Silage 2022

If there was only 4 units of N in slurry we would not be fluting around with LESS systems. LESS makes 20% of the N in slurry available as opposed to splash plate making 10%. These are average figures depending on weather and whether water is added to the slurry.

The over all figure for slurry is 40%. The ammonia changes from liquid to gas due to a number of factors. Agitation, the smell you get is ammonia gas escaping. The action against the splash plate and throwing the slurry in the air again changes liquid ammonia to gas. Finally the weather. Hot or windy weather again creates ammonia gas similar to what happens with Urea. Wet moist weather makes more N available however it can create run off. Urea is ammonia nitrate. It why we spread Urea on wet moist ground and try to avoid wind as well as wind will help to change the ammonia in Urea into gas

The Teagasc or Lab figures are the available N at spreading. If you do not indicate otherwise they will presume spreading with a splash plate with 10% availability.

Best day to spread slurry is one of those misty wet day that is not raining. All availability figures go out the window you could get a 30-40% availability of N even with a splash plate.

Ask a consultant or a Teagasc advisor. Parlour washings have 1-3 units N/thousand gallons because of the water content and there is very little slurry in washings

What are lads paying/charging for hauling and stacking bale silage?

A short draw 1 euro a bale

No matter how short the draw it really possibile to see that paying for the contractor.

Put fert out the last week of March. It’s pissed all week after it was spread. Grass is flying it now. Wouldn’t worry too much about loosing value in slurry.

Yep be ideal

don’t need to go mad with the lorry tires as they have lots of weight

tighten it up the sheet after a week to 10 days is good practice too

We done 2 baling jobs last weekend, about 22 acres in total.

I don’t think I’ll be able to retire off the bill for them!

Was behind a New Holland and McHale fusion last Saturday afternoon at the foot of the Blooms. Was going to post here but seemed highly unlikely anyone would be baling what grass is there. Perhaps it was out working though

I have good quality silage ground to let for first cut and prob a second cut.

what’s a fair price per bale or per acre

I’m thinking if I put out fert I would need €8 to €10 a bale (assuming 10 to acre) to cover fert and another 5 for my grass…

is €150 an acre or €15 a lot to look for first cut ….

was I better looking for €150 an acre and let him fertiliser and take two cuts off it

will be selling to a neighbor/relative so needs to be fair on both sides

Saw some bales made outside gort last week, hard to see what sort of quality as they were already wrapped. Seems a bit mad to me but was on very good land during good weather. I'd imagine the sugars level would be decent in late April, no idea what kind of size the sward was though.