As a dairy farmer, you know how crucial high-quality silage is for your herd's health and productivity. But keeping that silage in top condition can be challenging, especially when preventing dry matter (DM) losses. When DM losses occur, it means fewer nutrients for your cows and a lower return on your investment.
The good news is that there are practical steps you can take to reduce these losses. In this post, we'll cover three key strategies to help you keep more of what you've worked hard to grow and store.
Proper Clamp Filling and Consolidation
The first step in reducing DM losses starts with how you fill and consolidate your silage clamp. When filling the clamp, adding the silage in even layers is essential. These layers should be no more than 15 cm deep. Why? Because thicker layers can trap oxygen, leading to spoilage. Oxygen is the enemy of good silage. The more you can keep it out, the better.
Compacting the silage as you fill the clamp is also essential. Compacting helps remove air pockets, reducing the risk of aerobic spoilage. To get good compaction, ensure you're using enough weight. As a rule of thumb, you should have 1/3 the weight of silage entering the clamp per hour in compacting weight. For example, if you're filling the clamp at 100 tonnes per hour, you would want around 33 tonnes of machinery weight compacting the silage.
Focusing on proper filling and consolidation can significantly reduce spoilage and keep more valuable nutrients in your silage.
Effective Sealing
Once the clamp is filled, your next priority should be to seal it as effectively as possible. An airtight seal is essential to minimise oxygen ingress, which can lead to spoilage. Start by using side sheets that overlap well with the top sheet. This overlap helps create a barrier that keeps oxygen out.
But don't stop there. It's also important to seal the clamp immediately after filling. The longer you wait, the more time oxygen has to seep in and start the spoilage process. Consider using an oxygen barrier sheet that blocks oxygen for even better protection. This extra layer can significantly reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the top layer of silage, helping to maintain its quality.
Effective sealing is a straightforward but powerful way to reduce waste and ensure your silage stays fresh and nutritious.
Clamp Face Management
The final key to reducing DM losses is good clamp face management. The goal here is to minimize the surface area of the silage exposed to oxygen. A smooth, tight clamp face is the best way to achieve this. When cutting into the silage, use a sharp tool that makes clean cuts. This will help maintain the structure of the silage and reduce the amount of air that can penetrate.
Another important practice is removing only the amount of silage you need for feeding. Every time you expose silage to air, there's a risk of heating, which can lead to further DM losses. By carefully managing the clamp face and limiting exposure to air, you can prevent spoilage and keep the silage in peak condition.
Good clamp face management is about protecting what you've stored so that your cows get the full benefit of the nutrients in the silage.
Conclusion
Reducing DM losses in your silage clamp is all about taking the proper steps at each stage of the process. By focusing on proper filling and consolidation, ensuring an airtight seal, and managing the clamp face effectively, you can significantly reduce waste and preserve the quality of your silage. These practices help you get more out of your silage and support your farm's overall productivity and profitability.
Remember, every bit of silage you save from spoilage is more nutritious for your herd and a better return on your investment. Implement these strategies today to protect your silage and keep your dairy operation running smoothly.
