Harvest 2021: Second cut completed

The second cut was brought in precisely 21 days after the first. Due to a good amount of rainfall over the past few weeks, the yields were above average, at 10–12 t FM/ha with a DM content ranging from just under 30 % to as much as 35 %. The fresh grass samples taken from the soft leaf tall fescue crops the day before mowing had a DM raw fibre content of 22–25 %, which indicated that the crop was ready to be cut. At the same time, the DM raw protein content was extremely high – up to 25 % – but the DM sugar content was very low, at a maximum of just 8 %.

For the slightly wilted DM range, they used the BONSILAGE FORTE silage additive to ensure a sufficient decrease in the pH levels in this strong buffering material. Over the course of the harvest and due to the increasing degree of wilting, they switched to BONSILAGE PLUS to decrease the pH level and improve the subsequent aerobic stability of the silage. 

This is yet another example of how important it is to prepare for harvest professionally by taking fresh grass samples. This is the only way that you can choose the right silage additive for the requirements of the silage. Along with a very good first cut, the farm has now laid the foundations for high basic ration performance in its dairy herd for the next 12 months.