Grass

Grass silage has been the predominant forage on livestock farms for many years. It provides a source of forage to maintain milk production when grazing is limited, or during the winter months. Grass silage has the potential to be a relatively high energy, high protein feed that requires minimal supplementation under the correct conditions.

The quality of grass silage is closely related to the type of ley, stage of harvest and management of the forage in the clamp. With increasing dairy cow yields, and the need for higher dry matter forages to improve intake, producing high quality grass silage has become increasingly important, although difficult, with the UK’s inconsistent weather.

The increasing use of additives over the years has helped the fermentation process and the preservation of important nutrients.

Additives must be specific to the conditions the crop experiences. Different considerations should be given to crops with high and low dry matters because they will undergo individual fermentation pathways to achieve the desired preservation.

	for low dry matter grass
	for high dry matter grass
	is the additive of choice for preservation only