The flexibility to make multiple cuts and boost forage quality has pointed one Dumfries farmer towards the use of a forage wagon. Jane Carley reports.
A drive to maximise milk from forage has led Dumfries and Galloway farmer Alan Ramsay of A.F. Ramsay to have a rethink on forage harvesting, and ultimately to the purchase of a Krone MX forage wagon.
Milking 250 cows and with 130 sucklers on 410 hectares (1,013 acres) of land close to the Irish Sea which benefits from the Gulf Stream bringing mild air ashore, the farm's Montebeliarde herd is grazed for six to eight months of the year.
Cows are housed on a mainly forage diet and dry off before calving starts on March 1, with turnout two or three weeks later; buffer silage continuing for several more weeks.
Mr Ramsay says: "We are milking for Omsco, so the requirement is for reduced concentrates and 70% forage, although we are way above that.
"The herd is low input and output with a yield of about 6,000 litres, but to get more from them, I wanted the silage to match the quality of grazing, which meant moving to a multi-cut system. We used a contractor's self-propelled forager, but it is hard to justify it for a multi-cut crop, so a forage wagon was the way forward."
Mr Ramsay says the multi-cut system particularly suits grass with a high proportion of clover, as it can be cut at exactly the right time to get the most leaf, boosting milk yield while using fewer concentrates.
He says: "When using a forager, a lot of the leaf can shatter and does not get to the clamp; it all goes into a wagon so you get more protein and grass can be preserved more effectively."
With the rest of the forage machinery needed already on-farm, Krone mowers and a two-rotor rake, it was a matter of sourcing a wagon.
Mr Ramsay says: "We actually used a neighbour's wagon in 2018. The hot temperatures meant the second cut failed, but we had to take the crop off and thought a forage wagon was worth a try.
"I had never seen one working before and, when I saw the chop length was comparable to a forager, I started to think it could work for us. I was also surprised by how quick across the ground it was."
To make the most of the flexibility offered, he decided it would be better to purchase his own machine rather than rely on a contractor.
He says: "The output is less than a self-propelled forager, but by having our own machine, we can go when we want to, which is important in the shorter weather windows we seem to get now."
He chose a Krone MX, as he has used the brand for 25 years, with a good record of reliability and good back-up from local dealers.
With a range of sizes available from Krone, Mr Ramsay opted for the 33cu.m MX330.
He says: "We upgraded the tractor to a John Deere 6215R to pull it. There was the choice of a 37cu.m version, but the smaller model means I can get into tight field entrances. In the occasional wet year, the lighter tread will come in handy too."
Mr Ramsay says the MX is very straightforward to operate via the machine's Delta IsoBus touchscreen terminal.
He says: "It is user-friendly and not over-complicated, making it easy enough to load, transport and unload the silage."
The wagon's 1.8-metre EasyFlow pick-up and rotor are well matched, with the rotor being immediately behind the tines, avoiding dead spots where forage can catch and cause blockages.
Mr Ramsay says: "The grass flows evenly allowing the chop system to work better; crop is spread across all 41 knives. This is visible when the knife bank comes out and the wear is even across the knives."
A combination of the body tilting and the moving chain and slat floor make for quick unloading at the clamp.
He says: "It works well throughout the season and the pick-up is good to adjust for dryer grass, but a little moisture in the crop is best.
"Fields close to the farm are small so we only cover about 3.3ha/hour there, but up to 3.75ha/hour is a good average."
Verdict
Mr Ramsey reckons to put 600-700 loads a year through the wagon. Chop length is 20-40mm; he says half of it is as short as from a forager.
Crop quality has also been pleasing, whereas metabolisable energy (ME) of the silage produced by the forager was about 10.2%, ME levels in 2020 were 12% and crude protein rose from 13% to 16-17%.
Additive is applied at two litres/tonne and this is one of the few drawbacks of forage wagons, he suggests.
Mr Ramsay says: "No-one seems to have designed a suitable on-board tank. We have to strap a separate tank onto brackets. I hope that will be addressed in the future."
Clamp management has also been simplified without the need to marshal multiple trailers.
He says: "You get one large load, but there is more time to compact it and make better silage as you can ensure it is right."
He expects to move to a butterfly mower next year to help keep ahead of the forage wagon.
He says: "The key to quality is cutting at the right time and more mower capacity will help us make the most of the MX.
"Although it is undoubtedly a slower job, diesel use is half that of a forager, so it is much more economical. We like the fact Krone continues to develop these machines and can only see further improvements to areas such as chop length in the future."
