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Hunland’s success: Award-winning silage and quality inoculants

December 23, 2024
Hunland’s success

In the agricultural industry, silage quality plays a crucial role in driving business growth and success, particularly for companies focused on livestock production. High-quality silage boosts feed efficiency, animal health, and overall farm profitability by providing nutrient-rich, stable feed that supports optimal growth and production. Poor-quality silage, on the other hand, can lead to nutrient deficiencies, reduced digestibility and increased feed costs.

The team at Hunland Group, a leading multinational in livestock trade and farming, knows the importance of high-quality silage firsthand — and they know that modern silage management and silage inoculants are crucial in achieving the highest nutrient levels.

In 2023, Hunland traded 350,000 head of cattle and an equivalent number of small ruminants. It also expanded to include pig integration, boasting a 60000-place facility and exporting 1,5 million pigs annually. Hunland’s impressive scale is further highlighted by its involvement in exporting 45% of Hungary’s sheep population and 20% of its cattle population, making it a pivotal force in the industry.

In recent years, Hunland’s dedication to excellence has been evident in its crop-farming efforts, particularly in the production of high-quality grass silage. Operating on 4,700 hectares, Hunland produces crops including maize, rye, and grass silage for feeding livestock. In 2023, the company produced a staggering 127,000 tons of fermented feed across 11 sites.

Strategic choices for superior results

Key factors such as dry matter content, fiber digestibility and fermentation quality ensure that feed retains its nutritional value throughout storage. Effective silage inoculants help stabilize the silage, reducing spoilage and enhancing its nutritional profile.

Hunland’s choice to use the leading-edge inoculant Egalis® Ferment was a strategic decision driven by the need for high-quality silage that could be used quickly without compromising nutritional value. Egalis Ferment also provided stability under challenging conditions.

“We achieved a lactic acid level of over 100 in our silage, which can be considered very stable and with good nutritional content,” Zoltán Guti, production director at Hunland, explains.

The importance of using a highly effective silage inoculant like Egalis cannot be overstated, especially with crops harvested during high temperatures, making them especially susceptible to fermentation challenges.

“It gives me a lot of confidence, especially when I’m harvesting cereal silage for heifers in the summer and it’s 35–40°C outside,” Guti adds.

With support from Egalis Ferment, Hunland could ensure that its livestock received the best possible nutrition, which elevated both milk and meat production and reduced feed costs per unit.

Award-winning silage: A testament to quality

The Hunland team’s commitment to quality paid off when they won the prestigious “Grass Silages/ Haylages of the Year 2023” award. This accolade, which evaluates silage based on dry matter, fiber digestibility and nutrient content, highlighted Hunland’s commitment to maintaining superior farming practices, including meticulous planning, precise harvesting processes, and the effective application of Egalis Ferment.

“Egalis Ferment promised me a completely stable feed that I could use within two weeks. I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, we managed to produce last year’s best silage using this inoculant,” Zoltán Guti says.

Collaboration and support: A key to success

Hunland’s success with Egalis Ferment was not achieved in isolation. The company received substantial support from Alltech Hungary, whose representatives played a crucial role in ensuring the optimal application of the inoculant.

“We received support from Alltech’s technical team, who really convinced me with arguments and explained why using Egalis Ferment would be beneficial for us,” Guti recalls.

Sandor Koleszar, sales representative for Alltech Hungary, says, “Working closely with Hunland allows us to provide tailored solutions that meet their specific needs. The results speak for themselves, with Hunland’s silage quality reaching award-winning levels.”

Looking ahead: Sustaining excellence

Hunland is determined to maintain and even surpass its high standards in the coming years. The early results from its 2024 harvest are promising, with initial grass silage tests revealing an impressive 85% digestibility and 24% crude protein content.

“The bar is set high for us now because we took home the 2023 first prize for grass silage. But I’m very hopeful, especially after seeing the results of the first cutting, that we can repeat that success with this inoculant again,” Guti says.

As Hunland continues to innovate and expand, its partnership with Alltech and use of Egalis Ferment will remain central to its strategy. This ongoing commitment to excellence solidifies Hunland’s position as a leader in the agricultural sector, both in Hungary and on the international stage.


About the authors:

Elisa Boschi is the global head of marketing for resource efficiency at Alltech's Technology Group. She leads marketing efforts in crops, silage management, and waste management. With 19 years at Alltech, Elisa most recently served as the ruminant marketing manager for Europe. Based in Italy, she enjoys reading, gardening, walking, and dining with family and friends.

Chloe Chisholm profile image

Chloe Chisholm is the content manager for the Technology Group at Alltech. In this role, she is responsible for planning and delivering compelling content for all technologies and services in collaboration with the Technology Group marketing leads and wider Alltech creative team. Chloe has been with Alltech since 2022, previously supporting the Mycotoxin Management team as a digital marketing specialist. Chloe holds a degree in English language and literature from Brighton University and is based in Stamford, U.K.


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