According to Kingshay’s cost report from December 2022, UK farmers produce just 2,900 litres from forage on average. Meanwhile, there is huge scope for improving this figure and reducing feed costs, with some farms achieving as much as 5,300 litres of milk from forage, Wynnstay’s head of dairy David Howard said.

“Every 1,000 litres of milk from forage equates to approximately 460kg of concentrate feed, and so by increasing homegrown forage quality, you can make some significant savings on total feed costs,” he pointed out.

Mr Howard said the ideal digestibility value for forage is over 70, however, of the 1,228 forage samples analysed by Wynnstay, more than two-thirds had less than 70 digestibility value, with 12% less than 60.

He added forage quality is becoming increasingly important in the dairy industry, with many milk processors now offering producers incentives to reduce soya and improve their total feed efficiency, which is driven by the quality of forage.

“We are launching Forage4Profit, which is a four-point programme to help farmers improve each stage of their forage production from field to feed out. It covers everything from soil health through to seed selection, crop preservation and ration formulation,” Mr Howard revealed.

1. Soil health

Having balanced soils is vital to making good-quality forage, as poor soil health will limit crop growth and quality, Mr Howard pointed out, adding that around 80% of soil samples carried out by Wynnstay are the incorrect pH.

He urged farmers to carry out regular soil sampling and correct any imbalances. “It is also important to identify areas of compaction and aerate soils to combat this, as well as creating bespoke fertiliser plans tailored to individual nutrient requirements,” he stressed.

2. Seed selection

Seed selection will vary with individual farms depending on soil type, rainfall, quality targets, and how much forage farmers are aiming to produce.

“We must remember when we plant a seed in the ground on a dairy farm, the end product is not necessarily a crop – it’s a litre of milk. Milk is the saleable commodity and so seed selection must be linked to what the farmer is trying to produce,” Mr Howard said.

He recommended reseeding fields regularly, particularly under-performing leys, and consulting a grass seed specialist to select the best variety for the farm. He said multi-species leys and crops are great for increasing forage quality because of high-protein crops such as red clover and lucerne,

3. Crop preservation

Getting this aspect right is often challenging because of the UK’s variable weather conditions. According to Mr Howard, grass starts losing energy (sugars) immediately after it is cut until the crop is clamped. Therefore, grass should be cut, tedded, wilted, and picked up in quick succession to minimise the loss of valuable nutrients.

“As a starting point, work out the crop’s nutrient requirements and apply slurry and nitrogen fertiliser accordingly,” he said. “It is also important to ensile the crop quickly to reduce dry matter losses and use an effective inoculant to rapidly drop the pH and reduces losses.”

4. Balanced ration

Last but not least, feeding balanced rations is key when it comes to maximising milk yield from forage. “The complete diet is only as good as the forage foundation; the best results are achieved with high-quality forage and balanced concentrates,” Mr Howard noted.

He suggested working with a nutritionist to establish a good balance between forage and concentrate feed and ensure optimal protein utilisation and efficiency. “Using rumen additives such as Diamond V can help increase feed conversion efficiency,” he added.

To learn more about Forage4Profit, visit: https://www.wynnstay.co.uk/forage-for-profit

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In the latest Mole Valley Farmers’ podcast, nutritionist Dr Robin Hawkey and head of grassland and forage agronomy Lisa Hambly from the farmer cooperative discuss ways farmers can make the most from their grass crop this year. And it all starts with reviewing what happened last year, explained Ms Hambly.

1. Review the previous year’s crop 

“Think about what was good and bad last year and look at what you can do to plan to overcome those challenges. Different farms will have different requirements for their silage – some will want high quality, whereas others may be focussed on getting more bulk from the crop. Planning over the next couple of weeks will be vital,” she said.

2. Test grass pre-cutting 

Dr Hawkey suggested farmers test their grass pre-cutting – ideally once or twice a week in the two to three weeks leading up to harvest. “Pre-cutting testing of grass is an easy test and is free as part of the Mole Valley Farmers service. It gives a good indication of where things are going, allowing you to see what the potential of the crop is and also whether adequate nutrients were applied. This means things can be adjusted if needed ahead of subsequent harvests,” he said.

A fertiliser plan will help farmers achieve desired yields, with slurry testing assisting farmers in planning what additional nutrients are needed. Ms Hambly said the starting point was knowing what you want to achieve and then working back on how to achieve it.

3. Plan with your contractor and set chop lengths 

When using a contractor, it’s important they are on board and are also aware of planned harvest dates. As well as dates, they need to know desired chop length and dry matter (DM).

Dr Hawkey said: “Having a target dry matter will help you plan wilt times. Grass can wilt very quickly, and I have seen some forages achieve 28–30% DM on a decent day in eight hours when the grass is spread effectively and quickly after cutting.

“Deciding the right chop length is also important, depending on what you plan to have in the mix. In general, the drier the silage, the shorter the chop length. Most modern foragers can detect the DM –it’s worth talking to the operator to see if the chop length can be changed ‘on the go’ if required. It’s never too late to make adjustments,” he said.

However, Dr Hawkey warned against cutting too short and being accurate when tedding to avoid contamination.

Ms Hambly said for those with new leys, there’s a greater chance of them having a higher moisture content meaning they could benefit from a longer chop length. However, she warned farmers opting for a longer chop length to plan for extra trailers due to them filling up quicker.

4. Consider an additive 

Additives are also something farmers should consider and are something Dr Hawkey believes everyone should be using.

“It’s important to select an additive most appropriate for the prevailing conditions. For example, some suit drier or wetter silages and some have an enzyme in them, which can be helpful if taking a bulkier cut as the enzymes help break down the fibre and aid digestion by the animal.

“An additive can also come into its own to help reduce dry matter losses and increase nutrient efficiency of a farm,” he said.

Having a stable clamp and reducing losses from spoilage and runoff also comes down to good clamp management at harvest and sheeting using clingfilm-type sheets to reduce waste.

Dr Hawkey explained the implications poor silage had on one of his client’s herds last year. “One farmer I know estimated his poor silage last year cost him tens of thousands of pounds from lost income because the silage wasn’t correct. Quality is key, and it can cost you a lot if you get it wrong by impacting production and fertility,” he said.

Towards the end of the podcast, the experts discussed weed control post-cutting and options such as overseeding to increase yields.

To listen to the podcast in full visit www.moleonline.com/podcasts

The post It’s not too late for a strategic silage management plan appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Stock photo for illustration only.

As machinery may not have been used for several months, NFU Mutual is advising farmers to carry out machinery maintenance and ensure employees are properly inducted and trained ahead of the silage season.

“Getting high quality silage is vital for farmers who are facing high fertiliser and energy costs, but safety must remain at the forefront of minds this silage-making season,” said Hannah Binns, NFU Mutual’s rural affairs specialist.

“Working under pressure to get crops in before the weather changes is a perennial issue for farmers, but it is a well-known fact farm incidents happen when people are tired, machinery is pushed too hard or work continues in unfavourable conditions. No cut of silage is worth someone’s life or limb.”

Checks on brakes, tyres, trailer couplings, hydraulic pipes and lights are an essential part of a pre-cut maintained schedule, said Andy Mason, managing director of NFU Mutual Risk Management Services.

If new people are joining the team, make sure they are trained to operate the machinery they will be using and warn them about any hazards on the farm, such as steep slopes, slippery lanes and blind spots on public roads – as well as the actions to take to combat those hazards.

Staff must also know the safe working laods of trailers and must not allow them to be overfilled.

“You should never compromise on people’s safety and in many parts of the UK police forces are clamping down and making more checks on trailer loads,” Mr Mason concluded.

NFU Mutual silage safety checklist

Before silage harvesting:

• Make sure you have identified and assessed the hazards on the farm, in the field and the tasks that will be conducted during silage harvesting and know how to manage the risks
• Put in place a system for keeping in contact with lone workers

• Make sure new staff are properly inducted and trained for the work you give them – in particular the dangers of working with and around farm machinery
• Teach staff about the principles of “Safe Stop”: Make sure the handbrake is fully applied; controls and equipment are left safe; stop the engine; and remove the key, before leaving the vehicle or accessing the machine.
• Put in place measures to ensure children are kept away from working areas
• Make sure staff know the safe working loads of trailers and don’t allow trailers to be overfilled
• Ensure vehicles and trailers are road legal with fully maintained and working brakes, lights, indicators and flashing beacons. Also check the age, condition and pressures of tyres. Consider using a third party to inspect trailers, with accreditation such as the ‘Tilly Your Trailer’ scheme
• Consider letting local people know when you will be taking silage trailers on local lanes via neighbourhood social media sites to help people reroute journeys as this will cut delays and incident risks

Working in the fields:

• Regularly check moving parts of mowers, tedders, forage harvesters and balers, including guards and PTO shafts for wear or damage
• Switch off engines and ensure parts have stopped before clearing blockages or carrying out maintenance – remove keys as well to prevent accidental starting (Safe Stop!)
• Make sure drivers are aware of the locations and heights of overhead power lines and check that your machinery will safely pass under wires and restrictions
• Take special care to check for vehicles following behind before turning right into fields or yards, as this is a common cause of accidents
• Regularly clear up any mud deposits from roads – warn drivers with signage where mud may be present
• Be aware of potential walkers in fields with public rights of way and stop the vehicle if people are in close proximity
• Keep a mobile phone on you at all times – not left in a tractor or pick-up cab
• Take regular breaks to eat, drink and rest to stave off tiredness

Working on silage clamps:

• Keep people away from moving vehicles
• Ensure a filling plan is followed and that sight rails are visible at all times
• Never overfill a silage clamp as this increases the risk of vehicles overturning when rolling or filling
• Only use vehicles that are suitable for the task – fitted with an approved safety cab or Roll over Protection Structure (RoPS), well-lugged tyres, suitably weighted etc.
• For indoor clamps, keep away for the first 72 hours as this is when dangerous nitrogen dioxide gas can form in large quantities

Keep clear of the edge of the clamp (at least 1m) when (un)sheeting or removing tyres. If possible, use a mobile working platform or a hook or a pole to keep away from the edge of the face

The post How to stay safe during silage season appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The findings indicate that even though silage production costs have increased, the financial benefit of multi-cut grass over three cuts has more than doubled in the last few years.

The analysis incorporates previous on-farm trial results, which found that fresh-cut grass from a five-cut system had the capacity to support an additional 3,506 litres/ha of milk from forage.

This was after five cuts were found to deliver 18,582 MJ/ha more metabolisable energy (ME) than three cuts, said Volac silage scientist Dr Mark Leggett, due to the forage yielding more total dry matter (DM) and higher average ME over the season.

Higher metabolisable energy (ME) yield per ha from multi-cut grass (five cuts) versus conventionally-cut grass (three cuts). Source Volac on-farm trial, 2019.

“Applying a milk price of 25 p/l at the time of the trial (2019) to these extra 3,506 litres/ha of milk showed multi-cut was £333/ha more profitable,” he said. “This was after deducting £544/ha of extra costs for application of fertiliser and slurry, as well as contractor charges for cutting, raking, harvesting, carting and clamping the two additional cuts.

“Now, bringing this up to date by applying a higher, but still modest, milk price of 40 p/l has revealed the financial advantage of multi-cut over three-cuts to have more than doubled – to £752/ha. Again, this was after deducting the additional outlay for the two extra cuts, this time of £650/ha to reflect cost increases.”

The analysis comes as fertiliser and contracting costs continue to increase and milk prices are showing a drop from the highs of 2022, leading to many farmers questioning the value of making multi-cut. Dr Leggett pointed out that, while the system doesn’t suit all farms, its extra benefit was clear from the analysis as shown below:

Higher metabolisable energy (ME) yield per ha from multi-cut grass (five cuts) versus conventionally-cut grass (three cuts). * based on 2022 costs/estimates as the latest available. ** based on 2018 costs/estimates as the latest available at the time. Source Volac on-farm trial, 2019.

“The other important finding from the original trial was the multi-cut grass was also 2.8% higher in crude protein. Producing higher quality grass by cutting younger and more often with multi-cut may not allow producers to reduce the tonnage of concentrate purchased.

“However, it might mean a lower-cost concentrate, with lower ME and lower protein, can be fed. It might also mean less imported protein is used. Alternatively, higher quality grass may be used to help improve milk yield,” he added.

At the same time, Dr Leggett noted the DM yield and quality results from the original trial were from fresh grass samples, and the benefits of improved grass quality will not be seen unless the crop is preserved correctly. Hence, further Volac research looked at multi-cut conservation – this time across four cuts.

Commenting on the results, Dr Leggett said: “Compared with leaving grass untreated, the work found that treating with the additive Ecosyl – which applies a million Lactobacillus plantarum MTD/1 bacteria per gram of forage – reduced DM losses on all four cuts, and on two of the cuts by more than half.

“The results also pointed to better protein preservation by using the additive, and the number of enterobacteria – the undesirable bacteria associated with slurry – in the treated silage was up to 100,000 times lower.”

Therefore, using a proven additive to improve conservation of a multi-cut crop is an important consideration, Dr Leggett said, as shorter intervals between cuts allow less time for slurry bacteria to decline. He added the higher protein content of younger grass can also contribute to buffering of the fermentation.

“The combination of high buffering and the action of slurry bacteria can lead to DM and nutrient losses. With farmers looking to improve milk from forage, it makes little sense to produce multi-cut as a way of improving forage quality if that quality is then lost during ensiling,” Dr Leggett concluded.

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Steve Watkins (far right) pictured with (l-r): full time staff member James Taylor, and Steve’s cousins James and Tom Watkins.

The Watkins family, who built up their contracting business over the past 40 years, talk us through the machinery they run to deliver efficient arable and grassland operations in the 30-mile radius of their home farm, near Rotherham.

Steve Watkins, alongside his two uncles and two cousins, are the third generation at Hall Farm. The family run T E Watkins and Sons contracting business, alongside farming their 1,500-acre arable farm, carrying out a range of services from grass, maize and whole crop silaging, to drilling, combining, baling and spraying. Its fleet includes five JCB fastrac, a Krone forager, Claas Lexion combine, Krone BiG Pack and an Amazone Pantera self-propelled sprayer.

High quality bales

“We made the switch last year to a Krone BiG Pack 1270 and we’ve been more than happy with the move. Although the baler was slightly more expensive than other options we looked at, we were won over by the quality of the machine and back up of spare parts available at crucial times of the year,” says Mr Watkins.

Their local dealer, Moore Farm Services is located just a few miles away from the farm and provides consistent and reliable support all year round.

“The baler performed fantastically in its first season, having done around 11,000 bales already. It typically produces great bale weights even with dry straw. It can be exceptionally hard to get a good bale weight when it’s so dry because the straw is harder to compress, but this hasn’t been an issue. This means when we’re selling our straw, we can get more tonnage onto a lorry which translates into lower haulage costs. This is important for our margins,” he says.

Efficiency in all conditions

Having run foragers from another brand for 20 years and generally being very pleased by how the machines performed, the business was approached in 2016 by their local dealer to trial a Krone forager.

After a further two demonstrations in proceeding years, the family bought BiG X in 2019. They are now on their second BiG X, with the family being impressed with its ability to harvest both grass and maize for anaerobic digestors and livestock feed.

“Our workload significantly increased in 2014, with an increase in silaging for AD plants and it’s now the biggest proportion of our business, the maize we cut is feeding three digestors,” Mr Watkins says. “We were amazed by how the demo performed in terms of chop quality compared to our previous forager, particularly for the requirements for AD maize, where the maize is cut into much shorter pieces.”

Mr Watkins explains that they were ‘sat on a knife edge’ when it came to deciding between having another forager from their previous brand or making the move to Krone – the deciding factor became the ability to easily swap out the chopping cylinder.

“This was hugely important to us, so we could accommodate our full range of customers,” he says. “Livestock customers often prefer their forage much longer so the animal can chew it for longer, which requires fewer blades and therefore, fewer chops per second.

“We’d previously had a 24-blade cylinder, which wasn’t cutting forage to the quality needed for AD; to rectify this, we were looking at buying a 36-blade drum and removing half the blades when chopping for livestock. This was going to be hugely time-consuming, which in the height of the season is something we wanted to avoid.

“Krone offered two separate chopping cylinders, one with 20 blades and one with 36 blades. Both cylinders use the same type of blade as each other, making it easier to manage spare parts.”

When upgrading to their second BiG X in 2021, there were a number of details that were attractive to the contractors, including a wider crop channel that helped improve efficiency in the smaller 580 machine.

“The 580 is more than capable of handling a 12-row header, with the efficiency of the six feed rollers – it takes in the quantity of maize with ease. It’s not about speed for us,” he says, “I’m a big believer in using the machine’s power to chop thoroughly rather than using its power to move quickly, to maximise efficiency.”

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Sulphur plays an integral role in nitrogen use efficiency by maximising the true protein content in forage, as well as increasing dry matter, leading overall to greater efficiencies and healthier, more productive stock.

But are all sulphur applications equally effective? Does it matter what form the sulphur is applied in to optimise results?

To find out, ICL have run a series of product trials featuring traditional farm practice nitrogen/sulphur products compared to the mineral fertiliser Polysulphate.

What is Polysulphate?

Mined from 1,200 m (¾ mile) under the North Yorkshire coast at the ICL mine in Boulby, Polysulphate is a naturally occurring multi-nutrient mineral fertiliser with some unique and beneficial qualities.

It is mined as a rock called polyhalite, which is crushed, screened and then marketed as Polysulphate. Certified organic, it has the lowest carbon footprint of any fertiliser on the market, helping farmers to meet the many environmental obligations currently being placed upon them.

Polysulphate consists of 48% SO₃ as sulphate, 14% potash (K₂O), 17% calcium (CaO) and 6% magnesium (MgO), released over a 50–60 day period, which closely aligns with the nutrient uptake requirements of the crop. This prolonged release mechanism also significantly reduces the potential for sulphate leaching meaning more nutrients remain available for plant uptake, leading to healthier crops from fewer applications.

So, how did it fare in grassland trials compared to traditional farm practice?

Trial conditions

ICL carried out trials at 28 different sites across the UK, including some on organic soils. Sites were split with Polysulphate applied at 100 kg per hectare plus nitrogen on one side and the standard farm practice on the other, which included an ammonium sulphate (AS) application.

Nutrients were matched to ensure any observed effects resulted from the use of Polysulphate as the source of sulphur.

Fresh grass weight was measured in the field and samples were taken for lab analysis.

Results – improved dry matter and sugars

Across the 28 test sites, ICL found that the Polysulphate-treated strips produced on average an 11.24% increase in dry matter compared to the standard farm practice.

Despite significant variations in soil type, geographic region and climate, Polysulphate delivered a dry matter uplift across 87% of the sites tested, consistently outperforming the controls.

Further analysis found that the Polysulphate-treated grass contained on average 9.72% more sugars, making it more palatable to livestock.

Increased Daily Live Weight Gain (DLWG)

Scott Garnett, Head of Agronomy for ICL in the UK and Ireland, said an improvement in the grass N:S ratio resulted in an increase in DLWG for animals grazed on Polysulphate-treated grass.

“The results show a significant increase in dry matter in the grass treated with Polysulphate” he said. “11% is a great result and demonstrates the benefits of the product’s extended release characteristic.

“By dissolving slowly over time and supplying fresh nutrients as the crop requires them, the grass is better able to explore the soil and absorb more nutrients.

“The trials show this leads to denser, heavier, more nutrient-rich forage, and that combined with the increased palatability and digestibility that the extra sugar provides, produces healthier, more productive animals for the same, or potentially less, cost.”

Polysulphate silage trials

ICL has been working in partnership with Yorkshire beef producer John Stonehouse for three years, conducting several trials into the impact of Polysulphate on silage yield and quality.

Split applications of Polysulphate and AS were made across a 9.2-hectare field. Yield, bale weight and the number of bales were measured after every cut.

The results showed that on average, bales treated with Polysulphate weighed 701 kg, compared to 622 kg from AS treated grass.

Higher yield and more bales per hectare

Polysulphate also produced 30.4 bales per hectare whereas the controls averaged just 26.5 bales. The total number of bales produced across the 4.6 hectares of Polysulphate-treated grass was 140. The AS-treated side generated 122.

Overall, the total yield of grass produced by Polysulphate under the trial conditions was 98,270 kg, compared to 75,905 kg produced on the AS side of the fields.

Cows preferred the sweeter grass

In further work with John Stonehouse at May Farm, Staxton, near Scarborough, ICL looked at the impact of Polysulphate on silage quality.

According to John, the results from the trials reflect his own personal experience.

“The benefits of Polysulphate on silage grass is denser grass, heavier bales and more bales per hectare” he said. On permanent pasture, you’re getting better root structure, so it’s more drought resistant.

“The grass is sweeter and we found that doing trial work where we split the field in half, treating one side with Polysuphate and nitrogen, the other side using ammonium sulphate, when I turned the cows out they ate the Polysulphate side completely first.”

Hear first-hand about John’s experience using Polysulphate.

Importance of sulphur

Hannah Shirt from Lancrop Laboratories in East Yorkshire, explained that true protein levels are higher in sulphur treated grass than in that which has had no sulphur application, due to the improved N:S ratio.

“Sulphur is essential for the production of two amino acids – cysteine and methionine – which are essential for full protein synthesis”, Hannah said.

“Without these, forage has higher levels of non-protein nitrogen, a situation which arises directly as a result of a lack of sulphur.”

Soil acidity

Finally, there is often reasonable concern because some sulphur fertilisers will acidify soils, leading to a requirement for more frequent liming.

Scott Garnett explained the risk of this is not a problem with Polysulphate because it is pH neutral and has no acidifying effect.

“Increasing the acidity of grassland soils tends to reduce nutrient use efficiency and it also encourages less-productive grass species to take over the sward” says Scott.  “Non-acidifying Polysulphate can safely be used as the source of essential sulphate in grassland as the way of ensuring good yields of quality grass and of helping to maintain the presence of clovers”.

To find out more about using Polysulphate on grassland please email plantnutrition@icl-group.com

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Farm manager, Silas Hedley-Lawrence says that “Done well, outwintering can help reduce farm costs”.

FAI Farms is preparing to enter its fourth outwintering season – a move farm manager, Silas Hedley-Lawrence says has been made possible through the use of adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing.

“Thinking about outwintering can evoke images of cows standing in a muddy field, eating silage from feeders and knee deep in mud; but there is an alternative, better approach,” says Mr Hedley-Lawrence.

“Done well, outwintering can help reduce farm costs – by reducing labour, fuel, bedding and machinery use – and improve animal wellbeing and soil health.”

AMP grazing – which involves grazing a high density of livestock in a defined area for a short period of time, followed by long rest periods – is being trialled at FAI as part of a project with McDonald’s UK and Ireland.

Mr Hedley-Lawrence says planning is key, especially in the winter months, and consideration must be given to group size, age and nutritional requirements of the cattle, and infrastructure.

He explains that AHDB calculations suggest the daily dry matter intake requirement for cattle under 300kg liveweight is 3% of their body weight, and 2.5% for animals over 300kg liveweight.

“At FAI, we use a 3% figure for all cattle ages and weights as this allows for some flexibility within the system and means there is a buffer in case of bad weather,” adds Mr Hedley-Lawrence.

“Over winter, cows are grazed in cells – small paddocks marked out by temporary electric fences – with each cell containing four or five round bales of hay, which are placed there during the summer.”

He says once the cattle enter a cell, the bales are rolled out for feeding, rather than put in ring feeders, to prevent crowding and poaching.

“We aim for a minimum of 160 cells, for 160 days, at a size of 0.5ha per cell,” explains Mr Hedley-Lawrence.

“We then calculate the estimated available forage against the daily feed requirement of the group and factor in a 75% utilisation rate on available forage; this indicates the deficit needed to be made up by hay bales.”

Although the system required a £6,800 investment in water infrastructure and mobile electric fencing equipment, Mr Hedley-Lawrence says the cost savings from not having to house cattle were approximately £24,163 last winter – this is based on housing 75 suckler cows and calves, and 26 heifers for 180 days.

“The soil type at the FAI Farm is a clay loam and it was never considered suitable for outwintering cattle. However, with some careful planning and regular moves we’ve been able to successfully implement the system on on our land, and if we can do it then any farmer can,” adds Mr Hedley-Lawrence.

“Just go out and try it with a small group by planning and doing the maths; you’ll learn from your mistakes and be able to tweak your plan so you are more and more successful each year with more cows.”

More information about the AMP grazing system at FAI Farms is available online.

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In the Netherlands, where spring and summer weather was similar to the UK, cuts measured have shown an average sugar level of 129 g/kg, an increase of 41 g/kg on the previous year. According to the results published by the testing company Eurofins, first cut silage form this year has a much higher feed value than any other year on record.

Sophie Cath from Eurofins Agro UK said: “The results of more than 1000 spring silages, from the Netherlands, confirm these very high sugar content levels. 129 g/kg is unheard of and will have knock-on effect this winter, helping some farms to mitigate the high costs of input by feeding better forage.

“The high feed value is also remarkable, with an average “Feed Unit Milk” (Dutch NEL system) of 984 making this grass almost identical in value to 1 kg of standardised barley when comparing mega joules per kg of product.”

The results suggest silage made from this ‘super grass’ even has the potential to act like concentrate. At the same time, farmers should be aware that high sugar levels will make the silage more prone to heating and spoiling in the clamp.

Miss Cath recommends that clamps and bales be monitored closely with regular testing to determine the amount of sugar reacting in these first cuts. “Using a dry NIR method is more accurate and will show the sugar, DM [dry matter] and NDF [neutral detergent fibre] in silage,” she added.

While the cool and dry weather this spring slowed grass growth, more exposure to sunlight resulted in increased sugar storage capacity in the crop. Since this grass was cut young due to cool temperatures, sugar levels in first cuts ended up being considerably higher than in other years.

“This is further reflected in a lower share of cell walls, with an average NDF content of 427 g/kg, compared to the long-term average of 473 g/kg,” Miss Cath explained.

“NDF digestibility is also higher than the long-term average, at 77.4% vs. 74.0% respectively. The silage is generally well preserved with an average dry matter content of 42.6% and a pH value of 4.8,” she added.

Miss Cath also advised livestock farmers to carefully ration this high-value feed throughout winter to maximise milk from forage and counteract the lower value of subsequent cuts.

“The continued dry weather experienced during summer and autumn will have caused grass yields to drop,” she pointed out.

“With less feed it is of paramount importance to know what is in the clamp and how to feed it out accurately over winter. Only accurate testing will achieve this and regular tests will enable farmers to be more accurate and maximise milk from forage this winter,” Miss Cath concluded.

The post First cut silage from 2022 labelled ‘power feed’ by analysts appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Stock image for illustration purposes only.

Growing conditions this year have created a higher risk of mycotoxins contaminating maize silage that could directly affect herd performance on dairy farms, BCW Agriculture’s agronomist Dave Harris warned.

He said the increased risk is due to the dry weather causing the stover to open early in many crops, allowing birds and insects to cause damage. The arrival of wet weather has also contributed to the higher-than-average prevalence of mycotoxins in maize this year.

“Many crops have a dry matter (DM) of 40% or above, increasing the risk of heating and mould formation once opened,” Mr Harris added.

He recommended farmers consult their nutritionist if they are concerned about mycotoxins in their silage this winter. Moreover, he advised farmers to test their forage to assess the risk posed to livestock and suggested using proven bacterial inoculants to minimise the development of mycotoxins in next year’s crop.

Meanwhile, Lientjie Colahan, who provides technical sales support at Lallemand Animal Nutrition, says the negative effects of mycotoxins can be reduced and even eliminated by promoting rumen function and removing visibly mouldy forage.

“This is important because mycotoxin symptoms such as intake reduction and milk production losses are also symptoms of ruminal acidosis,” she explains.

Other harmful effects of mycotoxins in ruminants include reduced nutrient absorption, impaired metabolism, immune system suppression and changes to hormone production. [1]

Mrs Colahan says an effective way of promoting rumen health and function is by feeding a rumen-specific live yeast in combination with a mycotoxin adsorbent.

“Live yeast can help raise and stabilise rumen pH for an improved microbial balance, reinforcing the rumen’s natural detoxifying ability. Recent studies have also shown that specific live yeast can trigger enhanced rumen wall immunity, reinforcing the barrier between ingested toxins and the blood stream,” she added.

Mrs Colahan’s other tips for reducing the risk from mycotoxins are:

• Never feed mouldy silage to any livestock
• Keep feed and water troughs clean
• Regularly clean feed wagons
• Store concentrates and blends in dry conditions away from pests.

[1] Rordrigues (2014) “A review on the effects of mycotoxins in dairy ruminants”. Animal Production Science, 54(9): 1155-1165. Available at: https://www.publish.csiro.au/AN/AN13492

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With higher production costs and many on-farm AD operators citing feedstock shortages this year, reducing losses in the clamp and maximising the energy generating potential of the crop is now of critical importance.

The Met Office reports that England had just 35% (23.1mm) of its average rainfall in July 2022, with the south and east of the country being especially dry. Southern England reported its driest July on record with just 10.5mm of rain, equating to 17% of its average rainfall.

Impacts on maize and wholecrop cereals

The exceptionally dry, hot weather seen in June and July has particularly affected maize crops, which have reacted to the stressful conditions by flowering much earlier than normal in mid-July. “Once maize has tasselled, it won’t grow much more than another foot, so early flowering crops will yield much less than average,” comments Andy Lee, national biogas silage specialist at FM BioEnergy.

And it’s not just maize. In many areas, wholecrop cereals such as rye have also yielded much lower than normal in many areas. “In some places, growers have reported disappointing yields, while others have decided to combine crops due to high commodity prices. Overall, this means there is less wholecrop silage available for AD and some plants are already running out of feedstock.”

Another factor which has the potential to reduce yields is eyespot (Aureobasidium zeae), which is becoming more problematic due to increased levels of maize production across the country. “Maize eyespot overwinters in the soil and affects the leaves, so it has the potential to greatly reduce overall yields,” says Andy. “It favours humid conditions and some growers in the west of the country, which has received more rainfall than other places, have had to spray to control the disease, as left untreated it can reduce yields by 25-50%.”

As a result, FM Bioenergy say it’s expecting a strong demand for its feedstock supply services in the coming season and is urging plant operators who may need help with feedstock procurement to make contact sooner rather than later.

The temperature at the clamp face can increase rapidly – as much as 20°C in six hours.

Minimising silage losses

However, with higher production costs and fierce competition for feedstock due to reduced crop yields, it is more important than ever to minimise losses from the silage clamp. “As well as fermentation losses, if crops are especially dry because of the recent warm weather and are left untreated, they will be at a much higher risk of suffering losses due to aerobic spoilage, ultimately affecting AD operators’ biogas volumes and impacting their bottom line,” warns Andy.

Typical fermentation losses of untreated silage can be in the region of 10%, although adding a suitable silage treatment, such as FM BioEnergy’s Silasil Energy XD, can reduce these to around 3%. However, losses due to aerobic spoilage caused by organisms such as yeasts, can be another 5-10%.

“In a worst-case scenario growers could lose almost a fifth of their silage, which is why treatment is so important,” stresses Andy. “With climate change and warmer winters, we are seeing a lot more yeasts around. In some cases, we have counts of 12 million CFU/gFM on treated crops, so the potential for aerobic losses in the clamp is enormous.”

Andy also explains that not all silage additives and treatments are the same. Many of the treatments which are originally designed for use by livestock farmers will reduce fermentation losses, but they do not produce acetic acid, and therefore do not prevent aerobic losses.

“It’s about maintaining a balance between the good and bad organisms,” he states. “If you use the right treatment and keep the pH low, then the population of beneficial organisms is quickly supported and those which cause spoilage simply can’t compete. This preserves the carbohydrates for use in the digester, maximising biogas output.”

Preserving biogas output

To illustrate the amount of potential energy that can be lost in the clamp, Andy says growers should pay attention to temperature: “I recently looked at a freshly cut clamp of wholecrop rye. After just six hours the temperature at the face had increased by 20°C. If you think about the amount of silage crops that are water-based, and the energy needed to heat water by 20 °C, you can see how much energy is being lost as the aerobic organisms get to work digesting the valuable carbohydrates.”

To minimise aerobic losses, Andy recommends treating silage with Silasil Energy XD at harvest. “Acetic acid is probably the best natural anti-fungal there is and is excellent at controlling yeasts before they have chance to multiply,” he explains. “As the only biogas silage additive independently approved by the DLG (the German Agricultural Society) for increased methane yield and improved aerobic stability, Silasil Energy XD contains a new strain with unique metabolism that produces acetic acid very quickly – clamps can be opened in as little as two weeks compared to eight weeks for a typical livestock additive.

“With the hot dry weather showing no sign of abating, growers would be well advised to protect their silage and preserve their biogas output.”

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