Disappointing silage

[ploughman1963]

Thanks for all ur comments .The pit is rolled by 2 250 horse tractors so should be more than enough weight for the job we think it is secondary fermentation that is our problem with white and red mold going into the face around 8 inch deep .Silage is fine on the top it's the face that's the problem we can't cross the face quick enough so we have decided to go half way and dig back .Will look into preservative for this season.

You may already be doing this but, in order to speed up how quickly we cross the clamp face when not feeding much out, we only push the sheargrab in half-way rathr than right up to the hilt. Immediately halves the time to work across the feed face - I would like to be no more than 3, preferably 2 days.

 

[Speedstar]

The silage is 30 DM, grass is cut in morning and rowed up in front of chopper a Krone big X , precision chopped, put in pit and was sheeted next morning . Roughly 120 acres. Pit is side sheeted , cling on top then side sheets folded in , then top sheet and tyres to finish. Pit rolled continually with two machines.

We do a lot of Silage like that and with no additive , only difference we use a compactor and this is very good with dry grass ,all so do you put Tyres on it or just the green sheets as dry grass even with lots of plastic covering it needs weigh on the sheet

 

[davidroberts30]

You may already be doing this but, in order to speed up how quickly we cross the clamp face when not feeding much out, we only push the sheargrab in half-way rathr than right up to the hilt. Immediately halves the time to work across the feed face - I would like to be no more than 3, preferably 2 days.

this this this^^^^^^^

 

[puppet]

Takes us 4 days across the face with shear grab and no mould or waste on face, top or sides. Forage wagon, plenty rolling, mid-June and late August cuts.
Mould 8 inches in from face suggests too dry or poorer compaction allowing pockets of air?

 

[kill]

Takes us 4 days across the face with shear grab and no mould or waste on face, top or sides. Forage wagon, plenty rolling, mid-June and late August cuts.
Mould 8 inches in from face suggests too dry or poorer compaction allowing pockets of air?

I’d be really inquisitive as what a second block would come out like if taken infront of one just cut? As if it’s perfect it’s all because silage is being used to slowly and if not I’d question myself and contractor as to why.

 

[davidroberts30]

I’d be really inquisitive as what a second block would come out like if taken infront of one just cut? As if it’s perfect it’s all because silage is being used to slowly and if not I’d question myself and contractor as to why.

if i was the op i would cut a small a slice off with the shear grab as possible and get across the face in 2 days
i would do that for 8 days or so then see how the silage was after,
it does sound like secondary fermentation

 

[agri knives]

Takes us 4 days across the face with shear grab and no mould or waste on face, top or sides. Forage wagon, plenty rolling, mid-June and late August cuts.
Mould 8 inches in from face suggests too dry or poorer compaction allowing pockets of air?

What machine buckraked the pit.

 

[organicguy]

Do we have an analysis of this silage, would tell a lot?

 

[milkloss]

The silage is 30 DM, grass is cut in morning and rowed up in front of chopper a Krone big X , precision chopped, put in pit and was sheeted next morning . Roughly 120 acres. Pit is side sheeted , cling on top then side sheets folded in , then top sheet and tyres to finish. Pit rolled continually with two machines.

The only thing I don't like about that is that it was sheeted next morning. whether it makes a difference I don't know but we've always sheeted over fresh grass.

 

[puppet]

What machine buckraked the pit.

NH6020 with grays buckrake and a T5 120 helped to roll. Nothing heavy

 

[michael N123]

We harvest one big cut in July aswell but graze with ewes until late may... Do you think your problem could just be it was old dead dry grass to start with? Hollow stalks obviously have air inside them no matter how much you roll the pit

 

[Sid]

I do believe the clear plastic film helps as it stops oxygen a lot better than black sheeting does.

The green heavy sheets I view as a lot more preferable than lugging tyres all over the place, I personally would cut them into strips about 10-12 feet wide and make it much easier for a two man job to unroll and put on top or pull off when needed. Use tyre sidewalls to weigh these down.

With the speed of modern choppers reckon you probably need a tractor (+/- train wheel thingy) to be rolling the pit constantly whilst another machine pushes the silage up.

Lorry tyres, tractor tyres and full size green sheets- no need for them and avoid a hernia or busting grandads back for once.

We went back to trailed harvester from a speed machine!
This year Clamp hasn't sunk at all. Face is absolutely smooth, less waste in clamp or feeding out.
May have taken couple hours long but in terms of litres,quality and reduction in conc use it has paid dividends.

Putting 2 tractors on the clamp is not doable due to circumstances.

 

[ollie989898]

We went back to trailed harvester from a speed machine!
This year Clamp hasn't sunk at all. Face is absolutely smooth, less waste in clamp or feeding out.
May have taken couple hours long but in terms of litres,quality and reduction in conc use it has paid dividends.

Putting 2 tractors on the clamp is not doable due to circumstances.

Fair enough, although you don't have to push the stick that far forward in a self propelled all the time!

 

[Sid]

Fair enough, although you don't have to push the stick that far forward in a self propelled all the time!

Yeah we will ease back but when they put that extra trailer and they sit waiting to unload the pressure to get it away is there.

 

[beefandsleep]

I’ve sent a trailer away before now if I feel it’s coming in too fast. They bloody hate it and moan like hell but I’m paying. Some of these young lads get hard about clearing acres as fast as they can, you see them flying across the field with full loads, then I make them wait at the pit [emoji23].

 

[agri knives]

NH6020 with grays buckrake and a T5 120 helped to roll. Nothing heavy

That is most of the problem, not enough weight on the pit , going forward if you can’t go to a heavier machine on the pit , don’t let the grass wilt too much , and make the pit long and low rising up slowly and spread the grass in thin layers , this gives the grass a lot of extra rolling , if you have twin wheels on take them off , roll with the narrowest wheel tractor you have .

 

[puppet]

That is most of the problem, not enough weight on the pit , going forward if you can’t go to a heavier machine on the pit , don’t let the grass wilt too much , and make the pit long and low rising up slowly and spread the grass in thin layers , this gives the grass a lot of extra rolling , if you have twin wheels on take them off , roll with the narrowest wheel tractor you have .

All our silage is pushed up to 12 feet high with a 40 foot face and well rolled at 60 to 80 acres a day. Earth bank, 2 sheets and lots of tyres. Almost no waste.
The OP was @Silly silage

 

[Speedstar]

This Silage is 43%

D/M and not a bit of waste , no heat in the face and it takes 3 days to go from side to side

 

[glasshouse]

NH6020 with grays buckrake and a T5 120 helped to roll. Nothing heavy

Not heavy enough

 

[glasshouse]

I’ve sent a trailer away before now if I feel it’s coming in too fast. They bloody hate it and moan like hell but I’m paying. Some of these young lads get hard about clearing acres as fast as they can, you see them flying across the field with full loads, then I make them wait at the pit [emoji23].

Where do you send it?
The tip?