Keeping silage leachate in check increases feed value, animal performance and profitability.
Well managed silage can be one of the most effective feeds on a beef or dairy farm. Poorly managed silage can send silage leachate into surface waters, sucking up oxygen and potentially killing fish.
Natalie Rector, MSU Extension manure nutrient management specialist, says the job of controlling silage leachate starts before silage hits the bunker.
"Many of the recommended practices for harvesting and storing the highest quality silage go hand in hand with minimizing silage leachate," Rector says. "Practicing better feed management also tends to decrease runoff."
She suggests producers start by harvesting silage at the recommended moisture levels. Silage harvested at higher than prescribed moisture levels can produce substantially more leachate and poorer quality feed. Harvest corn silage between 65 percent and 70 percent moisture and alfalfa hayledge between 60 percent and 70 percent moisture.
Once it hits the silo, silage should be covered to minimize air flow and preserve forage quality. Kansas State University research shows that covering a bunker silo with plastic results in an $8 savings in forage quality for every $1 spent on the cover itself.
Plastic covers keep rain and snow from seeping into silage. However, the all-too-common practice of channeling water to the walls of bunk silos can still cause a leachate problem. Instead, experts recommend diverting rainwater and snowmelt outside the bunker walls. If this cannot be accomplished, leachate should be contained or directed through filter strips.
High quality forage that has been properly covered can enhance animal performance by preserving feed value and improving palatability. Bottom line: a well-managed bunker means higher quality forage, better milk production and fewer environmental problems for your farm.
Learn more about managing silage leachate from MSU Extension experts during Profitable Environmental Options for Livestock Producers on July 21, 2009. See page 1 for details.
From the July 2009 issue of The Scoop on Animal Agriculture and the Environment.