Feeding maize silage this summer
Since the mid-nineties maize silage use on dairy farms has steadily increased, with some farmers now feeding as much as 2 tDM/cow within a season.
Patching, who milks 280 cows in Takaka, says since switching to Geosmart eco silage, there has been less silage spoilage on the farm.
He says the thick silage cover means bird damage is now a thing of the past and the quality of maize silage isn't compromised by air getting into the stack.
"It was becoming a nuisance for us: we fixed the holes, but they came back next week and did it all over again," he told Dairy News.
"Now there are no holes in the silage cover, there's less spoilage and we end up with better quality of silage."
Patching grows 140 tonnes of maize on farm. Cows are also fed gress and grass silage.
He ordered a Geosmart eco silage cover in November last year for his grass silage, replacing the traditional single-use plastic cover.
"For starters, it was very easy to install. I think it took two of us less than half an hour," he says.
He also used it to cover a small crop of oats.
In March this year, he used the Geosmart eco silage cover on his maize silage.
"You can use it again and again so there's no wastage of plastic," he say.
Patching still uses old tyres to keep the eco silage cover down but he points out that it's only one-third of the tyres he would normally use to keep a lightweight plastic cover down.
His plan is to do away with tyres over time and use sandbags on overlaps.
Long-lasting Coverage
- Geosmart Eco silage covers can be reused for several years, preserving the quality of the feed, and substantially reducing waste.
- They require very little maintenance and can be easily repaired if damage, further prolonging their service life.
- With a thickness of 1mm, the silage cover can adapt to the dimensions of any silo or heap, ensuring optimal anaerobic storage conditions.
- Heavier weight reduces the amount of ballast needed, virtually eliminating the ned to use tyres.
