Good Turnouts at Silage Production Workshops
By Alan Agnew, Senior Dairying Development Adviser, CAFRE, Coleraine
A series of silage production workshops on farms in North Antrim and Co. L’derry last week have been well attended by local dairy farmers. The workshops, organised by local CAFRE Dairying Development advisers, were run to highlight key practises in making quality silage, cost effectively, for dairy stock.
During the events a number of practical talks and demonstrations were given with some of the issues covered including:
- Setting targets for silage production to ensure adequate quantity and quality to meet herd needs
- The cost of silage; in particular the significant effect that yield has on cost per tonne, and the high cost of third cuts
- Assessment of grass quality for ensiling with farmers being shown how to monitor grass development in the run up to heading
- Achieving rapid wilts in order to produce 25–35 percent dry matter silage in 12-24 hours
- Machinery options to reduce fuel and labour requirements
- Ensiling techniques to reduce dry matter losses and enhance fermentation
- The fertiliser and slurry requirements of silage swards and in particular the importance of sulphur and potash
There was lively discussion and participation by the farmers at all stages and a very positive evaluation of the events. As one farmer noted “there’s nothing radically new when it comes to making silage but it certainly is useful to be reminded of the key principles”. Hopefully the lessons learned will reap dividends this winter.
North Antrim dairy farmers look on intently as local Dairying Development Adviser Willie McCulloch examines grass quality on the farm of Lex and Harry Campbell at Ballybogy
