SilaSave for Maize

SilaSave for Maize

Make every Kilo count this winter, use SilaSave for Maize Silage and prevent waste in the pit.

John Walsh, with sons, Sean and Fergal

Maize is a valuable crop and fits in very well on farm particularly to balance spring grass as a buffer. This year in Ireland Maize acreage is up at least 50%. As herds get bigger and farmers look to maximise yield per cow Maize will be a valuable crop to compliment cows diet for spring calving herds, particularly this year, which was a very difficult year for growing grass. Like grass silage, it is well worth trying to prevent waste on the top and sides of the Maize Silage pit.

John Walsh, pictured with his 2 sons, Sean and Fergal, is supplying Barryroe Coop in West Cork and is milking 250 cows. John grows about 16 acres of Maize every year to complement the cow’s diet for his spring calving herd.

Traditionally Maize was grown for predominantly winter milking herds but because farmers are calving cows earlier in the season there is certainly a very good opportunity to supplement Maize silage in the diet in early spring along with grass silage.

Sam Sweetnam from Inform Nutrition met with John recently to discuss his use of SilaSave. John has used SilaSave on his Maize Silage pit for the last few years and he told Sam of the benefits he has seen when using it, “I find SilaSave very good at helping to preserve the top of the pit and sides of my Maize pit. In particular, I found that after opening the pit the top and sides of the pit stayed preserved for longer”.

John Walsh & Sam Sweetnam, Inform Nutrition

Inform Nutrition’s technical nutritional advisor, Sam Sweetnam further added: “Maize is a valuable crop and fits in very well on farm particularly to balance spring grass as a buffer. This year Maize acres are well up in the country, as much as 50-70%% increase in some areas this year. Like grass silage, it is well worth trying to prevent as much waste as possible on the top and sides of the pit”.

Maize silage at the top of the pit is difficult to preserve, even with adequate rolling and sealing. This is due to two reasons firstly air pockets often remain between the maize and the cover. This creates an ideal environment for harmful bacteria to grow and flourish. The second major reason is during the fermentation process, heat is produced which rises carrying with it, water vapour. This water vapour condenses when it reaches the plastic at the top of the pit. This makes the silage wetter at the top of the pit and thus more difficult to preserve. The combination of air, wet silage and heat make an ideal environment for yeasts and fungi to multiply. These bacteria consume the nutrients present in the silage thus causing the maize to rot and heat which often seen in maize pits.

SilaSave reduces surface waste that occurs during the fermentation period when the pit is sealed. SilaSave will also help reduce surface waste from occurring after the pit is opened which is a problem on many farms. It can be used along the sides and also at the face of the pit particularly if there is no barrier in place as this can be an issue.

SilaSave now contains I100 triple action mould inhibitors to help improve preservation at the surface as well as also improving both mould and fungi inhibition at the highest risk areas of the pit.  With the I100 triple action mould inhibitors, SilaSave doesn’t just preserve what it touches on the surface.

With the shortage of grass Silage this year due to this Summer’s growing conditions there is no better time to take steps to minimise the potential of waste on any Silage pit, Maize or Grass and a small investment in prevention will reap dividends in fodder costs.

Update: 17th February 2019 – ‘Sides and top of Maize in great order. Thanks’ 


Help protect against Silage waste this year with SilaSave!

  • Liam Lacey – Leinster – 086 770 2570
  • Kevin Conroy – Connacht – 083 159 1892 
  • Tom O Dwyer – Munster – 086 855 0759
  • Robert Mollan Eringold Enterprises, N. Ireland – 07770 77 5 212 
  • Chris Mollan Eringold Enterprises, N. Ireland – 07739 06 1 672
  • Liam Lacey – Leinster – 086 770 2570
  • Kevin Conroy – Connacht – 083 159 1892
  • Tom O Dwyer – Munster – 086 855 0759