Building better silage: The foundations for success

Silage production is a cornerstone of modern farming, ensuring high-quality feed for livestock. Yet achieving consistently good silage requires a strong foundation built on best management practices, informed decision-making, and the right tools.

Here are some insights on how farmers can optimize the silage process — from field to feed passage — by implementing practical, science-backed strategies.

Laying the foundation for quality silage

Success in silage-making begins long before harvest. It starts with understanding the specific needs of the farm, including factors like machinery, storage space and feed-out rates. A tailored approach helps farmers maximize forage quality while addressing potential constraints. The key steps in establishing a solid foundation for silage production include:

• Climate considerations: Selecting forage species that can withstand temperature or moisture stress
• Field preparation: Minimizing soil contamination during harvest to maintain forage purity
• Fertilization strategies: Applying appropriate nutrients for optimal forage growth and quality
• Harvest timing: Identifying the optimal growth stage for harvesting
• Ensiling best practices: Managing the harvesting and storage process effectively to preserve nutrients

Managing nutrients from field to feed

While the challenges of maintaining nutrient integrity during ensiling have remained relatively consistent over the past 15 years, advances in technology and management practices have significantly improved silage outcomes. The key principles of effective silage-making include:

• Harvesting at the correct stage of maturity in a hygienic manner
• Chopping forage to an appropriate length to minimize air pockets
• Using a suitable silage treatment based on forage type and feeding system
• Rapid ensiling and compaction to achieve high density
• Sealing silage properly and maintaining airtight conditions throughout storage
• Minimizing disruption to the silage face during feed-out

Controlling air and microbiology for optimal fermentation

Oxygen is the enemy of good silage. When air is present, undesirable microorganisms thrive, leading to nutrient losses and heating. Historically, farmers relied on chemical salts or heterofermentative bacteria to control these issues, but this often resulted in dry matter losses and reduced nutritional value.

Today’s homolactic silage inoculates are an excellent alternative to their heterofermentative counterparts, offering advantages in fermentation and nutrient recovery. In addition, advancements in silage-making techniques and equipment have revolutionized the process, offering better control and improved outcomes:

• Modern mergers and rakes reduce soil contamination during collection.
• Precision chopping minimizes air spaces in ensiled forage.
• Improved compaction techniques enhance silage density and stability.
• Enhanced defacers and block cutters preserve the integrity of the silage face during feed-out.
• True oxygen barrier plastics dramatically reduce air infiltration, extending silage stability by up to four days.

Maximizing silage potential with informed choices

With technological advancements in management, silage inoculants and plastics, farmers have more effective options for silage success — but combining them can be tricky, especially the combination of the right plastic with the right inoculant. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages here is essential to making informed decisions, ensuring that the resulting silage meets both quality and stability expectations.

At Alltech, we are committed to helping farmers navigate these choices with expert advice, on-farm support, and research-backed solutions. A good choice is an informed choice, and with the right foundation, silage success is within reach. For example, using Egalis® Ferment, a high-specification homolactic inoculant, alongside Egalis® True OB, a high-tensile silage plastic with industry-leading oxygen barrier properties, can deliver significant benefits.

Silage success powered by science

Producing high-quality silage requires more than just following tradition — it demands a science-driven approach and modern management techniques. By combining best practices with cutting-edge solutions like Egalis Ferment and Egalis True OB, farmers can reduce dry matter losses, protect nutrients, and enhance feed stability.

Reach out to your Alltech representative for more information on these and other innovative solutions and services.

About the author:

Gordon Marley is the global silage support lead at Alltech. He has spent 30 years working in the silage field. During the past 20 years, he has worked internationally across more than 40 countries, covering Europe, North America, South America and Oceania, giving farm-specific advice across harvesting, treating, ensiling, management and feed-out in order to optimize nutrient and dry matter protection from field to feed passage for all standard forages.

Marley joined Alltech in February 2022 to assist in the company’s re-entry into the silage additive market. He had already worked in parallel with Alltech for 12 years. In his current role, he is focused on ensuring optimal efficiency and helping to maximize the milk and meat potential of a farm’s silage.

Having initially qualified as a biologist, Marley is also a degree-qualified microbiologist and holds an M.Sc. in science communication, is a CowSignals Master Trainer, and has earned a Lean Six Sigma Blacelt.

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