The 2025 Silage Crop 鈥� Making the Most of a Challenging Year
With silage being听the听main听component听in听the majority of听ruminant听rations听over the winter months听the quality of forage is of upmost importance for the overall performance. Quantifying the quality is essential to ensure all dietary requirements are met particularly for those animals听in a high nutritional demand听e.g.听late pregnancy, lactation, growing youngstock and finishing stock.听听
A summary of results for all silages听submitted听to the lab by SAC听Consulting听offices between July 2025 鈥� January 2026 can be found听in听table 1听below. Compared to听2024听average听dry matter听(DM)听has increased听from听35% to听an average of 39.1% with energy down听from an average for all silage of 10.5 MJ/kg DM to听10.1 MJ/kg DM. Protein has increased on average compared to previous years however at 12.2% (although as normal the range for all is vast!).听听
Table 1: Silage听analysis听summary between July 2025 鈥� January听2026 (all SAC听Consulting).听听
The lower energy levels are听likely due to听the dry spring stressing pastures leading to many grass crops reaching maturity faster than听expected.听Big bale silage has seen the biggest drop at 10 MJ/kg DM on average. Overall, 65.5% of all samples听submitted听were 10.4MJ ME or lower.听The result is that energy is likely to be the first limiting factor to performance in many rations this year and pre-calving/pre-lambing.听Therefore听it is crucial to ensure that rations are听appropriate in听the run up to calving and lambing.听Failing to meet听late gestation energy (and protein)听requirements will affect colostrum quality and quantity, leading to a negative impact on neonatal health and survival as well as longer term growth rates.听
Feeding听Low听Energy听Forages听
Feed intake听in ruminants is heavily听controlled by ration digestibility听or 鈥淒听Value鈥� if we are looking at silages, in simple terms the lower the听D听Value the lower the听total听dry matter intake听of that forage. This is听predominantly听due听to the higher level of听fibre measured as NDF in low听D Value听forages听which slows down rumen passage.听Dry cows听can听manage听well听on听forage with a lower听D听Value听(>56%)听post weaning in mid pregnancy,听however听in late pregnancy听(final听six听weeks)听and lactation听this requirement increases听to nearer听(>62.5%).听For听sheep听and all听growing and finishing stock we should be aiming for highly digestible forages (>68%)听where possible if aiming to minimise supplementation.听听
Below this听it is vital that the ration is supplemented appropriately with another feed of higher energy density such as听cereals, high energy compound feeds, molasses, co-product feeds (draff, bakery/food processing by products, veg waste听etc).听Where forages听are highly digestible supplementary feed typically will replace some forage in the ration but for听forage low in digestibility such as those we have seen this year supplementary feeds are typically fed in addition to forage听to听increase overall digestibility of the whole diet听and thus aid performance and growth.听For more information听on how to best balance your forage please contact your local SAC听Consulting office.听听
Looking to 2026 鈥� How Can We Best Optimise Quality in Adverse Conditions?听
Our biggest challenge to silage making in the UK is typically the weather, a factor which is unfortunately out with听all听our control.听Energy is听determined听mostly by听stage of maturity at cutting but also available sugars.听If aiming for a highly digestible听forage,听we want to be aiming to cut when the crop reaches its third leaf stage before听stem extension and flowering.听There is a trade-off between quality and quantity as the grass starts to head, yield听will听increase.听However, once headed听D听Value听declines by 0.5% per day. Delaying cutting by one week leads to 3.5 percentage units lower D听Value, equivalent to 0.6MJ/kg DM of听metabolisable听energy.听Cutting in the afternoon听will听often ensure higher available sugar levels for fermentation but听time of cutting should also be adapted to conditions听and听required听wilting time.听听
Cutting in a听Dry听Season听听
- Cut in morning (after dew has lifted)听and aim to pit/bale the crop in the afternoon听in particularly hot weather to reduce nutritional losses.听听
- Ensure nitrogen has been听properly used听prior to cutting 鈥� normal uptake is听2.5 kg听N/ha =听2 unit/acre/day听however听this may be reduced in the absence of moisture.听听
- Aim for a short,听sharp wilt in hot weather <24hrs.听If the crop is high in clover听you听may want to leave it longer.听听
- If extremely听dry听avoid tedding/conditioning to limit nutritional losses and leaf shatter.听听
- If using an additive aim for one more suited to a dry crop to aid fermentation and limit heating/moulds.听听
- Compaction can be a challenge in a dry crop 鈥� aim for听six wraps on bales, well rolled pit.听
Cutting in a听Wet听Season听听
- Cut in听afternoon听when there is a decent weather window听planned aim听to bale/collect 24hrs later.听听
- Ted the crop听immediately听post cutting to aid moisture loss. Conditioning the crop听may also increase听wilting by听+20%.听听
- If using an additive aim for one more suited to wet听crops听as听the challenges when ensiling will differ compared to a dry crop.听听
Lorna Shaw,听Ruminant Nutritionist,听Lorna.Shaw@sac.co.uk
Posted by SAC Consulting on 18/02/2026
