Silage making in wetter weather

But there are still some tips farmers can consider, says Dave Davies, senior research scientist at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (Ibers), a research partner with bpi.agri.

“For most of us, producing good quality baled silage in the wet is a new and largely unwelcome challenge,” says Dr Davies. “It’s a practice Ibers tends to advise against but there may be times when its a necessity.

“Producing well fermented, nutritious silage in the wet isn’t impossible. It’s a case of controlling the negatives and maximising the positives - and awareness of two issues can increase the likelihood of success.”

The first issue is that the cut crop will not be easy to wilt, making it difficult to achieve good dry matter content, and the second is an increased risk of soil contamination due to the wet ground and naturally sticky nature of mud.

On tackling the first problem, Dr Davies says: “To make wilting as effective as possible and in turn ensure the best achievable dry matter content, it’s important to spread the sward as widely as you can - even under wet weather conditions.

Misconception

“There is a misconception that leaving a thick sward under these conditions will aid the wilting process, but in reality all it does is lock in the moisture and create a warm, damp environment that’s ideal for unwanted bacteria.

“Farmers should also resist any temptation to extend the wilt. Ibers always advises a wilt of no more than a day, as any longer and studies have shown the crop starts to lose dry matter content - no matter the weather. Plus, extended wilts also make the silage more prone to cases of mould growth.”

Dr Davies says soil contamination in wet weather will vary depending on individual fields, as long-term leys and free-draining fields are less high risk than other areas.

“Low lying or waterlogged fields require extra attention,” he says. “It’s always advisable to mow the crop to leave a longer stubble than usual. Instead of cutting at 5cm (2 inches), cut at 7.5-10cm (3-4 inches). This helps to reduce the risk of soil contamination during both mowing and raking.”

Storage of silage bales made in wet conditions also needs to be considered, he says, as they can be more prone to leaking effluent.

“This means it’s important for farmers and contractors to ensure bales have been wrapped using six rather than four layers of film,” he says. “In addition, this increased risk of leakage, also means there is a very real need to store the bales away from water courses.

“Another important thing to remember is the extra moisture present makes the bales heavier. As such, they should never be stacked in rows more than two high. The extra weight can squash the bales on the bottom and cause them to ‘blow’ their airtight seal.”

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