Thanks to altogether more pleasant conditions this Spring, farmers have enjoyed a welcome respite from the poor weather they worked through during the previous two years.

With cattle out earlier and, just as importantly, remaining out to graze in healthily growing paddocks, refilling forage reserves has not weighed on farmers’ minds nearly as heavily as it did during the first halves of 2023 and ’24.

Of course, when casting an eye five to six months down the line, refilling pits remains a significant consideration. But the better weather experienced in recent months means that farmers are in a better position to build up a reserve of high-quality silage with those (literally) cold and rainy days in mind.

As Teagasc has noted, grass digestibility decreases by 2 to 3% units per week from mid-May onwards. This is due to the increasing levels of stem in grass as the crop matures in addition to the accelerated decline in stem digestibility.

High quality silage permits flexibility in feed plans for both milkers and dry stock/dry cows. Earlier cutting, which recent conditions have facilitated, also permit quicker and earlier regrowths for subsequent cuts, which in turn leads to increased annual yield per hectare. The mean DMD of Irish silages comes in at approximately 69% DMD – which is well below the requirements of a lactating dairy cow.

The effects of silage DMD on dairy cow performance 

At one point, every farm will have 80% DMD grass available to them in the field; however the decision is typically made too late regarding cutting date. Once seed heads appear by late May, DMD will be, at most, approximately 70% at, before declining by 1% DMD every two to three days after that. Each 1% increase achieved equates to a +0.33kg daily milk yield increase.

Farmers should also be aiming for a dry matter content of approximately 25%. Where wilting continues for long periods, grass quality will deteriorate, leading to significant energy losses. In ideal conditions, this will be achieved in a 24-hour wilt.

The use of a silage additive has long been proven to improve fermentation and lend to less waste/losses. Agritech’s GrasZyme Sugarboost is proven to: Increase ADG by 110g/head/day in beef situations and in dairy scenarios; Increase Dry Matter intakes by 0.4 kg/head/day, resulting in milk protein percentage increases of 0.09%. Fermentation losses are also reduced by an average of 6.1% where an additive is used (equating to 30t additional feed, in a 500t pit).

For further advice, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor.

If poor grazing conditions highlighted anything this spring, it was that silage quality will dictate animal performance when grass in the diet is limited.

Silage quality and profitability of farming enterprises have long been assessed side by side, with the current climate emphasising this even more for the upcoming silage season. Farmers focus should be centered around increasing efficiencies inside the farm gate such as improving the quality of home grown feed especially grass silage.

To help with this take a look at our 4 step silage guide below:

1. Cutting date

At one point, every farm will have 80% dry matter digestibility (DMD) grass available to them in the field.  However, the decision is often made too late regarding the cutting date, resulting in poor quality silage. Cutting grass younger improves digestibility and protein content, resulting in a reduced requirement for high-cost supplementation. When discussing earlier cutting dates, silage quantity is often raised as an issue. However, it’s important to remember cutting earlier allows for quicker and earlier regrowth’s, leading to increased annual yield/ha.

In some circumstances, for example silage only land blocks, earlier cutting will facilitate a third cut in late August, further boosting total annual silage production. Once seed heads appear, DMD will be around 70% at most, and will drop by 1% DMD every 2-3 days thereafter. The advice to improve average quality is to cut from mid-May. Some flexibility in the harvest date of approximately 4-5 days is usually necessary to ensure favourable cutting conditions.

2. Adapting to changes in weather

Weather is the main variable on Irish farms when it comes to silage making. Unexpected changes in weather can and will delay harvesting, however when the window of opportunity arises, farmers should seize the ‘first-cut option’. In recent years, where the decision was made to wait, the weather unfortunately broke and many farmers were forced to delay harvesting for two weeks.

The optimum mowing time is late afternoon or evening, following several hours of sunshine when sugars are high. Sugar is the fuel for fast and efficient fermentation.

3. Effective wilting

Once cut, grass should be tethered immediately and in ideal conditions allowed no more than 24 hours in the field to achieve an effective wilt. Farmers should be aiming for a dry matter content of approximately 25%.

Where wilting continues for long periods, the grass quality is starting to deteriorate, and significant energy losses are seen. Over the last number of years, we have become over-reliant on long periods of wilting, and in many cases over-wilting, leading to dry silage and unstable pit-faces. Dry silage is prone to secondary fermentation, heating, and energy losses.

4. Using a silage additive

With the value that is now placed on home grown forage, achieving a good fermentation to preserve it is more critical than ever. The use of an additive has long been proven to improve fermentation, leading to less waste.

The main aim with using a silage additive is to retain as much nutritional value as possible from the field to the pit. Silage treated with an additive has been proven to achieve a better feed-out, with increased dry matter intakes, added energy content and increased digestibility, resulting in improved animal performance.

GrasZyme Sugarboost

Our GrasZyme Sugarboost forage additive has long proven itself as an effective silage preservation aid. The technology used in the additive has been scientifically proven in independent trials to reduce unnecessary plant breakdown and ensure reliability even in difficult low-sugar conditions.

GrasZyme Sugarboost is proven to:

• Increase ADG by 110 g/head/day in beef situations.
• Increase milk production from forage by 1 litre/cow/day.
• Increase DM intakes by 0.4 kg/head/day.
• Increase milk protein percentages by 0.09%.
• Reduce fermentation losses by 6.1% (equates to 30t in a 500t pit).

Further information: 

To learn more about our GrasZyme Sugarboost, contact your local Sales Advisor.