Silage
Grass silage forms the mainstay of winter feeding systems in Northern Ireland with approximately eight million tonnes of this forage made locally each year. Within this section of the RuralNI portal you will find the latest information on the production and feeding of grass silage for the Future Herd and CREAM Herd at Greenmount Campus, CAFRE.
The range of topics covered reflect the variety of management systems used to produce and feed conserved forages across Northern Ireland dairy farms. The system chosen will also reflect the specific interests of the farmer.
Silage Fodder Facts
Fodder Facts provides guidance for livestock producers on winter feeding of cattle and sheep. The aim is to assist producers to plan and manage winter fodder supplies. It will provide guidance on how to assess the quantity of fodder available and estimate the amount required to carry various classes of stock through the winter.
Rapid Wilt Silage Project
Grass silage is the main form of conserved forage (approx. 8 million tonnes produced per annum) for Northern Ireland farmers to feed to ruminant livestock. Consequently the requirement to produce a high quality feed with minimal negative impact on the environment is essential.
Effluent control using absorbent materialsThe prevention of loss of effluent is an annual challenge when making silage. Silage effluent is not desirable for two main reasons (1) it requires expensive storage facilities because of its corrosive nature and because it is a major source of pollution of watercourses if it escapes into rivers (2) it represents a loss of nutrients during ensilage.
Silage Analysis
Advances in predicting the nutritive value of silage and increases in detail in ration formulation reports can at first glance appear to be confusing. The following article should give some guidelines on what to look for in a silage analysis or ration formulation report and what other terms mean.
Wholecrop Wheat Silage
Wholecrop wheat silage is being used increasingly by dairy farmers as a complementary forage to grass silage, especially as part of a total mixed ration in complete diet feeding systems.
Improved Prediction of Silage Intake
This project aims to provide evaluation of the accuracy of a new system for predicting silage intake and dairy cow performance under commercial farming conditions.
High Forage System - Profitable Milk ProductionThis is a Greenmount College Milk Technology Project in partnership with Richardsons Fertilizers. Both organisations have a common interest in developing the project as a means of demonstrating the skills necessary to utilise the full potential of grazed and quality silage thereby reducing the feeds cost in milk production.
Fodder Facts provides guidance for livestock producers on winter feeding of cattle and sheep. The aim is to assist producers to plan and manage winter fodder supplies. It will provide guidance on how to assess the quantity of fodder available and estimate the amount required to carry various classes of stock through the winter.
Rapid Wilt Silage Project
Grass silage is the main form of conserved forage (approx. 8 million tonnes produced per annum) for Northern Ireland farmers to feed to ruminant livestock. Consequently the requirement to produce a high quality feed with minimal negative impact on the environment is essential.
Effluent control using absorbent materialsThe prevention of loss of effluent is an annual challenge when making silage. Silage effluent is not desirable for two main reasons (1) it requires expensive storage facilities because of its corrosive nature and because it is a major source of pollution of watercourses if it escapes into rivers (2) it represents a loss of nutrients during ensilage.
Silage Analysis
Advances in predicting the nutritive value of silage and increases in detail in ration formulation reports can at first glance appear to be confusing. The following article should give some guidelines on what to look for in a silage analysis or ration formulation report and what other terms mean.
Wholecrop Wheat Silage
Wholecrop wheat silage is being used increasingly by dairy farmers as a complementary forage to grass silage, especially as part of a total mixed ration in complete diet feeding systems.
Improved Prediction of Silage Intake
This project aims to provide evaluation of the accuracy of a new system for predicting silage intake and dairy cow performance under commercial farming conditions.
High Forage System - Profitable Milk ProductionThis is a Greenmount College Milk Technology Project in partnership with Richardsons Fertilizers. Both organisations have a common interest in developing the project as a means of demonstrating the skills necessary to utilise the full potential of grazed and quality silage thereby reducing the feeds cost in milk production.