Forums
New posts
Forum list
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New resources
Latest activity
Trending Threads
Resources
Latest reviews
Search resources
FarmTV
Farm Compare
Search
Tokens/Searches
Calendar
Upcoming Events
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
New Resources
New posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Forum list
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
Forums
Agricultural Media
News, PR, Shows and Events
ARK Agriculture
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Will Wilson" data-source="post: 7032048" data-attributes="member: 9862"><p style="text-align: center">Please see below for ARK Agriculture's recent technical note about silage clamp use. </p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">You can see more advice and updates from ARK here <a href="https://arkagriculture.com/news/" target="_blank">https://arkagriculture.com/news/</a></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">Silage storage and management – ARK Agriculture.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Silage losses in the UK vary from 25% dry matter losses in poor clamps to under 10% in the best, (these figures are backed up by recent research from Aberystwyth university and their Smart initiative <a href="http://www.smartsilage.com/" target="_blank">http://www.smartsilage.com/</a>) These losses occur in the field from the moment grass, whole crop or maize silage is harvested, during the silage clamp filling process throughout storage and onto feeding out.</p><p></p><p>These are manageable losses that can be tackled through best practice and investment in silage storage.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong><u>Silage clamps </u></strong></p><p></p><p>Historically silage clamps in the UK were built in the 1960’s as silage became a more popular alternative to hay. As cattle numbers have risen and the capacity clamps are required to hold has increased investment in clamps has not always kept up.</p><p></p><p>It is very hard to hit the low dry matter losses and work safely on silage clamps that are not built for purpose.</p><p></p><p>An effective silage clamp is one which -</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Can store the volume of silage you intend to make with the capacity for a good year without over filling</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Is designed based on the speed you will empty the clamp - the feed out rate- this should be the basis for your clamps dimensions</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Uses the appropriate wall design (sloping or vertical walls) that is safe to work from</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Has the ability to withstand wall loadings from modern machinery; modern tractors weigh a lot more than older clamp designs were designed to hold</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Meet Environment Agency requirements, silage clamps fall into the SSAFO (Silage Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) regulations. You must inform the EA of any work you intend to do on new or old clamps.</li> </ul><p></p><p><strong><u>Filling silage clamps</u></strong></p><p></p><p>Filling the silage clamp can have a big effect on the silage quality you will achieve. It is a job that should be closely monitored using the below best practice points for guidance</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Before you fill the clamps, they should be cleaned, emptied, inspected for damage and plastic sidewall sheet applied to the walls. Having your sheets on site and ready to go 5 days before you intend to fill the clamp makes this job a lot easier.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ideally silage should be bought into the clamps at the speed it can be compacted, not the speed it is harvested. A rule of thumb is that 1/3 of the weight of silage being brought to the clamp an hour should be on the clamps in compacting machinery weight</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Another guide is that one tractor can compact 1 tonne of silage in 1 minute</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Silage should be carefully spread and squashed into the clamp in 15 - 20cm layers</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Covering silage, the moment the clamps are full reduces surface waste</li> </ul><p></p><p></p><p><strong><u>Covering silage clamps</u></strong></p><p></p><p>Covering a silage clamp is not a job many like but it can be made much safer and more efficient using an effective sheeting system.</p><p></p><p>A tough single layer Oxygen Barrier sheet like ARKs OXY SEAL <a href="https://arkagriculture.com/silage-protection/oxy-seal/" target="_blank">https://arkagriculture.com/silage-protection/oxy-seal/</a> should be used on top of the silage to reduce surface waste and ensure a thorough fermentation of the silage.</p><p></p><p>Your oxygen barrier sheets should be weighed down with netting and gravel bags to hold them in place and prevent bird damage. Secure Covers are the perfect solution <a href="https://arkagriculture.com/secure-covers/" target="_blank">https://arkagriculture.com/secure-covers/</a></p><p></p><p>Tyres should be avoided due to the way they hold dirty water and the risk of wires coming from them into the silage.</p><p></p><p> A top tip before you buy sheets is to draw out a plan how you intend to cover the clamp including where you will have overlaps, this helps as you will be able to order the right size sheets to fit with less cutting and wasted plastic. ARK will do this for you if you get in touch. </p><p></p><p><strong><u>Emptying silage clamps </u></strong></p><p></p><p>The last piece of the jigsaw is the effective emptying of the clamps, this is also where you will see the quality of the silage you have produced.</p><p></p><p>If your silage has wasted in the clamp you will notice -</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dark wet patches that smell on the top of the clamp under the sheet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Excessive leachate (liquid) production</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mould on the silage</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A rotting smell</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Heat that you can feel with your hand on the silage face</li> </ul><p>Emptying a silage clamp should be made as simple and hygienic as possible by using attachments like block cutters, shear grabs and particularly for maize silage a silage rake. Keeping the silage face as small as possible, with a with a flat face, no overhangs, and no loose areas all helps to reduce wastage.</p><p></p><p>This is only a brief guide to improving silage clamp best practice and there plenty of in-depth resources available from suppliers and organisations like the AHDB which are listed below. </p><p></p><p>Please call ARK to find out more about our silage storage systems. 01787220560 </p><p></p><p>or click here for the website <a href="https://arkagriculture.com/" target="_blank">https://arkagriculture.com/ </a></p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Manual-5-makinggrasssilageforbetterreturns070211.pdf[/URL]</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/silage[/URL]</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/grass-forage-management[/URL]</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/assess-clamp-silage-quantity-quality/[/URL]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Will Wilson, post: 7032048, member: 9862"] [CENTER]Please see below for ARK Agriculture's recent technical note about silage clamp use. You can see more advice and updates from ARK here [URL]https://arkagriculture.com/news/[/URL] Silage storage and management – ARK Agriculture.[/CENTER] Silage losses in the UK vary from 25% dry matter losses in poor clamps to under 10% in the best, (these figures are backed up by recent research from Aberystwyth university and their Smart initiative [URL]http://www.smartsilage.com/[/URL]) These losses occur in the field from the moment grass, whole crop or maize silage is harvested, during the silage clamp filling process throughout storage and onto feeding out. These are manageable losses that can be tackled through best practice and investment in silage storage. [B][U]Silage clamps [/U][/B] Historically silage clamps in the UK were built in the 1960’s as silage became a more popular alternative to hay. As cattle numbers have risen and the capacity clamps are required to hold has increased investment in clamps has not always kept up. It is very hard to hit the low dry matter losses and work safely on silage clamps that are not built for purpose. An effective silage clamp is one which - [LIST] [*]Can store the volume of silage you intend to make with the capacity for a good year without over filling [*]Is designed based on the speed you will empty the clamp - the feed out rate- this should be the basis for your clamps dimensions [*]Uses the appropriate wall design (sloping or vertical walls) that is safe to work from [*]Has the ability to withstand wall loadings from modern machinery; modern tractors weigh a lot more than older clamp designs were designed to hold [*]Meet Environment Agency requirements, silage clamps fall into the SSAFO (Silage Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) regulations. You must inform the EA of any work you intend to do on new or old clamps. [/LIST] [B][U]Filling silage clamps[/U][/B] Filling the silage clamp can have a big effect on the silage quality you will achieve. It is a job that should be closely monitored using the below best practice points for guidance [LIST] [*]Before you fill the clamps, they should be cleaned, emptied, inspected for damage and plastic sidewall sheet applied to the walls. Having your sheets on site and ready to go 5 days before you intend to fill the clamp makes this job a lot easier. [*]Ideally silage should be bought into the clamps at the speed it can be compacted, not the speed it is harvested. A rule of thumb is that 1/3 of the weight of silage being brought to the clamp an hour should be on the clamps in compacting machinery weight [*]Another guide is that one tractor can compact 1 tonne of silage in 1 minute [*]Silage should be carefully spread and squashed into the clamp in 15 - 20cm layers [*]Covering silage, the moment the clamps are full reduces surface waste [/LIST] [B][U]Covering silage clamps[/U][/B] Covering a silage clamp is not a job many like but it can be made much safer and more efficient using an effective sheeting system. A tough single layer Oxygen Barrier sheet like ARKs OXY SEAL [URL]https://arkagriculture.com/silage-protection/oxy-seal/[/URL] should be used on top of the silage to reduce surface waste and ensure a thorough fermentation of the silage. Your oxygen barrier sheets should be weighed down with netting and gravel bags to hold them in place and prevent bird damage. Secure Covers are the perfect solution [URL]https://arkagriculture.com/secure-covers/[/URL] Tyres should be avoided due to the way they hold dirty water and the risk of wires coming from them into the silage. A top tip before you buy sheets is to draw out a plan how you intend to cover the clamp including where you will have overlaps, this helps as you will be able to order the right size sheets to fit with less cutting and wasted plastic. ARK will do this for you if you get in touch. [B][U]Emptying silage clamps [/U][/B] The last piece of the jigsaw is the effective emptying of the clamps, this is also where you will see the quality of the silage you have produced. If your silage has wasted in the clamp you will notice - [LIST] [*]Dark wet patches that smell on the top of the clamp under the sheet [*]Excessive leachate (liquid) production [*]Mould on the silage [*]A rotting smell [*]Heat that you can feel with your hand on the silage face [/LIST] Emptying a silage clamp should be made as simple and hygienic as possible by using attachments like block cutters, shear grabs and particularly for maize silage a silage rake. Keeping the silage face as small as possible, with a with a flat face, no overhangs, and no loose areas all helps to reduce wastage. This is only a brief guide to improving silage clamp best practice and there plenty of in-depth resources available from suppliers and organisations like the AHDB which are listed below. Please call ARK to find out more about our silage storage systems. 01787220560 or click here for the website [URL='https://arkagriculture.com/']https://arkagriculture.com/ [/URL] [URL unfurl="true"]http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Manual-5-makinggrasssilageforbetterreturns070211.pdf[/URL] [URL unfurl="true"]https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/silage[/URL] [URL unfurl="true"]https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/grass-forage-management[/URL] [URL unfurl="true"]http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/assess-clamp-silage-quantity-quality/[/URL] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Agricultural Media
News, PR, Shows and Events
ARK Agriculture
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top