30/03/2024
Sharing knowledge!
Correct Silage-Making,
According To Experts
While I had been involved in raising chicken and small ruminants for decades, I do not and cannot claim to be an expert, especially in animal nutrition.
Recently, however, I read so many discussions on how to prepare Silage for both large and small ruminants and I feel I should share whatever knowledge I have about Silage-making.
It was Outstanding OFW Arnel Corpuz, who had long years of experience in managing a 50,000-head Wagyu feedlot in Australia who introduced me to Silage-making using Sorghum stalks and leaves left in the field after harvest.
Today, I feed my small herd of goats with nothing else but Sorghum silage.
In response to numerous queries on how to prepare Sorghum silage (also Corn, Napier and other roughage materials), I am sharing here a video taken last year showing my farm workers filling up silage bags.
But first, let us define what "Silage" is.
"Silage is a high moisture fodder that farmers use to feed their domestic animals, especially during the dry season made by chopping crops (Corn, Sorghum, Napier, etc.) into small pieces and then storing them," according to information available in the web.
Here are some important pointers in preparing Silage:
1. Silage could be kept in anaerobic bags or in bunkers and, when properly sealed, could be stored for up to 5 years thus ensuring the farmer of sustainable supply of feeds;
2. The most ideal Silage materials are Corn, Sorghum and Napier or Pakchong. Other materials could also be considered in the absence of these recommended materials although their nutrient contents would be considerably lower. These options include Sugarcane Tops and Rice Straws which need to be fortified with micro minerals;
3. Contrary to some suggestions that molasses and other materials could be mixed with Silage in bags or bunkers, mixing other materials will spoil it making it inedible for the animals;
4. Silage must be compacted inside the bags or bunkers to make sure that there is no or little oxygen left in the bunker or the bags. Allowing oxygen inside the containers will prevent fermentation and lead to the rotting and decay of the materials;
5. After taking the Silage from bags and bunkers, it must be covered or closed right away to prevent spoilage;
6. Any supplementary nutrients or materials should only be added to the Silage before feeding by using a mixer when the herd is huge or manually when the farmer only has a few heads;
7. Silage-feeding should be consistent which means that any change or modification in the materials used to feed the ruminants must go through a transition process;
8. When transitioning from one Silage to a new material, an 8-day adjustment period should be observed, to wit: first 2 days - 25% of new Silage and 75% of old; second 2 days - 50-50% of new and old Silage; third 2 days - 75% of new and 25% of old; fourth 2 days- 100% of new Silage material.
These pointers that I am sharing with the followers of this page who are into raising of ruminants, especially goats, I learned through experience and mainly from my brother, Arnel Corpuz, who had been kind to share the knowledge he gained from years of feeding Ruminants.
!
