Farmers need to start thinking about grassland nutrition now to maximise silage quality and quantity following last year’s challenging growing season which resulted in insufficient forage supplies for many.

According to David Newton, Timac Agro technical manager, farmers should prepare for another variable silage season by making small changes that will make a big difference to livestock, as well as input costs.

His top tips for maximising silage quality and quantity include:

1. Efficient use of muck and slurry

Testing farmyard manure (FYM) and slurry to ensure nutrient content is sufficient and to ensure soils are best able to convert organic matter to mineralised nutrients

A healthy soil means a wider range of biology, such as bacteria, fungi and earthworms, which will cycle the nutrients applied from FYM and slurry.

2. Remember trace elements are just as valuable as NPK

Achieving quality silage is more than just applying N, P, and K (nitrogen, phosphate and potassium). Focus not only on supplying the key macronutrients, but also access to mineral and trace elements such as sodium, boron, iodine, selenium, and sulphur, farmers can maximise cow health and fertility

The more nutrition is optimised within forage, the less reliant producers need to be in providing extra concentrates and supplements.

3. Use nitrogen fertilisers which contain sulphur

Sulphur is integral for sufficient uptake of nitrogen. Sulphur levels are closely linked to N uptake and plant metabolism and if they’re low, they can severely hinder protein synthesis.

Manures contain some sulphur but at relatively low levels and predominantly in organic forms, which need to be mineralised before it is any use to the crop.

Using an N product, enhanced with sulphur, such as Sulfammo 26 N-Process, helps to slowly release N throughout the growing season, making it available for longer, as well as maximising protein availability for cattle.