The cost of making a bale of silage

Heightened fertiliser and fuel costs will see silage production costs on farms rise this year.

As part of the recent Gearing up for Silage 2026 Webinar, Grassland Researcher at Teagasc Grange, Dr. Peter Doyle presented data from the Teagasc Grange Feed Costings Model to help producers assess the true cost of feed this year. A breakdown of the cost of producing a bale of silage, along with the costings associated with different silage cutting strategies were discussed.

Although subject to change due to volatile fuel markets, the analysis used the Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) guideline prices from February, along with the average price of protected urea and 18:6:12 over March and April.

The following assumptions were used in determining prices and were inclusive of VAT: land rental costs of €300/ac; protected urea at €740/t and 18:6:12 at €600/t; fertiliser spreading at €55/t; slurry spreading, using a 2,500 gallon tanker and a dribble bar, at €100/hour; pit silage at €210/ac (complete job); and mowing at €33/ac; bale and wrap including plastic at €20/bale.

Based on a two-cut system and using these assumed prices, Peter Doyle noted that the cost of producing a bale of silage will be €54/bale when the land charge is included, or €44/bale when the land charge is excluded. These costs were based on achieving 12 bales/ac from the first cut and 9 bales/ac from the second cut. Of this cost, €10 was attributed to fertiliser and slurry. Where no slurry is available to grow the crop and a fertiliser product such as 0:7:30 is used, the cost of producing a bale of silage increases by €3/bale. The breakdown of harvesting costs was €20/bale for bale and wrap (inc. plastic), €7/bale for transport and stacking, €4.50/bale for mowing and raking.

Table 1: How much does it cost to make a bale of silage in a 2-cut system?

¹2500 and 2000 gallons/acre of slurry was applied for the first and second cut, respectively, and the remainder of the requirements is applied via inorganic N.

Providing a caveat on these costs, Peter Doyle said: “We are assuming that contractors do all the jobs. Some people will be making parts of their own silage so harvesting costs may differ on some farms depending on their individual scenarios.”

Energy values

Along with providing an update on the cost of producing silage, Peter Doyle also examined the true cost of silage based on energy density or energy utilised, while also sharing considerations on cutting date.

Farmers were advised to prioritise quality in the first cut, as it offers the best opportunity to achieve both quality and quantity. To achieve this, cutting is advised in mid to late May but will depend on the last grazing/cutting date.

“Really you have to aim to get good quality silage for your first cut because your first cut is the best chance of where you are going to get quality and quantity,” Peter Doyle said. “You can typically achieve over 5t DM/ha and still get 75 DMD for your first cut, which is much harder to get in the subsequent cuts.”

However, Peter Doyle noted that the target date for second cut will depend on the type of stock the silage is intended for. Where silage is being made for growing animals, farmers should aim to cut by July 17, while silage for dry cows could be cut later.

For full insights, view Peter Doyle’s full presentation to the Gearing up for Silage 2026 Webinar below:

Chaired by Teagasc Dairy Advisor Deirbhle Browne, the Gearing up for Silage 2026 Webinar featured contributions from Dr. Peter Doyle, along with David Argue, Teagasc Beef Specialist, Bernard Ging, a dairy farmer from Portlaoise, and Dave Davies, a UK based consultant with Silage Solutions Ltd.

A full recording of the webinar is available to view on YouTube.

More from Teagasc Daily: Grounds for concern: Silage quality on beef farms