The silage season is in full swing and many farmers are busy saving valuable feed supplies for use over the winter months.
Two important steps in the process that warrant your full attention are rolling and sealing the pit. These are necessary to reduce silage wastage and to ensure the resulting pit silage is of top quality.
But, despite the best efforts of many farmers, it’s difficult to preserve the silage at the top of the pit.
This happens due to two reasons. Firstly, air pockets often remain between the grass and the cover. This creates an ideal environment for harmful bacteria to grow and flourish.
These bacteria can result in poor silage preservation and will lead to increased wastage at the top of the pit when you open it next winter.
Secondly, heat is produced during the fermentation process. This heat rises and carries water vapour to the top of the clamp.
This water vapour condenses when it reaches the plastic covering, making the silage at the top of the pit wetter and more difficult to preserve.
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