Six Silage Safety Rules To Remember During Feed-Out

Here arrives the time of the year when farmers have begun to dig deep into their silage pile and feed their cows and buffaloes. Then, as the winter weather comes near, farmers can hurry to get the feeding done and return to their warm sheds. However, taking shortcuts during feed-out is a grave mistake as it can degrade silage quality and harm cattle.

There are two things to consider while managing silage. It includes working silage removal firstly to maintain quality for animal feeding and the safety concerns of family, visitors, farmers, and friends around the silo or bunker.

The rule of thumb for proper silage quality maintenance

For the former part, it’s crucial to remember never to expose silage to fresh air as it harms quality. Why? Because oxygen helps yeast grow on it, the yeast helps absorb the beneficial lactic acid formed during fermentation, which degrades silage quality.

Silage safety tips when standing around a silage pile alone or with loved ones

Here are the six golden rules that farmers must write in their minds with permanent ink to be safe around silage piles and keep others safe.

• Farmers should never stand close to a silage pile closer than 3 to 4 times its height. Because when a silage avalanche happens, the silage face runs down and away from the front.
• Farmers must not fill silos or bunkers higher than their unloading equipment can get to. These are the situations that typically create bulges when removing silage. Generally speaking, most unloading tools can reach 144 inches to 168 inches above the silage base.
• While working with silage piles, it is wise for a farmer to follow the buddy rule and never work close to or in a silage pile or bunker alone. The reason is that anyone can suffocate under a silage pile in case of a silage avalanche, and it takes time for the rescue team to come. So it’s better to follow the buddy rule as it can mean the difference between life and death.
• Another good recommendation is to never dig the loading bucket directly into the bottom of the silage pile and never undercut the silage face. It is wise to shave down the silage face from top to bottom and keep it smooth. Using such proper techniques maintains silage quality for a long time.
• Another thing that farmers do is take a sample of silage for quality check. For this task, it is recommended to never sample from the silage face. The wiser action is to collect it in a loader bucket and take the sample after moving it safely away from the silage pile.
• Farmers should also consider the safety of others around them. For this, a warning sign saying, "danger, silage face might crumple" would work perfectly.

Silage Agro is the best Silage Provider in Punjab. Their silage is a top-quality product as it goes through rigorous quality checks before packing into even bales to deliver quality feeding to Indian farmers.