Next generation silage inoculants give options to feed recently made silage
Late turnout and actions by dairy farmers to cut milk output due to coronavirus impact, may see some running out of silage this spring.
10 May 2020
2 minute read
They may be forced to feed first cut much sooner than expected, suggests Corteva Agriscience area sales manager, Jonathan Bellamy.
“It has been a very long, wet winter and many cattle have been indoors longer than usual,” says Mr Bellamy. “And farmers hit by a drop in demand for milk, will probably cut down on expensive concentrates and rely more on conserved feed. This means they will get through last year’s silage much quicker than expected, and could even be opening up first cuts to feed before second cut is harvested.
“If this is the case, we are recommending farmers apply the Rapid React versions of our silage inoculants. This will ensure not only excellent fermentation, but also aerobic stability that is achieved in as little as seven days after ensiling.
“Pioneer brand 11G22RR for grass silage, contains a combination of patented and proprietary strains of Lactobacillus buchneri and Lactobacillus plantarum, with the Rapid React strain able to produce aerobically stable silage much quicker than formulations without it.”
Peter Clayton runs a flying herd of 320 commercial Holstein x Friesians at Larkton Hall in Malpas, south Cheshire, yielding an average of 8,600 litres with 4,200 litres coming from forage, with 4.7 percent butterfat and 3.27 percent protein.
He has been carrying out a multi-cut silage programme for some years and uses Pioneer inoculants. Last year he tried 11G22RR for the first time and was ‘blown away’ by the results.
“I had never seen anything work like 11G22RR – we instantly felt it was very different to anything we had used before,” says Mr. Clayton. “There was a good fermented silage smell almost straight away and no heating whatsoever. I am always very aware of heating, because that loss of energy is energy you want inside the cows, not wasted.
“We used it on all cuts last year, but third cut was notable. After we had finished harvesting, we left the face unsheeted and went back and started feeding it three days later. It was fully fermented, there was no heating and it fed very well. (Table 1).
“Rapid React ‘does what it says on the tin’ and I am certain I get enhanced performance from using it. I shall be treating all cuts with 11G22RR this year.”
11G22RR is available as a water-soluble product in packaging suitable for use in tank mixes or with the Pioneer Appli-Pro system for easy and convenient application.
