Silage losses can be a significant hidden cost to farm businesses, with valuable nutrients lost during fermentation and feed out.
The top metre of a stack will typically lose 20% of its original dry matter under conventional black and white plastic due to the presence of oxygen and subsequent heating. For a 12m x 50m stack this is over 26 tonnes of dry matter lost, which can be over $9,000 worth of silage. We cannot see these losses as they often 'disappear' as heat and gas.
Not only does this loss of dry matter reduce the quantity of silage, it also significantly reduces the quality. The spoilage organisms take the nutritious parts of the feed (starches, sugars and proteins) and leave you with less nutrient dense silage that has lower palatability and has an increased risk of mycotoxins. These mycotoxins can be incredibly harmful for the health and production of animals.
Advanced technologies in oxygen barrier plastic films and UV protective covers have been shown to significantly reduce surface spoilage. To ensure you see a benefit from using a film it is important to look at the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) data. Oxygen transmission rate determines how much air gets into the silage once a stack is sealed or a bale is wrapped. The lower the number the better; low oxygen transmission rate means less oxygen in your silage, which results in less spoilage.
SiloStop® Orange oxygen barrier technology from Nutritech has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 5 cm3/m3/24hrs compared to more than 300 cm3/m3/24hrs for conventional plastic such as black and white. One layer of SiloStop® is therefore equivalent to 60 black and white plastic covers stacked on top of each other when comparing on an oxygen transmission rate basis. Some 'cling-film' type products have a significantly higher oxygen transmission rate than traditional black and white plastics, so it is important to understand what you are buying.
Improving silage quality does not need to come at a cost to the environment. In fact, it is possible to significantly improve the quality of silage while using one third of the plastic by using SiloStop® Orange Oxygen Barrier Film under the strong and durable SiloStop® SupaCova UV Cover.
SiloStop® Orange is applied fresh each year and can be recycled through Plasback® recycling scheme, while the woven SiloStop® UV Covers can last for 6-7 years when well looked after. SiloStop® Gravel bags are proving a popular alternative to tyres as they are often more effective at sealing the edges, are easier to handle and are more friendly on the environment.
These innovative silage technologies can have a significant positive impact on reducing farm waste for New Zealand farm businesses, while at the same time putting more feed 'in the bank' this season.
For more information on how you can make SiloStop® covers work for you, visit your local Farm Source store.
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1 Wilkinson, J.M (2002). Effect of triple co-extruded film (TCF) on losses during the ensilage of ryegrass. In: Proc. XIII International Silage Conference. Ayr, Scotland.
2 Assuming 220kgDM/m3 and the silage is valued at 35c/kgDM.
Article supplied by Nutritech.