Adjustments of seasonal feed-supply to seasonal requirements of animals

Abstract

Because of the differential growth of herbage plants throughout the year and because of weather hazards, the most difficult problem of the stock-raiser is the provision of an adequate supply of feed for every day in the year. Worthy efforts have been made to facilitate the provision of feed, generically grouped under the title of “ making two blades of grass grow where only one grew previously,” either by better strains of grass, by better .methods of sowing, establishing, and managing, by top-dressing, or by other means. While on the whole these have been successful, there are those who have failed to get the best advantage from them, but have nevertheless been able to run stock successfully. Before proceeding further it may be helpful to set out in tabular form the amount of pasture-growth each month and the feed requirements of different classes of stock each month as a percentage of the total for the year.