Silage in October

[Jackov Altraids]

I've just finished harvesting and its looking like I'm 80 bales short of what I'd like.
I could go and chuck some fertiliser on this weekend and aim for another cut but I haven't intentionally tried to silage in October before.
What is the opinion of the TFF collective?

 

[ridger]

Have cut on 25th October before, take a bit longer to ferment but it kept them from roaring

 

[davidroberts30]

crack on,better than snowballs

 

[Northeastfarmer]

As long as you’ve plenty of straw…

 

[davidroberts30]

As long as you’ve plenty of straw…

defiantly for december silage................

 

[Hfd Cattle]

It will be fine provided the weathers kind to you

 

[Henarar]

It will be fine provided the weathers kind to you

This
You can get a decent spell and make some ok silage in October or you find you never get the dew out of it even if its not raining and end up baling wet sh1t

 

[neilo]

It will be fine provided the weathers kind to you

@Jackov Altraids is in Devon, the weather’s always kind down there.

Is there not plenty of fodder available to buy this year, which would be a safer bet than gambling on some wet rubbish in October?

 

[Hfd Cattle]

@Jackov Altraids is in Devon, the weather’s always kind down there.

Is there not plenty of fodder available to buy this year, which would be a safer bet than gambling on some wet rubbish in October?

Yes your right . Will probably be able to picknip fodder for a fraction of making it in October especially if you have to put fert on to do it .

 

[Mr Mackay]

For my pennys worth , see if there is some nicely priced silage /haylege even , near to you ?? Should be some nice and reasonably priced stuff about ??
Grass in October can be slimy wet horrible stuff ,which is a pain to get and a bigger pain to move to stacksite !
We only finished our second cut a week agao and had a cut and a half in one ,so no Oct grass this year - Yehhh!!!

 

[Nearly]

Molasses and straw cheaper than October silage IF wet stuff.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Personally I never cut fields much after the 2cd week of Sepas they never seem to recover the same for winter grazing , I bet if you cost everything with the fertilizer it would be cheaper to buy some if your short

 

[upnortheast]

IMO anything after mid sept is very difficult to make good silage.
As @Mr Mackay says chances are Oct silage will be wet slimy butyric shite that will fail the wife test every night
I would let the neighbours fat lambs graze it off, You will earn enough to buy good silage
- but I`m 300 miles north of devon

 

[betweenthelines]

If you can grow the grass, why not just graze it!

 

[7610 super q]

Depends which way it is blown out of the chopper.
Lefty = slimey mush pish pot clamp of doom,
Righty = First class forage worthy of winning local grass botherers competitions.

And don't forget, top notch fodder needs a " Grassmen " sticker on all windscreens.

 

[Al R]

Plenty of great quality silage done in late October, around here a lot bargain on it

 

[willie waver]

made silage in october many a time, in devon it should be a piece of cake. although its usually soft and green and needs a lot of wilting

 

[egbert]

Notwithstanding what you do with regrowth if you don't bale it...
Devon is awash with fodder.
I'm trying to decide whether to cut some 2nd cut this week, as i'm offered 'good hay' at -i understand- £90/t delivered.
There's not much fun to be had mowing and raking up late grass to wrap when it's held against that trade.

I'd leave the granules in the bag meself.

 

[Wishful Thinker]

Nitrogen @ £260/t. 50kgs/acre £13.
£2.50 to sow it.
£13 to mow it.
£6 ted it
£5 rake it.
3bales/ acre.
£8 double wrap bale.
£1/bale bring it in
£22/bale.
Think I’d buy in.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Loads of forage down here, finished hay making today as for the first time for ages the sun has shone. I reckon big bales half tonne will be around £50 so a lot cheaper to but good hay than making silage.