Consider crimp to reduce energy shortfall
Because of the late silage season, many farmers have made high bulk but lower quality silage which could be lacking in energy come feed-out.
Many dairy and beef farmers rely on first-cut grass silage to supply the majority of the energy in their diets and without it this year they will have to turn to purchased feeds. Concentrate prices are still extremely high, meaning it makes sense to use home-grown feed wherever possible.
Crimp is the perfect option to help make up this shortfall.
However, to achieve and store this high energy feed, paying attention to detail when ensiling crimp will be paramount.
Crimp is much higher risk when it comes to spoilage in the clamp, being prone to fungal issues and the development of mycotoxins. This is because it can be a challenging crop to compact and it provides a lot of readily available nutrients for the spoilage microbes.
Using a crop specific, bacterial inoculant is really important to help reduce waste in the clamp and ensure that this valuable feed source stores well until you need to feed it.
Magniva Platinum Crimp is specifically designed for use in the preservation of moist grains. It’s a biological option that contains antifungal bacteria.
Lientjie Colahan is technical sales support at Lallemand Animal Nutrition
