Anderson WRAPTOR, Operator'S Manual

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17
5 Advice for Producing High Quality Fodder Silage
Why Make Fodder Silage?
Briefly, the purpose of producing fodder silage is to conserve the fodder in an optimal nutritive
and appetizing state. This is achieved through airless fermentation (anaerobic) of some of the
sugars (carbohydrates), which are gradually transformed into organic acids through bacterial
activity. Making good fodder silage requires two starting conditions. First, the plants must have
attained a good sugar level while growing. Second, once the plants have been cut, the humidity
must have decreased to an adequate level. Once these two conditions have been achieved, all
you have to do to obtain high-quality fodder silage is to wrap them in airtight plastic.
Why Make Fodder Silage with Round Bales?
The main advantage of baling large round or square bales is to allow for easy, flexible, and
economical management of your harvest based upon the different types of livestock you have
to feed. Pairing the steps of baling and silaging in large bales creates a number of clear
advantages for harvesting feed crops:
♣
Maximal nutritional value,
♣
Highly flavorful fodder,
♣
Food is preserved in good condition for a long period of time,
♣
Fewer losses in the field, minimal rejection and loss of food,
♣
Less dependence upon variable weather conditions during the harvest,
♣
Easy handling with machines,
♣
No investment in buildings and minimal investment in machinery,
♣
Easy to use in conjunction with computerized feeding programs, etc.
Why Make Continuous Bale Fodder Silage?
Several cost studies have demonstrated that after a certain number of bales, plastic films costs
when performing continuous bale wrapping are up to 40% less than for individual bale
wrapping or bagging, all while creating the same airtight conditions necessary for high-quality
silage. The savings that the ANDERSON bale wrapper will produce is an important addition to
all the advantages mentioned above.
When Is the Best Time to Harvest?
Naturally, you should harvest the plants that have the best nutritive value to begin with! It is
important to know that, though productivity increases with plant maturity, quality decreases.
We know that feed crops must be cut when they contain their highest levels of sugar so as to
ferment properly and when they contain an optimal amount of protein in order to maximize
their nutritional value. This corresponds to the vegetative stage, or the beginning of ear
emergence just before maturity, for grasses (timothy grass, millet, brome grass, orchard grass,
etc.) and 10% flowering for legumes (alfalfa, red or white clover, lotus, etc.)…
Excessively mature fodder has a higher fiber content, but when it is placed in silage, it tends to
become moldy after several months. On the other hand, in addition to producing highly
flavorful food, early harvest allows for a quick return to the growth stage and decreases the
time until the 2
nd
and 3
rd
harvests.
Good methods for harvesting and, if necessary, for curing and turning hay, are also important
in order to obtain a high-quality product. Large, regular field crops produce bales that are more
solid and uniform. It is also important to avoid contaminating the fodder with soil, manure, or
residues from previous harvests.