With first-cut silage saved and most ground for second cut now closed, it’s the perfect time to check your fodder budget to ensure you’ve enough ground closed. Read some key tips here:
First-cut silage is already in the pit or bale, but there are reports that yields this year may be slightly lower than previous years. This makes it even more important to check if you’ve applied enough fertiliser and closed enough acres to meet your winter fodder needs – including an essential 15-20% buffer.
Planning carefully now will help avoid last-minute feed shortages and keep your herd well fed throughout winter. It’s better to have a little extra silage than to run short when it counts.
Now is the time to do a fodder budget. Calculate how much silage your herd will need over the winter months, factoring in your current stocks and what you expect from second cut. Don’t forget to add a 15–20% buffer for a potentially long winter or dry August that could affect grass growth.
If you find you’re short, consider your options:
- Plan for a third cut, if you have enough fertiliser allowances and the weather conditions are favourable.
- Look into sourcing silage off-farm.
- Explore alternative feeds to fill the gap.