If silage face management isn’t the best it could be, it might be costing you a 10% loss in dry matter. Read tips to minimize silage exposure to oxygen and best management practices to help reduce spoilage.
It is estimated that between $600 million and $2.2 billion worth of silage is lost each year simply due to dry matter (DM) losses from spoilage and heating1 — decreases in production due to nutritive value losses coul
In many regions, corn silage harvest is delayed by weeks, which forces producers to make a decision: Harvest wet, immature corn or delay and take a risk on the weather.
When forage isn’t efficiently packed, plant respiration is extended, which increases heat production and nutrient loss. Learn why dry matter loss is affected by packing density.
Alfalfa contains sugars that start to degrade after mowing, and sugars are needed to drive the ensiling fermentation. The key to high-quality hay silage is to wilt the crop to the proper DM level as quickly as possible.
While most farmers certainly won’t turn down a year with ample rain, the frequency of rainfall can pose a challenge to putting up high-quality hay for the winter months.
As the air begins to chill and the fields change from their summery shade of green to that “almost ready” shade of brown, farmers are anxious to move their harvest equipment from the shop to the fields.
It's been a crazy winter throughout most of the United States. Ice, cold temperatures, and lack of snow cover in many areas poses a threat to the health and survival of alfalfa stands. Dr. Jon Pretz, dairy nutriti
Heating is a natural result of the fermentation process that occurs during ensiling. Learn how to avoid valuable dry matter and nutrient loss when significant heating occurs.
