Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

We are finding our silage very low in feed value as the last lot we got was very wet and its at the front of the pile, hopefully as we get nearer to calving the quality will improve as the earlier cut was better quality.

We have normally feed a mixture of silage and straw but this year I have a lot of silage & not a lot of straw.

Has anyone had their silage analyzed and if so what where they recommended to feed as an additive, I have just order some rumavite blocks, however it looks as though its going to be an expensive winter

We haven't had ours analysed, but can see that animals on the later cut stuff aren't doing quite as well as usual. We baled some 2nd-3rd week May before all the funny weather started and that seems to be good. All our growing stock, i.e. anything except cows, are getting a little bit of feed each day to compensate.

Sheep are doing well though on just the haylage.

We're quite pleased with our forage this year, and even baled some in October figuring that it's better to have something baled and get some better growth from it next Spring. Not had it analysed either but the new ley aftermath has sheep on it and has finished them well, despite my early reservations that the hoggs weren't going to finish this year. We're getting bulk liquid molasses in rather than buying individual molasses buckets as we think the ewes will need it and some of the cattle would benefit. We brought cows & calves in very early but left steers out - the steers came in last week and there has been a definite improvement in them since being in. I'm really pleased to have got the new building into operation with 60ft of feed barriers instead of ring feeding - it's the first time we've had so much feed space and they're a lot calmer not to be competing for access. Hopefully by next winter we should have 120ft and do away with ring feeders in the other building too.

how or rather where would I be able to get my silage analyzed?

Most feed companies will do it for you, the only problem with using them is that the analysis will always mean that you *have* to purchase one of their feeds...

Or you could use independant labs such as the Scottish Agricultural College.