Add some spark to lack-lustre grass silage

Dr Ingram says: “As well as being relatively difficult to digest, there is a big variation in the digestibility of fibre depending on factors like the time of harvesting, grass variety and weather condition. The digestibility of fibre from forages is the single biggest factor in determining whether or not the diet meets expectations.”

If the analyses are pointing to higher fibre contents and if cows are not milking as expected, Dr Ingram recommends improving fibre digestibility to release the feed value of the diet and promote milk yields. This could be achieved with the addition of a rumen buffer.

Dr Ingram says these products are developed specifically to create a better rumen environment for the fibre digesting microbes, and to boost their digestive capacity which can increase milk yield and release the potential in home-grown forages.

He adds: “Although 2019 forages have better protein content than the previous year, they may still need ‘help’ when it comes to releasing the energy from the NDF and ADF contents.”