FARMERS are being urged to take extra care with silage clamps this summer as soaring temperatures increase the risk of forage spoilage and could impact livestock productivity.
Agricultural nutrition specialists are warning that another dry summer has added to the challenges already facing many livestock farmers, with some being forced to feed this year’s silage much earlier than planned due to poor grazing conditions and depleted forage stocks following last year’s drought.
Chris Wheatley, forage specialist with Rumenco, said hot weather significantly increases the risk of silage clamps overheating, particularly where silage has not been treated with an additive designed to improve preservation.
He said: “Feeding this year’s silage will be a necessity for some who are struggling with poor grazing or insufficient stocks from last year’s drought-stricken green harvest.
“While feeding silage in summer is not uncommon, the extreme heat this year will make clamps not treated with an additive prone to overheating.”
High temperatures, combined with slower feed-out rates while cattle continue grazing, can expose silage clamps to more air, encouraging the growth of yeasts and moulds, which reduce forage quality.
Mr Wheatley warned this could have a direct impact on dairy herds, where heat stress and poorer quality forage are likely to reduce milk yields and overall productivity.
He advised farmers to closely monitor dry matter levels, avoid over-wilting grass before ensiling and ensure clamps are compacted effectively to minimise trapped air.
Silage additives can also help improve fermentation and reduce spoilage by limiting the growth of harmful microorganisms.
The warning comes as many livestock farms continue to recover from last year’s poor forage harvest, with low silage stocks already placing pressure on winter feed supplies.
Mr Wheatley said: “Good management practices will help, but faced with the uncertainty of weather extremes and the trend for grass being burnt off by extreme heat, it is time that farms look to protect their stocks in more reliable ways.”
He also warned that prolonged hot weather later in the summer could create similar problems for maize crops.
If maize is harvested in overly dry conditions, it becomes more difficult to compact properly in clamps, increasing the likelihood of trapped air and subsequent spoilage.
For farmers who have little option but to feed silage during the summer months, Mr Wheatley recommends leaving the clamp face uncovered once opened, rather than covering it, to reduce the humid conditions in which harmful bacteria can thrive.
He added that there is still an opportunity for farmers to make the most of any late-cut grass and ensure maize crops are well preserved ahead of winter.
“With forage stocks low, every tonne is going to count,” he said.
“If we have a good maize year, then this crop could well be the difference between a good and poor overwinter season for many farms.
“Once any forage is spoiled, it is too late and, rather than take the risk in these extreme weather conditions, it will pay dividends to invest in keeping clamps cool and stable.”
