Ensiling

What happened to my haylage?

birwin@vitaplus.com — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

One of the most critical factors that drives a robust silage fermentation is the moisture content of the forage.

Silage pile top layer: Silage or compost?

kebr@novonesis.com — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 23:00:00 -0400

We’ve all seen it. Top-layer spoilage – a rind of discolored, decomposing feed often laden with yeasts, molds and mycotoxins on the top of your silage bunker or pile.

New report shows mycotoxins are on the rise in common feed ingredients

aldo.rossi@amlan.com — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Cows that consume feed contaminated with mycotoxins – which include natural toxins made by various species of molds – may suffer a host of various metabolic disruptions that lead to a loss of milk production, hormonal imbalance and reduced reproductive performance.

Preserve homegrown nutrients for milk production

ckunisch@vitaplus.com — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

A herd’s potential for milk production is greatly influenced by the quality of forages we put in storage and how well we preserve them.

Building a strong foundation for your feed program begins with high-quality silage

kzm175@psu.edu — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The foundation of most diets fed to dairy and beef cattle includes forages, but making them into high-quality silage that can be fed year-round is a challenge.

The fiber that gels

woody@woodylane.com — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 00:00:45 -0400

Fiber isn’t fiber isn’t fiber. Lots of folks talk about fiber – doctors, teachers, marketers, nutritionists – but there are different types of nutritional fiber, and fiber digestibility partially depends on the species of animal consuming it.

Maximizing forage quality: Key considerations for successful ensiling

rschmidt@lallemand.com — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Effective management, including the use of proven inoculants to manage the ensiling process at the microbiological level, safeguards your investment, maximizes time and resources, and is critical for optimizing your bottom line.

Bagged silage: A vital tool for feed management

Wed, 15 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The most fundamental beef cow feeding strategy remains the use of pasture, which is considered the lowest-cost feed resource.

Reducing the risk of clostridial fermentation in silage

usjasn@chr-hansen.com — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:03 -0400

Clostridial fermentation can be detected in silages by its unpleasant smell, slimy appearance and dark coloration. One reason for the nasty odor is butyric acid, which has a strong "rancid butter" smell.

Ensiling and preparing to feed weather-challenged crops

rschmidt@lallemand.com — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Erratic weather patterns across the U.S. have stressed many silage crops in the field. Some regions and forage crops have experienced prolonged high temperatures and drought.

Key drivers to corn silage yield

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Krull identified several key drivers of corn silage yield and quality, including management, environment and genetics. Poor management will not compensate for poor genetics or adverse weather conditions and vice versa.

Managing silage inventories: What to do if you find yourself short

rschmidt@lallemand.com — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Because feed costs are a very significant contributor to total running costs, they are a focal point for producers looking to reduce costs without negatively impacting animal performance and farm profitability.

Strategies for corn silage success: Focus on management

kimmo@novonesis.com — Thu, 11 May 2023 15:58:40 -0400

As spring progresses to summer, the percentage of haylage and small grains in TMR often increases to stretch corn silage inventories or to dilute corn silage if the quality isn’t as good as we had hoped.

Silage and sustainability

meghan.gebhardt@silostop.com — Thu, 11 May 2023 13:58:51 -0400

Typical silage loss can run up to 20%. Using a product that is environmentally friendly and that prevents oxygen ingress cuts that loss in half.

You can’t control the weather, but you can control how hot your feed is

bpamp@provimi-na.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 17:11:38 -0400

Consider this: 85% of farmers are applying some sort of forage preservative either at harvest or in the total mixed ration (TMR) wagon. Using an inoculant at harvest along with harvesting and ensiling practices can constitute a proactive approach.

Healthy cows face hidden aflatoxin challenges

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 16:30:45 -0400

It comes as a surprise when some of your herd’s top performers drop off in milk. Nothing has changed regarding cow management, and you verify the diet is still high quality.

Stabilize milk production this fall

askidmore@lallemand.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 14:24:48 -0400

It’s common for dairy producers to experience a “fall slump,” or a time when cows fail to reach their full production potential. Producers also might notice decreased feed intake or loose manure.

Shopping your silage piles

katie_raver@rockriverlab.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 14:01:52 -0400

When following a recipe, it's often necessary to grab the correct ingredients at the store in order to get the optimal desired outcome. Similar to whipping up a cake or mixing your favorite dry rub, creating a dairy ration requires specific ingredients.

Minimizing wild yeast in 2022 silages

ben.jensen@hubbardfeeds.com — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 13:25:14 -0400

Silage is not immune to the many challenges we face on the farm, and the risks begin before it even becomes silage. Agronomists do their part in helping you grow an excellent crop that should yield excellent feed for the coming year.

How long will baleage keep?

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 14:00:01 -0500

Baleage (as opposed to harvesting forage as bales or silage) has advantages for many producers.

Frost damage on corn 101

maximeleduc@gmail.com — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 21:08:06 -0400

Factors influencing FROST DAMAGE ON CORN Between 32°F and 36°F:

The fermentation shrink endgame

cliff_ocker@rockriverlab.com — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 21:19:51 -0400

Every year, fermentation shrink, or forage dry matter (DM) loss, robs farms’ feed inventory without leaving a trace. Poof, tonnage fed comes out short of tonnage stored. Maintaining valuable nutrient content for feedout is a constant battle with the variables that lay waste to ensiled feeds.

Preserve grain quality to maximize profit

mathieu@agrilog.ca — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:00:01 -0500

Over the past 50 years, a great deal of research has been done to improve our knowledge of grain storage, both the physical properties of grain and storage equipment.

Silage for highly productive dairy or beef cattle

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 23:11:49 -0400

Starting with the final result in mind is a good approach when it comes to chopping silage. Chopping is only part of the equation, as farmers have storage and animal conversion to manage as well.

Making good round bale silage: What we have learned in Kentucky

jimmy.henning@uky.edu — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 19:17:50 -0400

The ability to harvest moist forage as haylage gives forage producers in the humid regions of the U.S. many advantages, including timely harvest, higher nutritive quality and less weathering loss compared to hay systems.

Silage inoculants: Are they worth the money?

tim.mcallister@agr.gc.ca — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 18:52:53 -0500

Forages represent a significant proportion of the feed costs of dairy production. The generation of high-quality silage is therefore important in determining the profitability of dairying. Addition of silage inoculants to freshly harvested forage can increase the likelihood of obtaining good-quality silage and should be viewed as an insurance policy for forage.

Keep nutrition in mind when planning for silage harvest

john.anderson@brevant.com — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:00:00 -0400

Decisions made at chopping affect silage quality in the bunker, nutrition in the feed alley and milk in the tank. Waiting to involve your nutritionist until you are ready to feed the silage may result in extensive ration adjustments or it may be too late to fix certain issues.

Application of an inoculant is key

randjavila@hotmail.com — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 07:00:00 -0400

Escalating commodity prices are increasing the cost to feed cows. The increase in commodity prices and the competition for crop acres is also driving up the cost of silage.