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MARCH 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


Safe, high-quality silage depends on


preparation Good silage is no accident


by DAVID SCHMIDT


ABBOTSFORD – Good silage is no accident, Keith Bolsen, professor emeritus of cattle nutrition at Kansas State University and director of the Keith Bolsen Silage Safety Foundation, told farmers attending the BC Dairy Expo in Abbotsford, January 24.


The double entendre was no accident, as Bolsen made two presentations, one offering his insights on producing good silage gained from making silage for over 40 years and a second describing a litany of silage- related accidents and deaths, and how to avoid them. Keys to producing good-


quality silage are to be early in silage production, add an inoculant at the harvester and use a kernel processor when harvesting corn silage. “Inoculant is a no-brainer and one whole kernel in a litre of corn silage is too many,” Bolsen said.


He told farmers to


maximize silage density and seal the pile with oxygen- barrier film. “Oxygen is the enemy,” Bolsen stated. “If we keep air and water out, we can keep silage to the next millennium.” He encouraged farmers to


field-wilt their forages, telling them to aim for 40% to 45% moisture content on alfalfa and legumes and 32% to 38% moisture content on grasses. They should also avoid


overfilling bunkers and silos before packing down the silage, he said, noting, “I can only get air out of a 12-14-


inch layer.” When feeding, farmers should minimize the time between when the silage is removed from the pile and when it is fed. “Practice both preservation


efficiency and utilization efficiency,” he stressed.


Silage accidents preventable


Moving on to silage safety, Bolsen called it the number one global problem, insisting there is no safe bunker silo or silage pile. He presented case studies of farmers, farm workers and farm children suffering horrendous injuries or even deaths from working with silage. Reasons included complacency, fatigue, tractor and truck rollovers,


entanglements in machinery, falls from height and burials in collapsing silage. “Think safety first,” he said.


“Always pay attention to your surroundings, be alert and avoid distractions. Every silage injury could have been prevented.” He urged farmers to


conduct training sessions with all their workers before each silage season begins, saying it educates new workers and helps existing workers refocus on tasks they may have not thought about since the previous year. When removing silage from a pile or bunker, operators should never stand closer to the silage face than three times its height to avoid being buried in an avalanche. Farmers still using upright silos should avoid entering the silo for at least three


19


Annual training sessions before each silage season will help prevent accidents. CHRIS KLOOT FILE PHOTO


weeks after filling. If a person has to enter the silo earlier, gases should first be blown out for 30 minutes or the


You’ve tried the rest.


Now try the


BEST.


person should use an approved, self-contained breathing apparatus. “Every farm, dairy and


silage contractor should have safety guidelines, policies and procedures for their silage program,” Bolsen said.


R ROLLINS Toll Free 1-800-242-9737 www.rollinsmachinery.com


Machinery Limited


“Serving British Columbia proudly since 1946”


Chilliack 1.800.242.9737 | 44725 Yale Rd W Langley 1.800.665.9060 | 21869 - 56th Ave Chemainus 1.250-246.1203 | 3306 Smiley Rd


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