BGS Silage Special Interest Day - Maximising Baled Silage Potential

BGS Silage Special Interest Day - Maximising Baled Silage Potential

BGS and the Silage Advisory Centre (SilAC) are joining forces on 11th September, in Wiltshire, to discuss how to make the most of big bale silage.

PLEASE NOTE: This event is now eligible for funding through the RDPE Skills Programme, with 50% of the cost being returned to eligible farmers after the event (farmers living in England with a holding number).

Results from the National Baled Silage Farm Survey conducted by SilAC found wide variation in practice and success across the UK.

For example, fifty per cent of farmers who thought they were applying six layers of plastic were in fact applying less and only 50% had their silage regularly analysed. More than half were wrapping their bales in the field against the advice of experts who say it is better to wrap at the storage site to minimise damage.

Conserved forage provides a vital winter feed on most livestock farms, but making it can be costly if not done well. Once harvested and wrapped, bales should be stored correctly and analysed so they can be fed appropriately to maximise their value to the enterprise.

This special interest day will be helpful for all producers wanting to make the most of silage that has been made on their farm this year. Our promotional flyer is available HERE.

It will take place by kind permission of Philip and Tess Akers of Pond Farm, Charlton, Malmesbury, who have been making big bale silage to feed to their beef cattle for nearly 25 years.

Workshop Programme

10.00am         Registration and coffee
10.15am         Welcome - Lois Philipps, BGS Society Director
Morning session with SilAC experts Dave Davies, Rhun Fychan and Graham Ragg
10.30am        Feeding silage – best practice to avoid waste
11.00am        Top Tips for correct bale storage
11.30am        Analysing silage: what’s the point?
12 noon         The farming/silage system at Pond Farm
12.30pm        Lunch
1.15pm          Practical session. Analysing silage on farm - what does the smell, colour and dry matter say about your silage?
Rhun Fychan, Dave Davies and Graham Ragg

2.00pm          Practical session. Machinery maintenance, storing silage-making equipment over winter, machinery demonstrations.
 Duncan McLeish, Kuhn Farm Machinery
      
2.45pm          Summary and afternoon tea

 

BGS Members and non members are welcome to attend. To book your place, please follow the steps below to pay online (preferred option). Or, please print and complete our booking form, CLICK HERE, with full payment details and return to, Unit 32C, Stoneleigh Deer Park, Stareton, Kenilworth, CV8 2LY. Cheques must be made payable to British Grassland Society. A receipt confirming your place should reach you within 14 days of booking.

NOTE: BGS members must first login under the Home page to access the member’s area in order to claim your discounted rate.

To find out more about the SilAC study, please visit www.silageadvice.com

This project is funded by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and the European Agricultural Fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe investing in rural areas.

                                                                                        

Information

Event Date: Tue, 11/09/2012
Event Time: 10.00am

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