Farm Advice
Why do you need better quality silage? (PDF)
What fodder is required on the farm for next Winter? (PDF)
Silage Quality
Unlock the true potential from your silage next winter
Why do you need better quality silage?
High DMD silage (75% DMD), that is a leafy silage sward prior to mowing, can add value to your stock on a lower feed cost as highlighted in the table below.
| Silage Quality | Good 72% DMD | Average 68% DMD | Poor 62% DMD | Very Poor 55% DMD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concentrate required (kg/hd/day) | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 |
| Concentrate required (kg/hd/day) 100 weanlings /140 day winter |
14 ton | 28 ton | 42 ton | 63 ton |
| Concentrate costs over winter | €3,500 | €7,000 | €10,500 | €15,700 |
| Liveweight gain (kg/140 day winter) Silage only |
102 | 78 | 49 | 15 |
Delaying your cutting date costs approximately €500/day!
How can you achieve this?
Soil Fertility - Effects Silage on Yield and Quality
A good fertiliser programme will allow you to decide your silage DMD.
Based on your soil results you can work out your requirements below.
Units /acre:
Is your 2nd Cut fertiliser plan adequate?
*Slurry can be a very variable product and should not be overvalued.
2000 gallons of slurry is approximately = 1.5 bag of 0-7-30
Address this deficit to achieve the true potential from your silage:
Higher weight gain at low costs next winter
What fodder is required on the farm for next Winter?
Complete This Now
| Animal Type | A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of stock to be kept over the winter | Number of Months |
Pit Silage needed/animal/amonth |
Total tonnes of silage needed - multiply A x B X C |
|
| Dairy Cows | 1.6 | |||
| Suckler Cows | 1.4 | |||
| 0-1 yr olds | 0.7 | |||
| 1-2 yr olds | 1.3 | |||
| 2+ yr olds | 1.3 | |||
| Ewes | 0.15 | |||
| Total tonnes needed | ||||
| OR | ||||
| Total Bales needed (tonnes Multiplied x 1.1) | ||||
Section 2: Records of Silage made in 2021
Complete This During the Summer
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Date Cut |
Estimated Quality |
Bales/Tonnes Made |
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Section 3: Surplus/Deficit?
- Bales/Tonnes Required ______________________
- Bales/Tonnes made to date ______________________
You need to build up reserves for the next Fodder Shortage
Have you one month’s additional supply?
If short consult your adviser for a Feed Programme