Up to 50% of this year’s first cut silage crops have still to be cut across many parts of Northern Ireland, according to Provita’s Tommy Armstrong.
“The very changeable weather of recent weeks is the obvious culprit,” he said.
“The good news is that a return to warmer and drier conditions is predicted during the first few days of next week.
Most weather forecasters are currently predicting pretty settled conditions right through to the middle of next week. So the coming days should give many farmers an opportunity to get on with their first cut silage making operations.
“The focus must be on making high quality forage over the coming days,” explained Provita’s Tommy Armstrong.
“A high percentage of grass swards are at the perfect stage for cutting. Yes, crops might be a bit light at the present time, given the cool conditions over recent weeks. But a large tonnage in the pit should not be the core objective for farmers at this stage of 2015.
“Most producers have a fair bit of silage from last year. And, given these circumstances, the real challenge is that of making high quality forages that will drive milk and beef performance levels next winter.”
Provita has unveiled the results of recent tests in Northern Ireland which confirm the benefits of its new inoculant Advance+.
“We tested 28 random samples of first cut silage made at the end of May this year. Fourteen of these were treated with the new Advance+ inoculant: the others were untreated, the grass was placed in mini silos, compacted and then left to ferment. The samples, which were subsequently sent to AFBI Hillsborough for analysis, were taken fifteen and thirty days after fermentation had commenced,” explained Provita’s Tommy Armstrong.
“And the results that are now back with us are truly astounding in terms of the benefits delivered by Advance+. “
According to Provita’s Tommy Armstrong, cereal crops grown for the purpose of making wholecrop silages will be ready for harvest over the coming weeks. “The good spell of weather in July, followed by the rain of recent days, has led to tremendous crop growth rates. As a consequence many crops will soon be at the ‘soft cheesy’ stage and ready for ensiling.”
Provita’s Tommy Armstrong has confirmed to Farming Life that a significant number of second cut silage crops will be ready for harvesting over the coming days.
“Given that the current warm, dry conditions are likely to continue well into next week, a twelve hour wilt is more than sufficient,” he stressed. If cut forage is left in the field for 24 hours, then the likelihood of it losing too much moisture and then heating at feed out is particularly strong.”
Weather permitting, renowned Co Down suckler beef producer Sam Chesney will be cutting silage in a fortnight. But it’s the performance of silage made four years ago that has really caught his attention over recent days. “Like many farmers I ran out of last year’s silage stocks some time ago and had no option but … Read more
This week saw the 2013 UGS Grassland Farmer of the Year Albert O’Neill, from Artigarvan in North Co Tyrone, sowing fertiliser on silage ground. However, preparation for this year’s silage season got underway prior to Christmas when all the relevant fields were soil tested. “We produce about 2,000 tonnes of grass silage each year and … Read more
One thing we are not blessed with in Northern Ireland is predictable weather. We have just ‘endured’ one of the coolest and wettest spring seasons on record. However, we could all be complaining about a drought before the end of June, such are the vagaries of our climate. Grass silage is the most important forage … Read more