FAQ about silage
By Frank Mickan
Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3

Every dairyfarmer making silage will be doing so under different management and climatic conditions with a range of machinery and varying levels of operator experience. This article aims to provide answers to FAQ's from farmers.

Ten steps to pasture
sowing success
By Frank Mickan
February 2010 – 592 KB

Failed or poor germination of newly sown autumpn pastures can cause many arguments between farmers, contractors and seed companies. So often a below expectation germination is due to one or more errors in the sowing process. The key thing to remember is that pasture seed needs good soil contact.... more

Understanding
why hay heats
By Frank Mickan
Read article – 432 KB

Most dairyfarmers have seen or heard of hay stacks that become so hot that they have begun to smoke or even burst into flames. This leads to questions of what causes this heating, why does some hay heat more than others and what is the difference between bale types... more

When should silage
be tested?
By Frank Mickan
Read article – 368 KB

When forages have been harvested and fully sealed, they undergo many compositionla changes and this is initially due to the action of plant enzymes. Other chemical and organic changes also occur due to a range of undesirable aerobic (air) micro-organisms ... more