Supplementing with high quality silage will allow cows to maintain, or increase, milk production during their lactation, and this can offset some of the need for more expensive concentrates.
High quality silage will have 10.5 to 11 megajoules of metabolisable energy per kilogram of dry matter.
Poorer quality silage means lower production and potentially increased need for more expensive and higher energy supplements.
To put a dollar value on this, improving the quality of 200 tonnes of silage from 8 megajoules of metabolisable energy per kilogram of dry matter to 9 will deliver a $5,600 increase in milk production when milk is valued at 30 cents a litre.
If storage losses are reduced from 25 per cent to 10 per cent, income provided from the extra milk is further increased by over $10,000. Together, this is an extra $15,600.
How much extra investment is needed to achieve this potential gain? Possibly a new tedder, which could be paid off in the first year’s savings.
You can make a difference to silage quality and value with best practice tips around cutting, mowing and baling.
Cut at about three leaves or canopy closure and before seed head emergence. In spring, this would typically mean mowing a paddock around 30 days since it was last grazed. Leaving pasture too long means more dry matter, but lower energy and higher fibre.
Mow once the morning dew has lifted. A dew can contain one to two tonne of water and is more easily evaporated if the crop is still standing.
Bale within 24 to 48 hours. Use a tedder immediately after baling and again in the afternoon or next morning once the dew has lifted. If using a mower-conditioner, leave the swath boards as wide as possible (quicker wilt). Aim for 40 to 50 per cent dry matter at baling.
Bale well compacted and dense bales. A 1.2 metre x 1.2 metre bale should weigh 650 to 750 kilograms wet weight. Bales under these weights contain too much air and cost more per tonne to harvest, store and feed out.
Use a silage additive. These are especially worth the money invested if the pasture is slightly too wet and wilting conditions are not going to allow the dry matter content to reach above 40 per cent.
Wrap within one to three hours after baling. The longer bales are without plastic, the greater the dry matter and quality losses.
Repair holes immediately after identifying using tapes specifically developed for use on stretch-wrap plastic.
The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture is holding a two-day TopFodder workshop to share tips about how to make, store and feed out quality silage.
Workshops will be held at Branxholm on September 24 and 25 and Smithton on October 8 and 9.
For more information and to register, contact Sam Flight on 0409 801 341 or email samantha.flight@utas.edu.au