Sampling for Success - How Silage Sampling Can Help You

The quality of silage will vary year to year depending on cutting/wilting time, grass quality and weather, hence why sampling annually is essential. By sampling silage, farmers and crofters can recognise if there is going to be a deficiency within their rations and make changes to their livestock’s diets appropriately. They can also identify if their rations are suitable for their type of stock, to reduce wasting feed. Ultimately, a high-quality silage will require less protein and energy to be supplemented from other feeds which can help keep housing costs lower over the winter period. 

Five Top Tips 

1. Sample six weeks after cutting to ensure the fermentation process is complete. 
2. Do separate tests for bales, as analysis will vary field to field. 
3. Compare samples from one year to the other to identify areas for improvement. 
4. Calculate the volume of silage available ahead to ensure that there is sufficient feed available to allow for additional budgeting if required.  
5. Avoid sending samples on a Friday to ensure that the silage is as fresh as possible when tested. 

Sampling silage is also essential for calculating the volume of feed within the pit and this information can be used for budgeting feed for the winter ahead. Knowing in advance if you are going to be short on silage can help with budgeting cash flow and potentially allow you to access cheaper feed sources when there are more readily available. When sampling bales it is recommended to do a different sample for any different stacks, as the quality will vary field to field. This can help calculate which bales are suitable for feeding which stock type and help work out where best to put livestock if being outwintered.  

The amount of silage required for feeding will be affected by the dry matter of the silage, just because the pit is full it does not mean there is the same quantity of feed as the previous year. Ideally, the dry matter should be between 25-30%. The table below shows how the range of dry matter can affect how many animals can be fed. In order to retain the dry matter within a clamp/pit of silage, only expose what is needed and keep plastic sheets weighed down. If possible, use a shear grab to reduce mould.

Source: Lorna Shaw

Silage quality is also affected by the quality of grass, rubbish in=rubbish out. A good quality silage will have an ME of 11.5-12% ME. Older grass with dead leaves will significantly reduce the ME of a silage. Knowing the energy of your requirements is important for feed budgeting. For example, a 700kg suckler cow, requires 80MJ a day for maintenance however within the last eight weeks of pregnancy this requirement increases to 95MJ, and its essential this can be met to reduce problems pre and post calving. 

Useful Links  

• Silage Sampling – Taking A Representative Sample
• Silage Analysis & Getting Ready For AECS
• Forage First Sheep Systems
• The FAS Companion App 

Shannon Farquhar, Agricultural Consultant, Shannon.Farquhar@sac.co.uk

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Posted by Unearthed News on 24/09/2024