Toastfighter
Well-Known Member
Thought I'd fly a kite here.
There are two basic methods of silage production in Ireland, pit and bale. There are problems and advantages to each, but whichever is used it tends to be contractors that are left to do the job. Fundamentally the interests of the contractor and farmer are at odds, and I have a growing feeling that it is the contracting tale that is often wagging the farming dog. I also think that in many cases the job could be done better if there wasn't the rush.
One way to break this impasse would be to create a new grass preservation system that had the flexibility of round bales and the ease of use of a pit. The tower silo comes close but when it goes wrong it can go badly wrong. Zero grazing is also an alternative that reduces the reliance on preserved fodder. Loading bales into a sealed shed which is then filled with an inert gas would be one idea, but the shed has to be sealed well and remain so. Every time bales are added or removed the process of sealing and flushing would have to be repeated.
The overall idea would be to bring back control of the silage making to the farmer who can then do the job at a time and a workrate best suited to themselves.
Any other ideas?
There are two basic methods of silage production in Ireland, pit and bale. There are problems and advantages to each, but whichever is used it tends to be contractors that are left to do the job. Fundamentally the interests of the contractor and farmer are at odds, and I have a growing feeling that it is the contracting tale that is often wagging the farming dog. I also think that in many cases the job could be done better if there wasn't the rush.
One way to break this impasse would be to create a new grass preservation system that had the flexibility of round bales and the ease of use of a pit. The tower silo comes close but when it goes wrong it can go badly wrong. Zero grazing is also an alternative that reduces the reliance on preserved fodder. Loading bales into a sealed shed which is then filled with an inert gas would be one idea, but the shed has to be sealed well and remain so. Every time bales are added or removed the process of sealing and flushing would have to be repeated.
The overall idea would be to bring back control of the silage making to the farmer who can then do the job at a time and a workrate best suited to themselves.
Any other ideas?