Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Twitter LinkedIn
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Magazine Subscriptions
    Twitter LinkedIn
    Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    • News
      • Arable & Agronomy
      • Dealership News
      • Environmental Land Management Scheme/Policy
      • Event News
      • Health & Safety
      • Machinery
      • People
      • World News
    • Farm Machinery
      • Amenity & Maintenance
      • Cultivations
      • Drilling
      • Grassland Equipment
      • Harvesting
      • Muck & Slurry
      • Sprayers
      • Telehandlers
      • Tractors
      • Tractor of the Year
      • Tyres & Tracks
    • Precision Farming
    • Markets & Policy
    • Profiles
      • Company Profiles
      • Reader Profiles
    • Livestock
      • Beef
      • Dairy
      • Sheep
    • Magazines
      1. February 2023
      2. National Arable & Grassland Awards Supplement
      3. January 2023
      4. December 2022
      Featured

      National Arable & Grassland Awards 2023 Supplement

      By adminJanuary 26, 2023
      Recent

      National Arable & Grassland Awards 2023 Supplement

      January 26, 2023

      February 2023 Issue

      January 25, 2023

      January 2023 Issue

      January 4, 2023
    • Events
    • Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Livestock

    Fermented wholecrop could be lifeline if facing tight grass silage stocks

    John SwireBy John SwireJune 18, 20203 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    Harvesting an area of cereal crop for fermented wholecrop silage could provide a lifeline for keeping cattle fed this winter in areas where spring drought has left grass silage clamps depleted, says Volac livestock specialist, Ken Stroud.

    Although there are still opportunities to boost flagging clamps with further grass silage cuts, grass has typically done the majority of its growing by the time we get through June, says Mr Stroud.

    Assessing grass silage stocks in mid-summer therefore fits perfectly with deciding whether to harvest some cereals for wholecrop, he adds.

    “As well as maximising the yield and quality from remaining grass cuts, making some wholecrop could be an excellent top-up for livestock farmers facing grass shortfalls this season,” says Mr Stroud.

    Ken Stroud
    Ken Stroud

    “Wholecrop winter wheat can yield 12-15 tonnes of dry matter (DM) per hectare – which is more than three cuts of grass in a dry season. Spring barley is another option for wholecrop. Although it is likely to be lower-yielding, a lot of it has been planted this year. If you aren’t growing cereals, maybe look into buying a standing crop.”

    As with any silage, achieving maximum feed value from wholecrop demands effective preservation, says Mr Stroud. Many farmers preserve it by fermentation, he says, because this is a low cost and straightforward method.

    “Although fermented wholecrop can be made at crop dry matters ranging from 30-60%, cutting at 45-50% DM gives a good balance between providing moisture and sugars for fermentation and good starch content in the cereal grain,” says Mr Stroud. “Starch content can be as high as 35%.

    “Typically, this 45-50% DM level occurs as grain moves from the soft to hard ‘cheese’ stage but with no ‘milk’ detectable. Be careful not to overshoot this. Harvesting at higher dry matters will increase yield and starch content but reduce digestibility, and once cereal DM reaches 45% it can increase rapidly during hot weather by 2% a day.”

    For the best preservation, Mr Stroud says as well as taking steps to aid the fermentation, it is vital to remember that, as a fairly dry and fibrous forage, wholecrop is highly prone to losses from heating. This is caused by yeast and mould growth, which is triggered by the presence of air.

    Good consolidation to remove air from clamps is therefore imperative, he says. Rather than filling clamps in six inch layers before rolling, as typically recommended for grass silage, he advises just four inch layers to aid consolidation. The additive used also needs to inhibit yeast and mould growth as well as targeting improved fermentation, he stresses.

    “Ecocool, for example, contains two strains of beneficial bacteria designed to tackle both of these issues. Treating isn’t expensive compared with a clamp of good silage,” he adds.

    “Prior to sealing the clamp, another tip is to put a layer of at least a grab depth of fresh grass on top of the wholecrop and consolidate this too. This will add extra weight and an extra barrier against air to help keep the top of the clamp cool.

    “Using the correct chop length is also important when harvesting wholecrop. Consider a chop length of around 2 cms to both aid consolidation and provide effective fibre in the diet for optimum rumen functioning,” Mr Stroud concludes.

    Tweet
    Share
    Share
    Pin
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticleAgricultural business adviser calls Dairy Response fund a ‘headline maker’
    Next Article UK-wide consultation into dairy sector to tackle supply chain issues launched
    John Swire

    Read Similar Stories

    New research shows effective prevention against necrotic enteritis

    January 26, 2023

    Major shake-up for BFREPA’s annual conference

    January 18, 2023

    BFREPA roadshows announced as producers put turbulent 2022 behind them

    January 16, 2023
    Most Read Stories

    TractorBumper announces new premium model

    February 1, 2023

    New faces at Kuhn

    February 1, 2023

    Lidl’s £4bn investment into the British food industry

    January 31, 2023
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer

    The UK's leading agricultural machinery journal

    Twitter LinkedIn
    © 2023 Lewis Business Media. All Rights Reserved.
    Lewis Business Media, Suite A, Arun House, Office Village, River Way, Uckfield, TN22 1SL

    Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • AA Farmer
    • Poultry News
    • Pig World
    • OvertheCounter

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “ACCEPT ALL”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsREJECT ALLAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Analytics" category .
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category .
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to store the user consent for cookies in the category "Others".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to store the user consent for cookies in the category "Performance".
    PHPSESSIDsessionThis cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    CookieDurationDescription
    _ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
    _gat_gtag_UA_31822138_191 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
    _gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    CookieDurationDescription
    OAID1 yearThis cookie is set when an AdsWizz website visitor have opted out the collection of information by AdsWizz service or opted to disable the targeted ads by AdsWizz.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Powered by CookieYes Logo