Forage & Silage

High fertiliser and feed costs mean that making the best possible silage makes even more sense this season – especially with strong milk prices. So how could a silage additive give a return?

Wholecrop rye for biogas production is still the biggest market, so choosing high performing AD varieties is the key for most growers, says independent agronomist Craig Green.

Farming unions and other stakeholders lobbied the UK government after recent guidance listed silage wrap as ‘packaging’ for the first time.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is urging HMRC to reconsider and remove silage wrap from the plastic packaging tax due to come into force from the 1st April 2022.

Claas filed its first patent 100 years ago: the knotting device for the Claas straw binder. This device laid the foundations for a success story in baling technology – stretching right up to the new Quadrant Evolution

The latest Kingshay Dairy Costings Focus report shows marked improvements in health and fertility, as well as encouraging trends in production and financial performance.

Leading rural insurer NFU Mutual is urging farmers to make safety their first priority as a delayed silage first cut gets underway.

Bokashi, a fermented alternative to compost, could help farmers improve soil organic matter and carbon retention.  

Livestock producers looking to make the most of grazed forage can increase intake and digestion by 10 per cent when supplementing pastures with a nutrient-rich Rumevite block, says Dr Alison Bond, nutritionist for Rumenco.

Farmers who are short on silage or worried about straw supplies for the winter should think about whether outwintering in-calf heifers to reduce winter rearing costs, says AHDB.

Innovative app package and weigh system Cowconnect is the next generation in dairy feed management systems – offering a ‘plug and play’ solution that is compatible with all brands of feed mixer wagon.

With the exceptionally dry spring likely to have a knock-on effect on forage supplies, harvesting cereals originally drilled for grain as wholecrop in the coming weeks could help ease future shortages.