With corn silage being so variable in quality throughout Europe in 2022 coupled with significantly increased input costs such as fertilisers and fuel the need to make best quality grass silage will be critical in driving on farm profitability in 2023.
As input costs such as fertilisers and fuel continue to remain at very high levels, this inevitability has increased the cost of making grass silage. With fertiliser and fuel costs as of November 2022, it is estimated that the cost of producing 1 tonne of grass silage has over doubled in cost from around 27 to 60 euro. This can have a significant impact on profitability, so making the best grass silage possible is critical when trying to mitigated higher input costs.
Cost of producing grass silage (MGA UK). (Assumes grass silage at 25%DM)
|
|
Jun-20 | Jun-21 | Jun-22 | 2023* |
|
Cost per tonne FM |
27 | 28 | 41 |
60 |
| Cost per tonne DM | 106 | 110 | 165 |
240 |
Although grass silage has over doubled in cost, it is still a good value silage to feed as long as the silage made is of the best quality possible. This means following good management practices from the field to the silo/bunker (more information can be found at (MAGNIVA.COM/Quality silage).
The addition of a challenge specific forage inoculant such as MAGNIVA is also essential in producing quality silage. MAGNIVA forage inoculants preserves the silage quickly and efficient through the ensiling process reducing dry matter losses through the ensiling and feedout periods. In more silage to feed, which is cleaner, with maintained nutrient and energy values.
Result of making better quality grass silage using MAGNIVA range of forage inoculants.
- Treating grass with MAGNIVA Classic + resulted in a 3% reduction in DM losses.
- In a bunker containing 500 tonnes of grass silage at 25% DM this = a saving 37.50 tonnes of silage.
- If the grass has an average ME of 11MJ/Kg this = a total saving of 41,250 MJ of energy, which is equivalent to 7900 Liters of Milk
