by Amanda Smith, Associate Editor
Once your bunks are packed and covered, your focus needs to shift from maximizing yields to reducing future losses. While it's difficult to counteract poor management early on, proper feed-out can minimize further losses, noted a recent Miner Institute Farm Report.
Opening bunkers: Silage is a waiting game. The universal recommendation is to wait at least three weeks before opening piles. This allows silages to stabilize through lactic acid production. Legume silages should achieve a pH around 4.5, while corn silage should drop to 4. However, maturity, dry matter content and packing all impact fermentation time.
Acid production should be checked, as well as pH, to ensure proper fermentation. For farms with adequate carryover, delayed opening may have starch degradation benefits. Cows can be gradually adapted to incompletely fermented silages in herds that are in dire need of feed.
Face and pace: Two critical factors associated with reducing losses are face maintenance and feed-out rate. Maintaining a proper face is essential to reduce oxygen exposure deeper in the silage pile. As oxygen exposure occurs, forages heat due to secondary fermentation, leading to spoilage. Spoilage should be disposed of immediately.
While covers should be removed to allow up to three days of feeding, during winter, some excess overhang can help prevent moisture exposure and large dry matter fluctuations.
