Quick analysis of first cut essential

He is also concerned that, in many areas, nitrate uptake and utilisation by grass has been less than expected, which could result in lower protein grass and affect the fermentation process in the clamp.

“If the weather improves between now and harvest time it is possible silage quality will be good, even if quantity is down,” he says.

“I always advise farmers to choose the cutting date for first cut silage based on cutting for quality rather than quantity, and to use an inoculant to ensure a well-fermented crop with as many of the nutrients preserved as possible.

“The one thing you can’t do is change what you have in the clamp. It is more cost-effective to have adequate stocks of quality forages than to supplement higher yields of poorer quality silage with extra concentrates.

“The important action will be to assess first cut silage stocks quickly and plan what to do to ensure total forage stocks are adequate for the winter.”

Mr Eastlake recommends getting clamps analysed as soon as possible and work out how much grass silage you have and the kg DM per cow per day this equates to over the winter. This will then provide a target tonnage required from subsequent cuts and alternative crops.

“If grass growth recovers in late May it might be that second cut acreages can be increased, particularly if grazing swards have been well-managed in early season and still have adequate covers,” he says.

Prospects

“Farmers growing maize should also be able to form an opinion of prospects for the crop, and make decisions about how best to conserve cereal crops destined for livestock feed.

“Where they find they are likely to be short of forage, they will be best advised to make traditional fermented wholecrop silage. While wholecrop is relatively easy to preserve, an inoculant should always be used as the higher dry matter makes it prone to heating and moulding.

“Where a farmer is short of forage but has not planted cereals for wholecrop, it might be possible to source standing crops from local arable farmers.”

But for those with an adequate amount of first cut silage, but concerns about quality, Mr Eastlake says it will be beneficial to preserve cereals as crimp, to provide a high energy, high starch concentrate supplement.

“As crimping involves combining crops around three weeks earlier than a conventional harvest, it is important to decide to crimp grain as soon as possible,” he says.

Have your say

Please do not complete the following form field for security reasons.

Name

E-mail

Comment