Silage for dairy cows is getting underway big style across much of the country, but following a difficult winter and spring, farmers need to take care to maximise quality and quantity this year.

This year there were plenty of top tips at Grassland UK, on May 10, where the with a tremendous demonstration of new kit and a plethora of advice on offer.

Organised by the Royal Bath and West Society and held on a working farm in Somerset, the event covered all aspects of forage production, from seeds to feeds, with machinery demonstrations, a technical advice area, seminars, silage clamp demonstrations and trade stands from all sectors of the industry.

One main topic after such a tough winter and spring, was how to remedy problems with their soil to maximise grassland productivity. Calcifert consultant, Mark Tripney, speaking at one of the seminars pointed out: “Poor root development limits a lot of crops, so dig a hole. Do you feel the spade resisting and at what depth? Are their worms?

"The spade is a great tool for saving money and for targeting nutrients and machinery use.”

Machines which relieve soil compaction, also came in for attention. “I think aeration is a great tool which is under-utilised,” said Mr Tripney. "It removes the thatch of grass on the soil surface, which prevents nutrients from getting down into the soil profile and opens up compaction, enabling roots to grow down to find those nutrients.

"While many farmers make great use of manure to reduce fertiliser applications, one concern – particularly on dairy farms – is the high level of potassium in the soil from repeated slurry applications. This locks up magnesium, causing problems both for the grass and the cattle," he added.

“Beware of the antagonisms which might be on your farm and test the soil for more than N, P and K. Around 60% of grassland is short of calcium, which is essential for the structure of the soil and for cell development in the plant.”

When supplying sufficient nutrients for the crop it’s vital to get on with aftercut fertiliser as soon as possible after taking the first cut of silage, said Graham Ragg, senior agronomist at Mole Valley Farmers.

“You lose 2% a day in second cut yields for every day you delay putting on fertiliser after taking first cut,” he explained. “So if you wait a week, you lose 14% or about 1t/acre.”

According to a survey by Germinal, more than 40% of dairy farmers had shortened their cutting intervals over the past three years, with 92% reporting better silage quality as a result. However, it’s vital to choose the right grass mixtures, and the new Recommended Grass and Clover List, launched at Grassland UK, featured a number of new varieties, including AberBann and AberSwan from the IBERS breeding programme.

Oliver Seeds also launched a new multi-species grass mixture at the event, to meet increasing demand from farmers for species-rich herbal leys. “Multi-species swards have a lot of advantages over straight ryegrass leys,” said general manager, Rod Bonshor. "These include enhanced stress tolerance and persistence, with greater root mass and depth, and extended growth at both ends of the season.

“The forage also has greater palatability, a higher trace element and mineral content, and some plants have anthelmintic properties which helps combat any worming problems.”