I want to start making silage. The dairy guy next door chops silage into a bag. He has all kinds of expensive but very productive equipment. I have found a few forage harvesters and wagons that are affordable, but I am looking for an affordable storage method. A "farm show" magazine had an article about a flat sheet storage method. I have also seen the silage mounds. What would the best method be? I am in central Ontario. I would like to make small grain silage and haylage.
Flat sheet silage
- Thread starter Rob30
- Start date
TexasBred
Well-known member
The least expensive for you would probably be just to put it on the ground....most important thing to me would be to make sure you get a good hard pack on it...cover it with plastic...weight it down very good and give it time to go thru the ensiling process. Only problem I've seen with this is when you get ready to feed it depending on the weather it can get awfully muddy and nasty around the silage pile unless you have a very good base.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Lots of equipment to make silage, and then lots more equipment to feed it. Not my favorite.
Making a packed pile on a hill and then self feeding under a hot wire is a low investment approach. This was typical in some areas before big herds, TMRs, and four wheel drive. You just need a post driver and a knife to feed it.
Having a custom operator make balage is also a low investment approach. You just need a loader tractor and a knife to feed it.
Making a packed pile on a hill and then self feeding under a hot wire is a low investment approach. This was typical in some areas before big herds, TMRs, and four wheel drive. You just need a post driver and a knife to feed it.
Having a custom operator make balage is also a low investment approach. You just need a loader tractor and a knife to feed it.
andybob
Well-known member
We have bunker silos made from concrete prefabricated walls, earth wall bunker silos and big bale silage, the earth wall/ plastic sheeting is the cheapest. The Buffalo are overwintered in barns so producing cheap fodder is essential to keep them competative with the beef cattle, and Jersey milkers, which overwinter outside.
rdbigfarmboy
Well-known member
I like the bunker on a hill then feeding thru a fence line approach. It is hard to cut enough grass to fill and close a pile in a timely way. Corn is much easier more tonnage.
Im looking for a green chopper for grass someting like a IH 10. I have a John Deere 16 but it is worn out form being 50 years old.
Im looking for a green chopper for grass someting like a IH 10. I have a John Deere 16 but it is worn out form being 50 years old.
