Thursday, 29 September 2016 08:55

Making high quality pasture silage

Written by  Ian Williams, Pioneer forage specialist
Ian Williams. Ian Williams.

Recently there has been an increased dairy industry focus on getting more out of pasture.

I believe farmers should also be focusing on getting more out of their pasture silage; the first step is making a quality product.

High quality pasture silage is a valuable supplement for increasing milk production or condition score gain, but poor quality silage is at best an expensive filler for dry cows.

A trial by DairyNZ researchers compared the milk performance of cows fed high (10.4 MJME/kgDM), medium (9.4 MJME/kgDM) and low (8.3 MJME/kgDM) quality pasture silage in the spring, summer and autumn (1). On average, cows fed high quality pasture produced 0.22 kgMS/cow/day more than the cows fed low quality pasture silage. At a $4.50/kgMS payout, this equates to an increased return of almost $1.00/cow/day for the high quality silage.

Making high quality pasture silage requires the combination of a quality pasture, an excellent fermentation and excellent stack or bale and feed-out management. The following steps are key:

1. Harvest at the correct time

The feed value of the ryegrass plant drops rapidly as it enters its reproductive phase. Research suggests that the drop can be as much as 0.3 MJME/kgDM per week of closure (2). Harvest pasture silage no later than 35 - 40 days after the last grazing or when a maximum of 10% of the ryegrass seed heads have emerged.

2. Wilt to at least 28% drymatter

Wilting concentrates the plant sugars and reduces the risk of nutrients being lost from the silage stack as leachate. Silage leachate is surplus water from silage which carries soluble sugars, proteins and nutrients with it as it seeps out of the stack. Silage leachate is one of the most potentially contaminating wastes generated on a farm. It is considered to be 200 times stronger than raw domestic sewage and 40 times stronger than dairy shed waste (3).

3. Add a quality silage inoculant at harvest-time

Quality silage inoculants contain the right strains of lactic acid producing bacteria to ensure a good fermentation. They can help to reduce fermentation losses while at the same time improving silage quality. Trials show that when fed to dairy cows, Pioneer brand 1127 inoculated pasture silage gives 30 litres more milk per tonne and generates a return of at least $2.50 per dollar invested (4). But not all inoculants are the same: local research has shown some products simply don’t work. Look for four things when choosing an inoculant: guaranteed bacteria numbers of the label, trial data that shows the inoculant works, proven application technology and a company which understands silage and can help you get the best return from it.

4. Compact and seal properly

For stacked silage, spread the material into 100 - 150mm layers and compact until the surface is firm. Use a high quality plastic cover and weigh it down with tyres that are touching. Seal the edges with sand or lime. For baled silage, use high quality wrap and apply it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations (i.e. use the recommended stretch factor and number of wraps).

It costs roughly as much to produce rubbish silage as it does to make high quality silage. Focusing on the silage making process this spring will really help improve your returns.

1 Macdonald et al. 2000. The effect of pasture silage quality on milk production and liveweight gain of dairy cows. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 60: 253-255.

2 Wren & Mudford. 1996. Making quality silage. Proceedings of the Ruakura Dairy Farmers Conference 49:100-105

3 Tikkisetty et al, 2004. Environmentally friendly silage management. SIDE Conference.

4 Drymatter recovery data is based on 16 pasture silage trials conducted at independent European research stations that were submitted to the official German silage additive approval scheme. Milk production per tonne of pasture silage fed is based on three independent dairy trials. Assumes a milksolids payout of $4.25/kgMS.

• Ian Williams is a Pioneer forage specialist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

More like this

Setting up for next season

As the season draws to an end for spring calving systems, increased attention and planning should be focused on next season.

From Sky Tower to cowshed

Every morning dairy farmer Sam Waugh sees the Auckland Sky Tower through his window. It's a great reminder of one of his key life goals - giving young people from towns and cities insights into farm life.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Govt urged to reduce ETS units

The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as…

Dairy sheep, goat woes mount

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand…

Machinery & Products

All-terrain fert spreading mode

Effluent specialists the Samson Group have developed a new double unloading system to help optimise uphill and downhill organic fertiliser…

Can-Am showcases range

Based on industry data collected by the Motor Industry Association, Can-Am is the number one side-by-side manufacturer in New Zealand.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Papal visit

OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.

Thai egg tarts

OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter