Good silage making can really make a difference to overall farm efficiency and profitability. Poor quality silage can cause many problems and diseases on farm.
Sugar only develops in the plant when there is sun. Don’t cut immediately after a dark and/or wet and rainy period. A few days of sun is necessary to have enough sugar. Cut the grass in the morning when the plant is dry.
- Limit losses in the field
Turn the grass once to open the row. Aim to have all the grass in the pit within 2 days of cutting.
Start in time bringing in the crop. Aim for a dry matter for young grass between 40 and 50%, older grass between 30 and 40%.
Compress in layers of 15cm maximum. Don’t do more then 4 hectare/h. This can prevent air pockets and can help keep silage quality.
There are lots of additives like molasses, bacteria and acids are on the market. They work in different ways and have pros and cons. They are used to help enhance silage quality and also as an "insurance policy" to help keep silage good.
