a means of ex cluding air, because bacteria which feed on air break down plants after harvest and may continue to build up as long as 8 days after forage is placed in storage. These bacteria dis appear as the oxygen in the air within the silage material is used up, and bacteria which Cotton Chemical control of grass in cotton is fast becoming a reality on many southwestern farms. Hoeing has been one of the major items of expense in the production of cotton, and the use of chemicals to control weeds and grass can result in considerable saving. AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER 3 In tests by the Texas Agricultural Experi Treat Cotton Seed to Prevent ment Station, it was found that the total cost Disease of chemically controlling weeds and grass, in cluding a small amount of hand-hoeing and the cost of chemicals, was substantially lower Chemical treatment of cotton seed prior to than when hand-hoeing was the sole means planting can reduce materially the danger of of weed control. losses through seed rot, seedling blight, pink boll disease, angular leaf spot, and other soilA cost of $8.41 per acre was reported for or seed-borne diseases, according to Fred C. the treatment which used chemicals and spot Elliott, Extension cotton work specialist of hoeing to control weeds not killed by the Texas A. & M. College. chemical treatments. In this test an applica tion of chemical was made at the time of These diseases annually cause severe cotton planting, and two applications 7 days apart losses and sometimes result in almost com were made after cotton plants were up to a plete loss of stand. The cost of seed treatment stand. Control of weeds later in the season is small and, when properly carried out, can was effected by use of flame cultivation. Cost result in substantial reduction in such losses. of the chemicals was $5.12 per acre and of hoeing, $3.29 per acre. A mercurial dust is one of the more com mon for treating seed and is sold These costs compare with $13.30 per acre undermaterials various brand names, including Ceresan where the cotton was hand-thinned, hand- and Improved Ceresan. Sources of these chem hoed, and given usual tractor cultivation. icals and directions for their use can be ob from county agricultural agents, ginApplication of chemicals to control weeds tained ners, seed dealers, and other agricultural lead requires a reasonably high degree of accuracy ers in the community. in machinery operation. The chemicals must be applied at the proper rate, and in post emergence treatment, care must be exercised Kill the Bugs Early to avoid applying the chemical to the cotton plants, as burning of the leaves will result. Early season control of cotton thrips, Several chemicals suitable for the control aphids, fleahoppers, and boll weevils is one of of grass in cotton are on the market. Cotton the more economical ways of reducing insect growers interested in using this method of damage to cotton, according to Freeman M. grass control should check with local distribu Fuller, entomologist for the Agricultural Ex tors for type of material and method of ap tension Service at Texas A. & M. College. plication. In many communities, there are growers who have used this method of grass season cotton insect control requires control, and they can be of valuable assist lessEarly insecticide is easier to apply, ance in planning the program on other farms. and reduces thematerial, build-up of cotton insects later in the season. If sprays are used, it fre quently is possible to cultivate and apply in secticides simultaneously. Drought-depleted ranges, under good man agement, will make a satisfactory recovery if The first application of insecticides should as much as 15 percent of the native, key grasses are still on the range. Reseeding may be made when the cotton plants are in about be necessary in some cases, but deferred graz the four-leaf stage or at the first appearance ing and proper stocking are cheaper methods of thrips or aphids. Three or four applications should be made at 7-day intervals. of recovery. 4 AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER 3. In extreme cases where severe swelling of the paunch is evident, a veterinarian should be called and relief from the gas pressure ob tained through the use of a trocar (a device for making a small opening in the skin of the animal just in front of the hip bone, permitting Additional applications of insecticides may gases to escape). be required later in the season if insects in Giving animals plenty of dry roughage crease to damaging numbers. However, it frequently is possible to omit mid- and late- before turning on to fresh pastures frequently season applications when adequate early sea will prevent bloat. Some livestock raisers find that keeping a supply of hay in the pasture son control is practiced. also helps to reduce bloat. Information on insecticides to use for early season control is available in the publication Publications 1954 Guide for Controlling Cotton Insects in Texas. Copies may be obtained from county New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Sta Extension agents, ginners, and other agricul tion, State College: tural agents in most communities. Cost of Pumping Water for Irrigation, Lea County, 1952, Bulletin 383, by William P. Stephens. What to Do About Bloat Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Bloat is one of the more serious dangers to Stillwater: cattle during the spring growing season. Lush A Study of Phosphate Fertilization and clovers and grasses are conducive to bloat, Legume Rotations for Small-Grain Win and stockmen must watch carefully the ani ter Pastures, Bulletin No. B-414, by mals which are on fresh pastures to avoid Horace J. Harper. losses from this digestive disturbance. Performance Tests of Corn Varieties and Hybrids, 1953, Miscellaneous Publica The exact cause of bloat is not known. It tion MP-33, by Hartwill Pass and others. occurs most frequently when animals are graz ing on lush green feed. Affected animals suffer Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Col from severe gas pressure in the digestive tract, lege Station: and death may occur within a few minutes un Salt Tolerance of Five Grasses, Progress less adequate steps are taken to give the ani Report 1620, by H. W. Gausman. mals relief. Variety and Strain Trials with Grain Sor ghum, Broomcorn, Safflower and Popcorn Dr. C. M. Patterson, Extension veterinarian in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 1953, for Texas A. & M. College, offers these sugges Progress Report 1622, by Charles S. tions on handling bloat cases. Miller. 1. Mild cases of bloat can be corrected by of these bulletins may be obtained withholding all feed for a few hours and forc by Copies request to the publishers. ing the animals to exercise. Early season application of insecticides should be stopped about 30 days before the bollworm normally appears. This permits beneficial insects to build up in numbers and help control the bollworm. 2. In more severe cases, animals should be forced to stand on an incline, with the front feet higher than the hind feet. The Agricultural News Letter is prepared in the Research Department under the direction of C arl H. M oore, Agricultural Economist.