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High feed, fertiliser and fuel costs are driving UK dairy farmers to want to produce better silage in 2023. And those who made multi-cut grass silage during the droughted 2022 season tended to be better off.

Those were conclusions from a new Ecosyl grass silage survey conducted among more than 700 UK dairy farmers ahead of the 2023 season three-quarters of whom made silage conventionally (cutting up to three times a year) and a quarter of whom made multi-cut silage (cutting four times or more).

The vast majority in both groups (74% and 70% respectively) reported that growth of their grass silage crops had suffered from drought in 2022.

But as well as making better progress with cutting, more of those making multi-cut tended to see higher silage yields and better quality, says Ecosyl silage expert Ken Stroud of the survey organiser, Volac.

Getting on for half (45%) of farmers in the multi-cut group had already taken two cuts by the end of May, says Mr Stroud, compared with only 17% that had taken two cuts by the end of May in the conventional group and this trend continued when the dry weather had hit at the end of July.

By then, nearly three times more farmers in the multi-cut group than in the conventional group had already progressed to three cuts at 44% versus 15%. More interesting still were the differences in silage yields and quality between the two groups.

Compared with 63% of conventional silage-makers who felt yields were less than normal by the end of July, Mr Stroud says just 53% said this in the multi-cut group.

Quality-wise, over the season as a whole, 35% of conventional silage makers also rated their 2022 grass silage quality as poorer than normal, compared with only 28% saying this in the multi-cut group.

At the other end of the scale, nearly twice as many multi-cut makers as conventional silage producers felt their quality was actually better than normal in 2022 at 20% versus 12%, says Mr Stroud. Indeed, higher quality was the most popular advantage of multi-cut silage identified by users of the system in the survey, with 60% saying this, followed by 50% naming more yield over the season as an advantage.

Clearly, multi-cut isnt immune to the effects of drought, and it isnt possible to make it on all farms, but the survey results repeatedly pointed to those who made multi-cut in 2022 being in a stronger position. Another advantage of a multi-cut system is that it puts some silage in the clamp early in case the weather turns too wet or dry later. This was named by 36% of users, he adds.

Also rated highly among multi-cuts advantages was the opportunity it provides for more slurry applications which can be useful for farmers cutting back on granular fertiliser, Mr Stroud notes.

When survey respondents were asked what was likely to make them want to make better silage in 2023, averaged across both groups, 79% said high feed costs, 63% said high fertiliser costs and 49% said high fuel costs.

Clearly, there was good understanding among producers that making better silage can improve business efficiency and make better use of their fertiliser investment.

These are key reasons why minimising losses in silage dry matter and quality has become increasingly important, he adds.

Results from this latest survey also mirrored a previous Volac survey conducted in the dry year of 2020, which also indicated that multi-cut grass silage put dairy farms in a stronger position, Mr Stroud notes.

Nearly twice as many multi-cut silage makers as conventional silage producers felt their grass silage quality was better than normal in 2022, says Ken Stroud of the surveys organiser, Volac

Campaign for Better Silage

Campaign for Better Silage is a new 2023 initiative brought to you by Krone, Sinclair McGill, Volac and Yara, offering advice to dairy farmers on how to navigate the inevitable grassland challenges 2023 will bring, as well as offering best practice guidance to ensure maximum production on every farm.

The exceptionally dry weather in 2022 has left many grassland farmers with a shortfall of silage and 2023 looks to set to be a particularly challenging season for many.

That said, some farmers did manage the 2022 season better than others and employed grassland techniques which have seen them finish the year with adequate stocks.

The continuing economic crisis, coupled with unquestionable changing weather patterns, means that identifying and sharing the techniques which produce the best results is going to be critical for the industry to embrace moving forward.

Watch the launch debate LAMMA 2023, below...