Silage additive

B

Boss Man

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Apr 17, 2022

• #1

what silage additive would be best suited for baled silage? I see most brands are designed for pit silage so not sure can they work with bales? Bales will vary in dry matter between the year depending on the stock it will be fed to. Used provita animal heath additive last year but was thinking is there a better one to lock in the nutrients and reduce heating at the feed face.

will have to be a liquid form additive as its a liquid applicator I have mounted on the baler

 

davidroberts30

Member

Location

pembrokeshire

• Apr 17, 2022

• #2

you really need a preservative for bales over 40% DM
too dry for bugs then

 

B

Boss Man

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Apr 17, 2022

• #3

davidroberts30 said:

you really need a preservative for bales over 40% DM
too dry for bugs then

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Would you recommend two different additives?

 

davidroberts30

Member

Location

pembrokeshire

• Apr 17, 2022

• #4

Boss Man said:

Would you recommend two different additives?

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I've never used any on bales

 

Al R

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

West Wales

• Apr 17, 2022

• #5

EcoSyl 100 works well for bales although it’s meant for clamp it’s far cheaper per tonne!

 

B

Boss Man

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Apr 17, 2022

• #6

Al R said:

EcoSyl 100 works well for bales although it’s meant for clamp it’s far cheaper per tonne!

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Have applied this for a customer which uses on his silage bales for sheep to prevent heating.

 

Enry

Member

Location

Shropshire

• Apr 18, 2022

• #7

Used Biotal Axcool - just checked what it’s called now - Magniva Platinum Grass Dry!! Use on drier clamp and some bales which need to be stable for a few days for feeding youngstock.

 

Jonny_2

Member

• Apr 18, 2022

• #8

Silosolve FC works well for bales. Stops them from heating up after fed out too. Wants plenty of water if bales are dry

 

S

Sparstones

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Apr 18, 2022

• #9

Al R said:

EcoSyl 100 works well for bales although it’s meant for clamp it’s far cheaper per tonne!

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At what rate do you put it on . And what applicator do you use? Thinking to use it on bales this year

 

Al R

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

West Wales

• Apr 18, 2022

• #10

Sparstones said:

At what rate do you put it on . And what applicator do you use? Thinking to use it on bales this year

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I’ve not done it myself on bales but know plenty who do.

with self propelleds I found the EcoSyl ULV system was best for most things although with only a circa 20 litre tub it’s no good for HV application like barrels are but I’m sure the computer is similar. Going by the speed of balers etc and it’s usually not chopped I’d want to be in the 200-400ml/bale category personally if not higher again but it becomes a faff as balers are usually 1 man bands and not a squadron like a self propelled fleet where you’ve got plenty of people to move barrels etc

Whatever system you get make sure someone plugs it in so it stops when the pickup raises, I remember being on wholecrop and the cracker blocked, went to take the belly plate off and A LOT of acid came out straight onto me, the electrics were dodgey on that old barrel type so it was on constant pumping, tired and late at night I forgot it was still going in the spout

 

Al R

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

West Wales

• Apr 18, 2022

• #11

Sparstones said:

At what rate do you put it on . And what applicator do you use? Thinking to use it on bales this year

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Just found this on Ecosyl website about Ecobale, 3litre/tonne is a lot of water to move around if your doing 800 bales/day

 

S

Sparstones

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Apr 18, 2022

• #12

Al R said:

Just found this on Ecosyl website about Ecobale, 3litre/tonne is a lot of water to move around if your doing 800 bales/dayView attachment 1030077

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That was what was worrying me as to how often you would have to refill. Was thinking of using a quad sprayer to do the job.

 

Al R

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

West Wales

• Apr 18, 2022

• #13

Sparstones said:

That was what was worrying me as to how often you would have to refill. Was thinking of using a quad sprayer to do the job.

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On the front links? I’ve seen someone use a quad sprayer with lance cable tied on blasting onto the rows just in front of the self propelled when the onboard system packed up

 

S

Sparstones

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Apr 18, 2022

• #14

Al R said:

On the front links? I’ve seen someone use a quad sprayer with lance cable tied on blasting onto the rows just in front of the self propelled when the onboard system packed up

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Not going to do hundreds of bales at a time so something cheap and cheerful maybe the way to go. New at posting on here. Thanks for your advice

 

Al R

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

West Wales

• Apr 18, 2022

• #15

Sparstones said:

Not going to do hundreds of bales at a time so something cheap and cheerful maybe the way to go. New at posting on here. Thanks for your advice

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The quad and lance system I saw was because the self propelled had problems with its onboard system, the additive was already mixed in an IBC and the grass was wet, not ideal situation but better than pouring it away and having rubbish silage.

 

B

Boss Man

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Apr 18, 2022

• #16

Sparstones said:

At what rate do you put it on . And what applicator do you use? Thinking to use it on bales this year

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I bought a kit from selmech, it included the tank, pipes, jets, flow meter and control box. Simply enough system with on off switch and can also adjust the flow from cab.