Beware of silage changes causing digestive upsets

Advice for beef farmers

Changing from baled to pit silage, or the mineral imbalances in much of the 2020 silage, can upset cattle.

It is well known from research throughout the world that ruminants take 21 days to adjust fully to a new diet. The rumen bug population needs time to breakdown the new nutrient profile of the diet.

December is often a time when there is a change of silages on the farm. This year has seen a huge amount of baled silage available, and many are only just after opening pits. Take care when moving over to pit silage, as it tends to be lower in dry matter, and more finely chopped, which can cause temporary digestive upsets.