Quality grass is a cost-effective part of feeding and regular reseeding ensures that the required nutritional value of the ley is maintained. New leys can help deliver a 33% increase in yield in the first year compared to a typical old sward, and in a drought year this can increase up to 50%.
Widely grown in northern Europe, Hybrid Rye is proving to be an increasingly popular choice for improving the performance of AD (Anaerobic Digestion) plants and has potential as a high yielding wholecrop for livestock production.
One of the biggest variable costs on livestock farms is undoubtedly feed costs and figures are often quoted that grazed grass is the cheapest feed on the farm. However, if we all agree that grazed grass is the cheapest feed on a farm then one target should be to maximise its use. The second obvious target alongside that is to maximise the use of grass silage in those periods when grazed grass is not sufficient to meet the needs of the stock on your farm. There are many choices to be made when considering grass silage the first being whether to bale or to clamp.
When it comes to making silage, and regardless of whether it’s in a clamp or in bale, one of the most important things to have at the forefront of your mind is oxygen. Or more specifically, how to reduce it in the silo at all times.
“So, how can farm benchmarking help my farm?” You may ask. Well, it can have great benefits in helping to make your farm business more profitable, resilient, and reach your long-term goals. It offers farms the chance to analyse and compare their performance with either themselves annually, or other farms of a similar size and enterprise mix. With the industries future uncertain and markets volatile thanks to a combination of Brexit and climate change amongst several other factors, benchmarking can help ensure the business is operating as efficiently as possible.
Negative energy balance during early lactation is a demanding physiological state for the cow at the best of times, and can be made worse through the feeding of butyric silage. The cow’s liver requires optimal condition as the demand for glucose increases from 1kg/d in late gestation to 2.5kg/d 3 weeks post calving. A successful transition determines the success of the subsequent lactation, with energy levels crucial to immune function during the transition period. The feeding of butyric silage, however, can increase the risk of ketosis in cows at all stages of lactation. This is often referred to as type III ketosis, which is the focus of this article.
Traditionally growers often reach for contact acting postemergence herbicides for spring cereals. However, by considering the use of pre-emergence residuals, weed control can often be improved, whilst at the same time reducing the total spent on sprays.
Having a plan to harvest some of your cereal crops for whole-crop cereal silage is a "no brainer" if you need to top-up tight grass silage stocks on dairy and other livestock farms, says silage specialist, Derek Nelson.
