March 19, 2024

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How to Cover Your Silage – Some Tips to Ease the Process

The process of making silage seems more straightforward than it is. If you make your silage hurriedly without following all the necessary steps, you will soon regret when you end up with poor silage. Therefore, you need to learn how to make quality silage before you jump into the process. If you have no idea or if it is your first time, you can always consult other farmers or other experts who will take you through the step by step process. Most people know the right time to harvest corn for silage or any other crop and also how to do the preparation. However, all these will not guarantee you quality silage, not until you cover your silage correctly. The modern way of preserving silage is where you use silage covers. These silage films are specially made for this purpose and ensure that your silage is safe from weather damage and have other features that keep your silage nutritious. So how do you cover your silage?

Below are tips to help you successfully cover your silage to ensure quality and maximum savings. Read more to find out.

* Cover as soon as filling the silage pit is done. After harvesting your silage crop and chopping into the required sizes, the next thing is filling your pit. Once you fill, waste no time and cover your silage. It will help create the anaerobic environment required for quality silage.

* Don’t skimp on the cover thickness or quality. If you use quality silage film, you can be sure of improved DM recovery and silage quality. Use a cover that is at least 5mm thick and dual layer – black inner and white outer – this will resist deterioration. Also, ensure that you use a silage film with an increased oxygen barrier for quality silage.

* Cover the slope in front of the bunker or around the drive over the pile with silage film when filling is complete to prevent spoilage in these harder to pack areas.

* Ensure that there is sufficient weight along the edges to keep the silage film in place and prevent air infiltration. You can overlap the seams of two different sheets of plastic silage film by at least four feet. Weigh down the entire cover with gravel bags or tires, for example.

* Inspect the silage covers on a regular basis for damage or tears and repair immediately. This way, you will minimise losses, and at the end, you will have quality silage for your livestock. Effectively covering and sealing your silage prevent oxygen ingress which is the number one enemy of quality silage. If you follow these tips, I can guarantee you quality silage.