Jonkman tells about a dairy struggling and how they worked together to address three issues, one of them feed management.
“The dairy had traditionally calculated 20 to 25 percent shrink in silages and factored that in when purchasing feed from nearby farmers. I was shocked that it was commonplace to absorb those kinds of losses. In reality, I see lots of situations where this level of shrink is accepted, but not talked about.
So, I showed them the differences in cash outlay and feed usability between 10 to 15 percent shrink and 25 percent shrink. The numbers were staggering, and very quickly the dairymen wanted to know how they could avoid these losses. We pulled the harvesters, myself and the dairymen together and made a plan. We decided we would do a lot of things differently:
Use Silo Stop to reduce mold and improve fermentation.
Put an additional tractor on the pit to pack it tighter and get more feed in the very limited footprint we have to work with.
Put two pits up so that we could move faster through the first one while we split forage in the ration between corn silo & oat silo.
Laser level a 140-by-295-foot dirt patch (currently a junk pile behind the commodity barn) to put up our first drive-over pile comprised of oatlage.
What we have learned through this process is that we can do better!”
Click on this link or the one above to learn the results of their efforts.
If you too are interested in these kinds of results, please read through our past blog articles:
SILAGE SUCCESS STARTS HERE – Steps 5 to 8 – OR – Marilyn Monroe Gives Silage Advice http://wp.me/pPjdF-ad
Communication is important, everyone on your team needs to understand what is to be done and most importantly, why it is being done that way. If everyone understands their role in the process, and how important it is for each of them to focus and do their part as perfectly as they are possible, success will follow. Consistency in executing your silage plan is crucial, no slipping back to the old ways. Everyone focuses on doing the best job they can today, everyday. And there won’t be any question of “Why the heck are we doing it this way?”.
If you have questions or need help, please contact us or your nutritionist.
“If there is one thing you must know about whole-plant corn at harvest, it’s dry matter.” – Dr. Keith Bolsen, Kansas State University, Professor Emeritus
Choppers are rolling, trucks are roaring, pack tractors traverse back and forth over carefully shaped drive-over piles. Before you started, you made a determination of the dry matter (DM) in your corn. But what has time, heat and wind done to % DM? And why is it crucial to know this value?
Keep in mind that variables like corn hybrid, chop length, kernel processing, size and shape of the pile, packing method, and inoculant use will figure in to YOUR target % DM. Work with your nutritionist to arrive at a target that fits your silage program then try to stay within two percentage points plus or minus. If Mother Nature (or any other unforeseen circumstance) pulls one way or the other, have a backup plan in place to make the best of it. Take charge, do the best you can and then don’t sweat it.
Why is % DM so important? It affects:
1. Rate and extent of fermentation.Silage should go from the aerobic to anaerobic state quickly. Respiration ceases and fermentation starts to lower the pH. Lactic acid is the desired result. Silage that is too wet results in visible seepage (loss of digestible nutrients) and extensive acid production; too dry will not allow proper packing and increased oxygen in the pile (high mold and yeast counts, insufficient acid production).
2. Preservationefficiency. We aim for a quick move from aerobic to anaerobic state to complete the ensiling process, and chopping in the correct % DM range will help get corn silage there and minimize shrink loss.
3. Packing density.As a drive-over pile is formed, the goal is to layer four to six inches at a time, and pack each layer well before the next layer is put on. Chopping at a % DM that is too dry makes it difficult to get a sufficient pack (and it might never pack as well as silage with a more correct % DM). The result is too much oxygen in the pile. Oxygen is not a friend of good silage but is best buddies with mold and yeast.
4. Surface spoilage.Silage put up at incorrect % DM is more likely to have excessive surface spoilage. Remember that visible surface spoilage is indicative of lower quality silage within the top foot to two feet (or more) of the pile.
5. Aerobic stability at feedout.Silage, from chopping to feedbunk, moves through a chain of reactions. If % DM is out of whack to start with, chances are the feed in the bunk is not going to be perfect. If the silage is so-so under the plastic, it’s not going to get any better when air (oxygen) hits it at feedout. Starting with the right % DM alleviates a lot of headache (and heartache).
Now that you’re convinced you need to be aware of % DM, what’s the best way to monitor it on harvest days?
Dedicate ONE PERSON to sampling and determining DM content. Sample at least once an hour from each field, record all the DM values and average them to come up with the field average % DM. It is imperative that you have one person who processes all samples so there is no variability in method. Precision is paramount. Be fussy, be accurate. Meet Jose Campos, who does an exemplary job of sampling and determining % DM.
What is the process? The method used to dry down samples is up to you. Get a digital gram scale for accuracy, a stack of cheap paper plates and a notebook. Dry samples down in a microwave or with a Koster tester.
BIG HINT: DO NOT use the microwave in your own kitchen. Get an inexpensive one and install it in a convenient location, like a farm shop or office.
Microwaves provide a relative quick means of drying forages. The greatest challenge with the use of a microwave is the possibility of burning (note: samples dried in a microwave should not be submitted to a laboratory for nutrient analyses). A microwave requires constant monitoring. Thus, it is difficult to do other tasks while drying samples. Drying time is about 5 to 10 minutes for forage samples.
A Koster tester is an electrical appliance that blows heated air through a screen on which the forage is placed. It provides a relatively quick and inexpensive means of drying forages. Some loss of forage particles can occur, which increases the likelihood of errors. Some people use timers to turn off the Koster tester so that they can do other tasks while the sample dries. It takes about 25 to 50 minutes to dry a sample using a Koster.
Calculating Dry Matter
Weigh the empty container selected to hold the sample and record the weight.
Place the forage in the container.
Weigh and record the container and forage weight.
Subtract the weight of the container from the total weight (Step 3) to determine the weight of the forage before drying.
Thoroughly dry the forage.
Weigh and record the container and sample weight immediately after drying.
Subtract the weight of the container from the total weight (Step 6) to determine the weight of the forage after drying.
Divide the weight of the dry forage (Step 4) by the weight of the wet forage (Step 7).
Multiply by 100 to get a percentage.
Record all DM values and calculate the average for the field. Keep the records to compare with the next fields and to plan next year’s silage program.
So there you have it. Knowing % DM takes the guesswork out of knowing when adjustments need to be made to your harvest plan. Now, charge on!
WHERE: Dan Petersen Dairy, 1431 North Central Ave, Turlock, CA
WHO: Dr. Keith Bolsen will moderate a panel of custom choppers: Frank Borba and Sons; Johnny Borba, BDF; Jeff Perry, Perry Custom Harvesting; Dave Nunes, Aces Wild; Mitchell Bettencourt, MBF; Rance Danell, Danell Brothers; Joseph Borba, Chopper Guys
WHAT: Meet with representatives of Silostop (that’s us), Claas, Mycogen Seeds, New Holland, John Deere, Kemin, Krone, and Pfizer
LEARN: Find out what techniques you can use on your dairy to harvest your best silage ever.Demonstrations by equipment sponsors.
ARE YOU COMING? Kindly let us know by email at ronkuber@gmail.com or call Ron at 559-779-5961.
The weather forecast hardly suggests “winter” – with temps like they are forecasted, your spring forages are going to fly out of the field.
Points to remember
1. Do the best you can. You are in charge of your crop. Make the best decisions you can with the information you have and don’t look back.
2. Measure moisture often! Know what kind of moisture/dry matter you are dealing with to make your best decisions. It will change from field to field, day to day and even hour to hour. Coordinate swathing and chopping times, and remember, you might be chopping right behind the swather before a field is finished! Discuss a dry matter percentage level target with your nutritionist.
3. Choose a good, proven inoculant that has shown it helps in critical dry forage conditions, from a reputable supplier that is going to provide back-up services/ management advice. Check the company website, make sure it’s going to do what you need, with independent data to prove it is effective at what you are trying to achieve. Given the growing season we have experienced and the likely condition of the crop at harvest, there will likely be a need to control the fermentation, to maximize nutrient preservation, and to prevent the growth of yeasts to minimize spoilage at feedout. We suggest Biotal Plus II or Buchneri 500, with Biotal Buchneri 500 being the choice if a high yeast challenge is anticipated. Check these at www.qualitysilage.com
4. No matter which inoculant you use, treat it with care. Don’t let it get hot – above 95-100 degrees F during use. If liquid applied product becomes slimy, it should be discarded (bacteria have died, releasing their DNA and causing the sliminess). http://connormarketinginc.com/2010/09/08/its-alive/
5. Use the 800 pound rule (Pack tractor weight/ 800 pounds = Maximum tons per hour delivery to the pile) as closely as possible, renting or borrowing an extra pack tractor or two to keep up, safely. http://wp.me/pPjdF-5U Pack Tractors http://wp.me/pPjdF-3c
6. Be extra careful with the layering and packing. Layer in no more than 6 ” at a time, with these dry conditions 4 ” is even better. This might require lengthening the front slope to 4 to 1. Pack, pack, pack.
7. Don’t delay in sealing! Seal as soon after filling/packing as possible with Silostop Oxygen Barrier plastic. Again, using a proven product is important.
The basics of proper forage harvest don’t change. Making your best forage ever in stressed situations will challenge your ability to think outside the box and will be a test of the preparations you’ve made with employees, for equipment and materials. Stay in charge of your harvest, make educated decisions, and to borrow a saying from our English friends –
Quoting the article, Jim talks about a lighting company outlining cost savings through high efficiency lighting at a recent Indiana Professional Dairy Producers meeting, then turns to the issue of silage piles and shrink loss.
“Earlier that week, at the Indiana Grain, Forage and Livestock Symposium, Frank Mitloehner, a University of California air quality specialist, detailed dry matter losses from California silage piles. They’re driven by oxygen penetration of the feed pack, which allows microbes to consume and volatilize carbohydrates in the feed.
Losses are at least 20%–often more. So a 40,000-ton pile of corn silage can lose astaggering $500,000 loss in feed, sweat and effort. By proper packing, covering and use of mechanical facers for feed removal, these losses can be reduced significantly, Mitloehner says. He is now in the beginning phases of a three-year study to document losses and potential savings.”
We hypothesize that Dr. Mitloehner will find that paying close attention to packing, covering and face management will greatly affect shrink loss and doing it right will definitely show real savings. We see it every day.
Which pile suffered the least shrink loss and will feed out a higher amount of dry matter? Which pile provides more “sustainability” (feed dollar value) for the farmer?
8. SAFETY (Yes, I know this is supposed to come last, but I decided it needed to be first, if you read nothing else, read this part all the way through)
Please please please write ( connie@connormarketing.com) and ask us for free copies of the Lallemand Silage Safety handbook. It was written by Dr. Keith and Ruthie Bolsen and would make a timely and effective resource for your next safety meeting. We have it in Spanish too and would be glad to send you as many as you need for your crew.
In the meantime, don’t do this:
Or this:
Or this:
At this year’s World Ag Expo, I sat across the table from a gentleman and his wife from New Mexico who happened to be there to receive awards on their hay at the Forage Challenge. In addition to growing really good hay, he is a volunteer fireman in his community. He asked me to tell you that if you continue to make big piles that are loose, and you keep sending people to work near them, it is only a matter of time before you will have a tragedy on your hands. He told me he can’t even count the number of times the call went from a “rescue” to a “recovery”.
5. OXYGEN BARRIER
Using Silostop Oxygen Barrier is one of the smartest steps you can take, and with it now being orange there will be no question of authenticity.
According to Doug DeGroff, Owner/Nutritionist, Diversified Dairy Solutions, “Silostop is one of the few products in the dairy industry that you can actually see and measure benefits on a commercial dairy. I know Silostop works when implemented correctly. If it fails, it is NOT the fault of Silostop, but rather the person(s) implementing the technology. Silostop is one of the few products that I recommend to dairy producers by name.”
Silostop 2 -Step is thin, only 1.8 mil, and clings to the silage. Use it with traditional black/white plastic to create a barrier that is equivalent to using 100 sheets of that same 5 mil plastic. Silostop 1-Step is a single layer of 4.5 mil thick black/white plastic that has the Silostop incorporated right in. It doesn’t cling quite as well, but using it carefully in certain situations, it has the same effects as the 2-step product.
6. PERIMETER AND FACE SEAL
Once the plastic is on, sealing with tires over the top or using gravel bags especially at the seams is important to stop the flow of oxygen into the pile. Be especially careful when sealing piles that get a lot of wind.
Looks like Marilyn forgot her gravel bags
If the plastic is billowing, there’s going to be spoilage. It is also important to leave enough hem in the skirt of the pile so that the perimeter of the pile can be well sealed with gravel bags placed end to end.
If you have planned correctly, you are taking about 12 inches off the face every day for feedout. Lallemand Buchnerri 500 can be a useful tool for minimizing heating on the silage face and in the feed bunk. Use gravel bags across the top of the pile, near the edge of the face to keep the enemy, (oxygen) out.
So there you are – eight steps to success. Here is the challenge – Which ones are you good at? Which ones can you improve upon? How are you going to do that?
Thank you to all who stopped by Connor Marketing, Inc. at the World Ag Expo. We love to see old friends and meet new ones and the “farm show” is a perfect venue. A special thanks to Doug DeGroff, Diversified Dairy Solutions; Donny and Andy Rollin, Rollin Valley Farms; Bob Headrick, Termite Manufacturing for “working the booth” with us. The life-size cut out photos of them were a hit, and judging by the number of people who stopped to take their picture with them, they are well-loved in our dairy industry!
Our focus was on sharing what steps to take for silage making success. Of course, we hope you will choose to use Silostop Oxygen Barrier (which is now ORANGE – still superior effectiveness, and now undeniable color identification) and Lallemand forage inoculants. But we also want you to learn about scientifically proven methods of forage making that can save you money in the long run. When used in system with Silostop and Lallemand inoculant, these principles can help make the finest forage you have ever fed. You know that the best feed results in healthy cows and more milk while providing a safer environment for you, your family and your employees.
SILAGE SUCCESS STARTS HERE
We see success when eight main focus points are followed. Let’s look at the first four. Which ones are you good at already? Which ones can you improve on?
1. Optimal Harvest Maturity –
My dad, Paul Pierson
Harvesting at the right dry matter level and maturity, depending on the crop is the first step. My dad, Paul, would get so anxious over exactly when to make that first cutting. I still can’t drive by a barely purple alfalfa field without thinking “they better get out there and cut that stuff”!
Since winter forage season is coming up soon, here’s some guidelines to remember:
Yield and quality are major factors; yield increases and quality decreases with increasing maturity levels. So, try to schedule harvest to get enough feed at a reasonable quality.
Harvest alfalfa between 35 and 45% DM (depending on storage structure) and between bud and one-tenth bloom. Grass is best harvested between 30 and 40% DM and during or prior to boot stage of maturity
Roy Rogers – can’t get more “white hat” than that!
When silage is made, there are all kinds of bacteria and yeasts running around in it, some wear white hats (the good guys) and some wear black (the bad guys). When you use a proven, quality silage inoculant you infuse a large amount of good (white hat) microbes, which dominate over the bad. Most of these white hats can grow with or without oxygen. By growing when oxygen is there the inoculant bacteria are also helping to speed up the process of making the material anaerobic. Then, once anaerobic conditions are achieved these same bacteria switch to fast, efficient production of acids, predominantly lactic acid but also some acetic acid, to reduce the pH and prevent the growth of spoilage microbes (more black hats) that are also able to grow when there is no oxygen, e.g. clostridia, listeria.
Further, there are inoculants that inhibit black hat behavior at feedout. We can help you choose which Lallemand inoculant is best for you.
Here’s where many of the questions are. A drive over pile (some people call them a roll over pile, but I get a picture in my head of a tractor rolled over on it’s side when I think of it, so we call them Drive Over Piles) has a 4:1 or 3:1 slope. It allows for greater packing density (less oxygen in the pile and as we talked about above, less bad guys) and much safer conditions for you and your employees. Here is Dr. Keith Bolsen, who does a great job of explaining:
If you need help figuring out where to put your drive over pile, how big it needs to be, please call us and we’ll help you or find someone who can. 559-779-5961
4. Packing Density and The 800 Pound Rule –
Drive over piles, packing density and the 800- pound rule go hand in hand. Packing Density should be 16 to 18 pounds of dry matter per cubic foot, and it is attainable! After you know how big to make your pile, you can easily figure how much weight it’s going to take to get those six inch layers packed properly, using the University of Wisconsin Silage Pile Density Calculator. (Being a U of MN grad it practically kills me to put Bucky Badger in here but they did come up with this nifty tool). It’s a valuable cheat sheet that you can plug numbers in and get answers out. Here it is: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/uwforage/dec_soft.htm
Scroll down to Storage Structures, click on Silage Pile Density Calculator. A word of caution: the pile illustrated in green on the right is not a 3:1 pile – the sides would not be that steep – use your imagination. The yellow highlighted variables are figures you provide. The pink are the result of those variables, and the green cells are intermediate calculated variables.
Starting at the top, click yes for slope, and type in 3 (for a 3:1 slope).
Next, type the width of the bottom of the face.
Now things get interesting. By typing in the different variables, like height to the top of slope, delivery rate to the pile, and packing layer thickness, you can calculate and customize the way your piles are made. Figure in the number and size of tractors along with the percent of time the driver is on the pile, and you can see the estimated dry matter packing result.
Then there is the 800-Pound Rule. I’ll let Ron explain this one in the windy video below. There are several who say this can’t be done, but remember: this is a goal. We realize that this one is difficult to attain, but shoot for it. You will need to work on delivery rate to the pile with your chopping crew.
I think that’s enough for now. Look for the other four points in a couple of days. In the meantime, please call Ron at 559-779-5961, Eddie at 209-261-2892, or Joe at 916-806-0802 if you have any questions.
– Connie
Connor Marketing, Inc. at World Ag Expo: Connie, Eddie Mello, Ron, Joe Martin
Recently we had the chance to visit with a dairy farmer about his silage making process and what he does to be so successful. His feed looks, smells, and tests absolutely great – consistently high quality all the way through the drive over piles that he makes.
What’s the key? He is in control of his team.He is the head coach. He himself calls all the plays and does not leave any of it to chance or to anyone else.
Frankly, those days spent building his pile(s) may be the most financially crucial for him of the whole year.
He believes in density. He believes that making the drive over piles, investing in the pack tractor rental (or the sheeps foot rental – whatever it takes to get the pack density right), and layering in very thin layers is the answer. He does not allow more than one truck to dump at a time, and if the trucks are coming faster than the pack tractor and blade can work, he tells the field crew to slow down, take a break or go home early if it is toward the end of the day. And he covers with Silostop.
In the next few days and weeks, we will be resurrecting and refining some past posts we had here on planning your harvest. Winter forage, if it ever rains, will be coming in before you know it. You too can be a great head coach and prepare your team for a winning series by planning ahead and making sure everyone on the team knows their job (and when and how to do it).
Stop by to see us at the World Ag Expo, space DS 105 and 106 February 14, 15,16. Makes a great Valentine’s date. Tri Tip sandwich for lunch, Haagen Daas ice cream for dessert – what more could a guy or girl ask for? (Tip: dinner on the way home at a REALLY NICE restaurant, that’s what.)
Look for Connor Marketing, Silostop and we welcome the Animal Agriculture Alliance to our area this year. The Animal Agriculture Alliance communicates the importance of modern animal agriculture to consumers and the media. The Alliance informs these audiences about topics ranging from animal welfare to biotechnology using reliable, science-based information. They are a non-profit organization funded by both individual and corporate memberships. Please stop by to learn more and consider joining this worthwhile group. Our daughter, Catharine, is their Membership Services Manager and will be there to answer your questions.
After a whomper of a silage season, we shifted a bit to take care of some other things. Our family, most importantly, enjoyed a holiday season of baking cookies, watching favorite movies, hunting dove, and just being together. All five under one roof again. We loved it.
There’s the wall full of bookcase Ron built (which needs some finishing), eucalyptus branches that fell in the big wind were cut, split and stacked. We girls shopped for items that we had saved for all year, and Ron and I shagged bp at the high school for Chris. Year end accounting, budgeting for 2012, and travel plans were hashed through.
This year-end was different for us though – because we were reminded in the most difficult way that life is short and death is sure. We learned that we can’t take anything for granted, that our family is our most important asset, and that despite the darkest of hours, there is a loving God who will take care of us. And everything will work out ok.
Doug Maddox taught us so much over the years. He challenged us, listened to us, took a risk on us, and believed in us. For that, we are so thankful. Doug passed away December 19, and we miss him. He was a survivor, an optimist, first to give new things a try – a “why not?” type of guy. So it is with that in mind we open up 2012.
We are very excited to have Eddie Mello and Joe Martin working with us. These two are knowledgeable, easy to work with and the best in customer service. We are so lucky to have Dr. Keith Bolsen, formerly of Kansas State, and his wife and partner Ruthie stand beside us in our Silostop business. You won’t find a better resource team when it comes to silage production and safety. We are also ready to help with calf care and management through our Calf-tel information and products.
And we have you. Our business is built around helping dairy farmers make good decisions, providing the information needed and answering questions – sometimes challenging them with questions – like “why not?” We learn from them, they learn from us. We appreciate also the nutritionists that we share information and ideas with.
So here’s to 2012 and the wonderful opportunities available to all of us. May we have the courage to step up to that plate.
You’d think we haven’t done anything since October, if you rely on just the postings here. Quite to the contrary! We’ve been so busy I haven’t taken the time to write.
The corn silage season is finally very, very nearly finished, and what a whirl wind it has been – a barn burner – a wild ride – and we are so thankful to the farmers who have used our products. We are confident that the feed you made will benefit from them, and we would like to hear from you how those piles are upon opening.
Opening piles – pile management. That’s a great subject to address. You’ve invested in that feed, now you need to do the best job possible in keeping it fresh and nutritious. We are co-sponsoring a
SILAGE SCHOOL
December 14 at Chowchilla Fairgrounds, 11 am – 2 pm
-OR-
December 15 at Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, 11 am – 2 pm
FEATURING
Ev Thomas, Miner Institute: “Economics of Corn Silage Today”
Dr. Keith Bolsen, Kansas State: “Managing Drive Over Piles for Single Digit Shrink Loss”
Silage equipment will be on display, and as at all good winter farmer meetings, a really good lunch will be served. If you have questions or want to reserve your plate, please let us know at cpkuber@gmail.com. Although you don’t have to RSVP, it will help with the food count.
Hope to see you there and again, thank you for your business.
Luciana Jonkman, a nutritionist and management consultant with Progressive Dairy Solutions wrote this article for Dairy Herd Management (Dairy Herd Network, Sept 20, 2012) . We thank them both for permission to share it with you, in the spirit that it helps you in your work.
Communication is important, everyone on your team needs to understand what is to be done and most importantly, why it is being done that way. If everyone understands their role in the process, and how important it is for each of them to focus and do their part as perfectly as they are possible, success will follow. Consistency in executing your silage plan is crucial, no slipping back to the old ways. Everyone focuses on doing the best job they can today, everyday. And there won’t be any question of “Why the heck are we doing it this way?”.
Connor Marketing, Inc. 