Roughage tour Grass Week 26
Correct disappointing protein from the first cut
The crude protein content in the grass silages that were mowed around the beginning of June leaves much to be desired. Crude protein levels of 140 are therefore no exception to the rule. The spring pits are usually fed in the winter. That involves asking for expensive protein supplements.
For a large part of the dairy farmers, the second cut is on the way. The general impression is that the grass is starting to shoot and the quality is comparable to the late first cut. Dairy farmers who normally ensilage the second cut on top of the first cut may therefore wonder whether this cut is really suitable for that.
Leafy cut as a good addition
''If there is still room on top of the first cut, choose a third or fourth cut to fill the hump. The leafy crop with a higher protein share thus corrects the protein deficiency in the first cut'', says Leo Tjoonk, Agrifirm's team leader for roughage. A small side note is: there must be sufficient roughage to allow the later cut to be well preserved.
The Brabant dairy farmer Hans Schoenmakers, participant in the Boerenbusiness Roughage tour, has the same problem. "With the first cut, so much mass came home that it is difficult to feed a silage next to it and then still maintain the desired feeding speed," says Schoenmakers.
Part of a leafy cut on top of the first cut may then be a better option than feeding an autumn pit next to it. ''There is a lot of spread in the silage results that I have seen so far. Scalding can therefore certainly become a problem for a number of dairy farmers. When 2 pit heaps are open, that danger only increases," adds Tjoonk.
Sufficient protein for early farmers
The dairy farmers who were able to take the first cut around the end of April are struggling with a less protein deficiency. The first cut already contained a crude protein content of around 200 and the second cut was not much lower. Excellent feed values are also expected for the third cut, which is just around the corner for this crop of dairy farmers.
Erik van der Deure
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