The Role of Biotin in Reducing Lameness and Lifting Milk Production When a cow’s feet aren’t right, the rest of her won’t be either. Lame cows eat less, walk less, go off their milk, and are slower to cycle. While lameness is a complex and multi-factored condition, we know that nutrition from the inside-out can […]
When it comes to silage, oxygen is the enemy. Even small amounts entering the stack surface can trigger heating, mould growth, dry matter losses, and reduced feed quality. The top metre of your silage is the most vulnerable—and for many farms, it is also where the greatest and most costly waste occurs. Silostop®’s two-step system—Silostop® […]
How Clydesdale Dairy keeps their system running smoothly with MAGNIVA® Platinum silage inoculant. At Clydesdale Dairy in North Otago, Francois and Shelley Tillard run a system five, year-round milking operation where reliability is everything. They are milking around 750 cows over the season across their 206hectare farm. Alongside the home farm, they also lease a […]
Enzymes play a crucial role in unlocking more value from your silage. By breaking down fibre and releasing sugars, they support faster fermentation, better preservation, and improved digestibility for livestock. The result is more stable, higher quality silage and stronger animal performance. Why Enzymes Matter for Fermentation Fermentation relies on sugars. When conditions such as […]
Why throw away $41,000 worth of milk? Hidden silage losses can be a significant cost to farm businesses. In every stack, valuable nutrients disappear during fermentation and feed-out; often without being noticed. The top metre of a silage stack sealed with conventional black-and-white plastic can lose up to 20% of its original silage due to […]
Shamrocks and Silage: The story of Irish Contractor Patrick Nagle Patrick Nagle moved to New Zealand in 2011 from Ireland and went straight to his happy place – driving contracting machinery. Fast forward to 2019 where he and business partners Mark & Nicky Robinson set up Nagle Contracting in Methven, Canterbury. He has now been […]
Managing the challenges of winter saved and spring pasture Winter saved and early spring pastures are often wet, with variable tonnage and contain higher dead matter at the base. Mowing height, time of harvest, wilting and weather are key points to consider when making silage and baleage. These pastures create challenging and risky fermentations due to being […]
Keeping Livestock Healthy Through Winter at Darroch’s Grazing Ltd Located 45 minutes south of Christchurch, Darroch’s Grazing is situated on the northern banks of the Rakaia River, where winter conditions can be harsh. Over the years, however, Adam Hardie and Don Hayes have found a way to keep the 3000 winter graziers and 1000 beef […]
Boot proof, dog proof, even Pukeko proof – SiloStop® AntiUV covers, partnered with SiloStop® Orange Oxygen Barrier Film are the perfect combination to protect your maize silage this coming season. Maize silage is prone to surface spoilage – how many stacks do you see with a layer or patches of spoilage at the top/shoulders? The […]
Mountview Farming Trust are continuously trying new approaches to keep improving their dairy farming operation. Led by Alastair Neville, Mountview Farming Trust run an Autumn calving herd of 340-350 Friesian cows. Central to their operation is the utilisation of silage for winter milking, of which maize silage is a significant part of the diet. At […]
