The right care for silage

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The Harvest Money Expo that began on Friday, February 14 and ended on Sunday, February 16, at Namboole Stadium is the crown jewel of the agricultural industry in Uganda.

The three-day expo was sponsored by aBi, Uganda Development Corporation, Tunga Nutrition, Pepsi, Bella Wine, Engsol, and the Kingdom of Netherlands.

One of the deal-sealers that attract expo-goers is the training workshops, from which they learn best farming practices from the horse’s mouth. These experts share knowledge and even illustrate some of the processes and best practices before audiences. One such expert is Martha Namabiro Matovu, who is the managing director of Madco Investments Ltd. Stressing the importance of pasture, Matovu said, “The milk, eggs, and meat we enjoy is because of the pasture.”  She added, “Our important clients are the cattle; if they reject it, (the pasture) you don’t have business.”

Highmark (Uganda) limited dealing in agriculture and general engineering. Highmark exhibited high-quality forage choppers and other agricultural equipment. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Highmark (Uganda) limited dealing in agriculture and general engineering. Highmark exhibited high-quality forage choppers and other agricultural equipment. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

To ensure good pasture in the long run, Matovu said farmers should engage in the value-addition chain by making silage, hay and pellets. “Silage is moist feed preserved for future feed for animals,” explained Matovu. She cautioned farmers to chop the pasture into small pieces so that fermentation can happen faster and the silage can last for long.

Asked when to cut the pasture to make silage, Matovu said, “Cut pasture at the flowering stage because all the nutrients are not locked. If you wait for it to grow longer, the nutrients get locked. You can tell that it is time to cut when you see birds attacking maize or sorghum because even the animals won’t reject the silage.”

Additionally, cutting pasture at the right stage means the farmer will spend less on labour. “The labourers will not ask for a lot of money because the stalks are still soft,” she said. With silage, Matovu said you do not have to worry about grazing in the dry season because silage can be preserved for long and given to animals throughout the year.

Storing silage

Matovu said it can be kept in silage pits or drums. “We can keep silage in silage pits, but the pit should allow water to flow out of the silage. The pit should be on a gradient that allows water to flow,” he said. If it is kept in a drum, Matovu advised farmers to cover it tightly for better preservation.