The silage decisions you need to make ahead of this year's first-cut

Producing silage must now be a priority, and striving for quality must still be the aim, writes independent ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy.

Cows and cattle will consume more top-quality silage, and that will make their rumens healthier and work more efficiently.

As we are now in April, in any normal year, silage season should be just around the corner. But with the wet March there has been very little fertiliser out for silage, so the assumption must be that silage will or should be much later this year. 

Producing silage must now be a priority, and striving for quality must still be the aim. This message does not change as quality silage is cheaper to balance and gives better animal performance.