The stages of silage harvest prepare the crop for efficient fermentation in storage. Efficient fermentation preserves forage quality and minimizes dry matter losses and spoilage. Wilting Wide swath haylage to achieve “haylage-in-a-day” and improve forage quality is becoming a popular management practice. This is contrary to the more typical practice of using the mower-conditioner to […]
Correctly timing how long to let the crop wilt when harvesting a forage crop will help ensure that it stores well. It either needs to have enough moisture to ferment correctly without seeping, or low enough moisture content to preserve as dry hay. There are three types of moisture to consider when wilting a forage […]
When forage is first put into a silo, conditions are aerobic (oxygen is present in the silage). Plant respiration and aerobic bacteria convert carbohydrates into carbon dioxide, water and heat, and use up the oxygen present. This phase should be as short as possible. The silage then becomes anaerobic (without oxygen). The growth of anaerobic […]
When forages are harvested for silage, anaerobic bacteria (i.e., lactic acid and acetic acid) are involved in the fermentation process. Weather, forage species, maturity, and harvest conditions can impact fermentation. The goal of using an inoculant may be to improve fermentation efficiency in storage, improve aerobic stability once the silo is opened or both. Silage […]
Weather conditions and agronomic practices affect the amount of nitrates in plant material, which set the stage for the production of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the silo. For example, a dry period during the growing season followed by abundant rainfall will encourage a corn crop to take up high levels of dissolved nitrates. If the […]
Baleage does not reach as low a pH as chopped haylage (and other types of silage). This means that greater emphasis must be put on good silage-making processes, especially the exclusion of oxygen. The length of storage time and how long the bales are exposed to oxygen before feed-out must be adjusted to weather conditions. […]
Storing hay outside and exposed can cause large losses due to spoilage, often up to 61%. While precipitation usually takes the blame for spoiled hay, the bales also wick moisture up from the ground. Storing hay under a roof will minimize spoilage. Typical storage losses under a roof are 2%–10%. While an initial capital expense, […]
The storage and handling of livestock feeds in the ensiled form has several advantages. These, however, can only be fully realized if producers select the type of storage structure (silo) most suited to their farm situation. It is important to think of each part of the feed handling picture, from field to feed bunk, as […]
Stage of maturity at harvest is the most important factor in determining the nutritional quality of a forage crop. Grasses lose nutritional quality faster than legumes. Mixed stands should be harvested when the grass is ready. If the alfalfa is maturing later than the grass, waiting on the alfalfa to reach the ideal growth stage […]
This article was originally written by Joel Bagg in 2012. It was edited August 22, 2025 by Christine O’Reilly to fix broken links to further resources. Dry weather during corn silking and pollination can significantly reduce grain yield expectations. Inadequate moisture can result in poor ear fill or even corn plants without any ear or […]
Potato leafhopper is a major alfalfa pest in Ontario. Yield losses may reach 50%, and crude protein content can drop 2-3% from heavy infestations. Potato leafhopper feeding decreases stand vigour, slows regrowth and increases winterkill. The simple answer As alfalfa gets taller it can tolerate more potato leafhoppers before action is necessary to protect forage […]
Winter Conditions 2023/2024 Much of the province had below-average precipitation over the winter, including the Ottawa Valley, the northern and western shores of Lake Huron, and Rainy River District. Temperatures across Ontario were milder than normal, which resulted in reduced snow cover in many areas. Hay and Haylage Above-average levels of alfalfa winterkill occurred in […]
By: Dr. Katie Wood, Associate Professor, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph and Madeline McLennan, M.Sc. Student, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph This article was originally published in the October 2024 edition of Virtual Beef. Although forage choppers and bale processors are not new technologies, there is a surprizing lack of data in how they can […]