Tama Assist Whole Crop Silage: What to Know Before You Cut and Bale
The past year has been a tough one for UK livestock farmers. Ongoing drought conditions have left many short on fodder and grass silage, Farmers have to face difficult choices, like how far to dip into stockpiled feed supplies or even whether it to reduce livestock.
During times like these, many farmers consider growing alternative forage (like maize or barley) to turn into whole crop silage. This can be a good way to bolster feed reserves and get herds through the next winter.
However, before you get started with baling silage, here are some key principles to keep top of mind.
A quick reminder: “Whole crops” for silage include maize (called corn silage in the US), wheat, barley, oats and rye. It’s called “whole crop” because typically the entire plant is harvested to turn into silage bales.
In the guide below, we focus on maize, but note that there are some differences when working with other crop types. Be sure to familiarise yourself with aspects such as optimum harvest time and dry matter (DM) content for the specific crop and feeding requirements of your livestock.
Many farmers already favour maize as their primary silage crop. It’s high energy, high yield, and palatable feed; though not as protein rich as grass. Its protein levels may need to be supplemented.
Perhaps more importantly, there are maize varieties that are drought tolerant. This makes it a strong option when tough growing conditions are predicted.
Other whole crops, like hybrid rye or barley, also offer a good balance between energy yield and lower input costs. Many of these crops are also even more drought-resistant than maize, and can provide a lifeline when grass silage is limited.
1. Harvest at the right time
Once you’ve made the choice to grow maize or other whole crops, the first thing to decide is when to harvest. For maize, aim for a DM content of between 28-35%. The grains should feel hard on the outside but still milky on the inside, and the grains closest to the stem are dimpled and feel waxy.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) advises that the most straightforward way to measure this is to dry a sample, and weigh it before and after drying to get your crop’s water content (though many farmers opt for the “milk line test”). Then calculate: (Dry weight/“Wet” weight) X 100%.
2. Contract in proper harvesting gear
The best option for harvesting and chopping maize is a forage harvester with a maize header. Mowing maize is less than ideal, as it can lead to nutrition losses and poorer silage quality.
A forage harvester with a proper maize header will cut and then chop maize stalks to an appropriate length. They’re also designed to crack the maize kernels, an important step for digestibility and nutrient availability.
With that done, your maize is ready to head to the baler-wrapper, where it will be compacted and wrapped into silage bales. For most farmers, this will be another hired-in unit, so it’s best to make the most of it while you have it.
Try to time the hire so that you’re also wrapping other whole crop silage bales. You can also use it for everything from baling up energy crops to plastic waste; so plan ahead to ensure you get the best value.
3. Use high-quality silage baling wrap
The final component of ensuring quality whole crop silage is using the best quality bale products to protect your cut crop. Your silage wrap should offer:
- Durability – puncture resistant to withstand handling, transport and potential pest damage
- Environmental protection – from UV rays and oxygen permeation that can spoil your silage
- Cost efficiency – look for recyclable products where a few wraps go a long way
The exact wrap product you use will depend on your priorities, but as a general guideline:
- If an eco-friendly solution is the top priority, a UV resistant product like Silotite Sustane Stretchfilm is a ‘go to’ option. Silotite Sustane uses 30% recycled content, so it’s a great circular economy choice that still provides superior environmental protection.
- If long term preservation and durability are your top priorities (as they are for so many farmers right now), a product like CYCLED WRAP® Stretchfilm, which is made from super strong material for a consistent wrap, provides the best possible protection against spoilage.
- Meanwhile, if you need to maximize bales per reel and cost efficiency, a product from the Polybale Pro Stretch Wrap range suits round and square bales.
The final consideration for many farmers is whether baling is really the best option. Many will argue that silage clamps are more cost effective and less wasteful; especially when dealing with tonnes of material. As always, be objective and make a choice based on what’s best for your farm and herd.
Benefits of baling:
- Less waste on feed-out: Opening a single silage bale exposes far less feed to oxygen than opening a clamp
- Greater flexibility: Harvesting can be done in opportune windows and amounts, without needing to fill up a clamp
- Better mobility: Silage bales can easily be moved and stored, and are easier to resell
Drawbacks of baling:
- Higher plastic use: For farmers focused on reducing agricultural plastics, recyclable silage wraps can offset this issue
- Increased handling: Bales must be moved and stacked, increasing overall logistics and the risk of puncture damage
- Higher costs: Baling can be costlier than clamps, but cost-effective silage wraps can still make it worthwhile
To sum up: For many farmers, maize and other whole crop silage provide a flexible and nutritious alternative to traditional forage, especially during periods when growing forage is a challenge. But to make the most of these alternatives, proper baling techniques and the use of quality silage wraps are essential.
Need advice on whole crop baling? The TAMA team is here to help. Let’s chat.