Silage season checks in the farmyard

Farmers need to ensure that silage storage facilities are fit for purpose. This means that the silage pit and silage effluent collection and storage facilities meet the standards required by the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Silage pits – slabs and walls, need to be structurally sound to ensure ensiling is completed is a safe environment. Silage effluent collection channels and tank storage must be capable of storing the volume of effluent generated. The effluent is a highly polluting matter and can cause fish kills in watercourses/rivers and contaminate wells if not collected, stored and land spread properly.

While silage pits are empty, now is the time to examine the silage pit slabs, walls and channels to see what maintenance and repairs are needed before the silage pit is used again in 2024.

Inspect/Repair

The first step is to thoroughly wash down the silage pit using a power washer, especially the floor, effluent channels, and collection tanks to enable problems to be fully assessed. Look out for cracks, porous patches, unsealed and eroded joints. The extent of the damage can be assessed by hacking away any unsound concrete at joints and at the base of walls. The silage pit, channels and collection tanks must be leak proof and all the silage effluent must be collected and safely stored.  If the pit is not fit for purpose, cease using until all repairs are completed. 

Repair works must be completed to Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFM) specifications for Concrete Silage Bases S128 and Resurfacing of Silo Floors S128A.  These can be obtained at www.agriculture.gov.ie.

Regular maintenance of the silage pit ensures that minor problems are attended to while still minor.

Making Silage

A lot of the problems with silage effluent arise from trying to ensile more silage than the slab is designed to hold. Additional silage should be stored on another slab or made into round bales.

When cutting silage aim to wilt the grass for 24 hours before ensiling.  This will help reduce the volume of silage effluent produced.  All effluent should enter the channels under the cover of the silage polythene and the edge of the ensiled grass should not extend onto or over any channel. The open space is maintained by placing a plastic drainage pipe in the channel. Regularly check effluent diversion units, yard gullies or other possible underground escape routes. During the ensiling period, make sure that the effluent is diverted into the underground slurry tank or effluent tank. Make sure that these channels are free of any debris and that the effluent can flow.

When land spreading silage effluent dilute the effluent with one part water/slurry to one part effluent. Do not spread if rain is forecast in the next 24 hours. Do not spread within 5m of any watercourse, 10m where field slope exceeds 10%, 20m from lake/main river or 25 – 200m well/public water supply.

For further information on the Nitrates Regulations or any other queries you may have regarding protecting water quality, please contact the Environment Section of Cavan County Council on 049 437 8486 or alternatively by email at environ@cavancoco.ie.