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Proper silage techniques are of crucial importance when making baled silage in livestock production systems. Speaking at farmer seminars recently organised in Poland by Dow together with regional dairy association and advisory centre, Dr Dave Davies, senior research scientist at IBERS provided some useful tips for bale silage production. Soil preparation The preparation of the soil for silage should be considered from two perspectives. First of all, farmers should not forget that slurry application should be performed at least 8 weeks before cutting, in order to optimize the amount and quality of crop. Secondly, fertilizer applications are critical. On average, the first cut requires 80 - 140 kg N/ha, whereas subsequent cuts need 60 - 90 kg N/ha. Farmers should always adjust their fertilizer use according to the manufacturer’s guidelines and ideally soli analysis of their fields. Silage fermentation The fermentation process should be enhanced with silage inoculants, to control the fermentation and reduce in-silo losses. Bale wrapping Bale wrapping significantly influences the percentage of visible mould in silage bales. In experimental studies bales which were wrapped with two layers had 20,4% of the surface covered with mould, whereas bales covered with 6 layers were free from mould (0,1%). Dr Davies recommended using 6 layers of bale wrap to provide a better oxygen barrier, reducing respiration losses and preventing mould and yeast growth. The wrapping process should start as soon as possible after baling, at the storage site, ideally within two hours, using high quality film with 55 – 70 % pre-stretching. Bale handling and storage Bales should be handled very carefully to avoid damage to film wrap and to prevent air spoiling the silage. Properly wrapped bales should then be stored correctly, that means that a stack can only be three bales high and should never be stored in the direct vicinity of a water course (at least 10 meters). It is also essential to protect the stack with a net to prevent bird and rodent damage. |
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