Silage Advisory Centre

Management strategies to improve productivity and reduce costs have never been more important than today, especially in the livestock sector where price fluctuation is pushing farmers to improve profitability by addressing and reducing their input costs. Recent research shows that Red Clover as a silage crop offers significant advantages in terms of input reduction and increased nutritional values.

Weather experts are warning farmers that they could be facing an exceptionally hot and dry summer, possibly as bad as 1976 with respect to amounts of rainfall. In certain parts of the UK shortages of grass for conservation are already becoming an issue.  If the predictions are correct this is likely to become more severe and more wide-spread across the UK. Whilst there is nothing any of us can do to increase rainfall, experts at the Silage Advisory Centre point to a few things farmers should consider during silage harvesting to reduce losses and thus forage shortages over the coming summer and winter months.

This coming winter the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University will be conducting a farm survey throughout the UK to evaluate how different on-farm management techniques affect baled silage quality. The research, funded by the Silage Advisory Centre (SilAC), will assist in highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of certain management practices carried out on farms in baled silage production systems.

Last Thursday 3 March was an exciting day for the Silage Advisory Centre. We had the opportunity to participate in the first ever Haylage for Horses event, organized by the British Grassland Society (BGS).  The event was hosted by Vale View Equestrian in Old Dalby, Leicestershire.

A new series of Feed Science Forums designed to offer practical science based advice to all farmers as well as consultants and feed advisors will be held at the Dairy Event and Livestock Show. SilAC is sponsoring the following two sessions:

Farmers are facing grass shortages with first cut silage yields being potentially low due to the slow spring and a low second cut due to the dry summer. With this in mind, the Silage Advisory Centre (SilAC) is urging farmers to consider digestibility and wilting rates in an effort to make the best of a tough season.

A study into a ‘smash and grab’ approach to silage making has been announced by the Silage Advisory Centre (SilAC).

The research – to be carried out by The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), a founder member of SilAC - will investigate the risks and benefits of harvesting silage during a one day rain-free window as opposed to waiting until weather conditions improve, the so-called ‘smash and grab’ approach.

The Silage Advisory Centre (SilAC) is calling on farmers to review the one-size-fits-all approach to harvesting – and consider making more use of baled silage and staggered field closures to support optimum digestibility.

New research has revealed a range of benefits from using red clover as an alternative silage crop to grass, including cost and productivity gains. Investigations into red clover silage have been carried out over recent years by The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) - a member of the new Silage Advisory Centre created to promote the benefits of baled silage as a modern grassland and forage management tool.