Feeding the actual quality silage to animal yields in form of milk and livestock productions. The people who run dairy farms or cattle farms can get desired outcomes through this economical option. A silage machine or chuff cutter is something that brings all these advantages.
All of these silage machines come in a well-constructed design to work perfectly, but due to different sizes and purpose-of-use, there are different types of silage machines. This article aims to give you essential information about all these silage machines and a guide on how to buy a silage unit.
Advantages of Silage Machine
- Enhance the nutrients potential yield
- Reduce the number of required labors
- Great mechanical feeding and harvesting
- Increase silage and forage quality
- Decrease the overall feed cost
- Reduce the field losses
- Long-life sharp blades
- High speed and efficient system
- Cut multiple crops simultaneously
Disadvantage of Silage Machine
- Intensive management is required for the ensiling process
- Extra storage and handling costs
Benefits of Silage Content
- Improve nutritional content
- Easily digestive and palatable
- Increased cropping intensity
- Less wastage and cost-effective
How to make silage with fermentation?
Once you have passed the crops through a silage machine then store them into the silo or safe packing under anaerobic conditions for 40 to 45 days. During this period, the content goes through the fermentation process without oxygen and become silage. After that, you can open it and feed your cattle, sheep, goats, or ruminant animals. One more thing; the moisture of the crop should be between 60 to 70% for a better fermentation process and silage quality.
TYPES OF CHAFF CUTTERS
1. Manual Chaff Cutter
Due to low production capacity, this fodder cutter is suitable for small and medium scale only. However, this is an efficient system with management controls and other features. The chaff cutter machine can provide around 1 to 3 tons of silage per hour. While it is more preferable to cutting rice straw, dry corn straw, and crop stalks.
This machine has a cutting structure, moving structure, transmission structure, feeding structure, and protection structure. To feed a few cattle, sheep, or horses, this high-quality machine is pretty enough.
2. Automatic Chaff Cutter
The automatic chaff cutting machine is operated with a tractor. It is equipped with an automatic feeding device and a gearbox. While this silage machine works with the help of a belt conveying system. However, this type is more suitable for medium and large agricultural forage scales.
It even provides a production capacity of up to 10 tons per hour and works against hard crop cutting efficiently. Moreover, automatic silage machines can be used in the organic fertilizer industry, food processing, papermaking, etc.
3. Mini Chaff Cutter
Mini Chaff Cutter comes in a 4-wheel moveable construction. Due to its small-sized structure and low capacity, this machine is suitable for only small sectors such as poultry farm use or personal cattle. Mini silage machine provides only 0.6 to 1.2 tons per hour which are not suitable for large scale use.
However, this portable chaff cutter machine is quite easy to use and minimizes fodder wastage. With long-lasting construction lower noise, this is a brilliant choice for small sectors.
4. Straw Chaff Cutter
Straw Chaff Cutter is an ideal choice for cutting straw of different crops. This machine is equipped with a cyclone dust-cleaning system. There are three major functions of this silage machine such as grain milling, chuff cutting, and dust cleaning. This machine is mainly designed for small poultry farms.
Conveniently, this straw cutting machine can be used for both small and commercial sectors. Even manufacturers ensure the long-lasting and highly-efficient working of this system. Moreover, this chaff cutter is quite to use with the cyclone system.
5. Combined Chaff Cutter
Combined chaff cutter is a multi-functional agricultural fodder cutter machine with multiple controls and features. This cutting machine can cut hay, grass, and paddy straw into small pieces for cattle. However, the system can grind potato, corn, wheat, barley, soybean, cassava, etc. Even this system is the best choice for small farmers and breeding farmers.
While this fodder cutter machine comes with 4 moveable wheels to transport the machine easily. It has both feeding and discharge ports. Moreover, the frame of the machine is manufactured of sturdy steel.
Silage Machine Price in Pakistan - Available at Agro Power
Factors to Consider Before Buying the Silage Machine
Selection of any silage machine is a crucial stage that requires your attention and knowledge about some important factors of the machine. To make your selection process easier and reliable, we have enumerated those factors here.
1. Purpose of Use
You should always keep in mind the purpose for which you are going to buy the silage machine. I mean if you want to buy a machine for a small farm or industry, it's fine. However, if you are planning it for large-scale usage, you probably need to opt a large system.
2. Types of Silage Machines
There are five major types of silage machines that come with different qualities and specs. These types are discussed above briefly. All of them have different production capacities and structures to meet some specific requirements.
3. Material
Usually, manufacturers use heavy-duty steel to make silage machines. Some of the machines have rubber wheels. Ideally, you should buy a machine whose frame is made of steel.
4. Capacity
The capacity of the silage machine ranges from 1 to 10 tons per hour. And you should consider this factor with respect to the number of cattle you have.
5. Durability
Durability mainly depends on the material and structure of the machine. The material like steel is suer durable and retains its quality over the years.
WRAP UP - SILAGE MACHINE
Making silage is super supportive for both farmers and animals. This technique has earned fame in various territories due to its extensive benefits. While different types of chaff cutters come with multiple features to carry out some specific purpose. They have different capacities of per hour production.
Moreover, our buying guide and FAQs will answer the questions that would arise in your mind while buying any silage machine.
FAQs
1. Which crops are best for silage?
The best crops for silage are fodder crops that offer essential nutrients. Even green crops such as grass crops are more suitable for fodder ensiling. Therefore, the crops like oats, pearl millet, maize, sorghum, and hybrid Napier with soluble carbohydrates are the best crops for making healthy silage.
2. How to improve the quality of silage?
There are some additives such as urea, salt, molasses, and formic acid that can improve the quality of silage effectively. By adding and spraying the desired amount of that additives, you will definitely find improved silage quality.
3. Which crop is not suitable for silage making?
No doubt, some crops can disturb the quality of silage and also health of animals. The leguminous crops such as cowpea, berseem, lucerne, etc are not good for making silage. But if you spray molasses on these crops then quality of silage might be improved.
4. Which animals eat silage?
The perfectly fermented silage is a healthy diet for cattle, sheep, goats, and other ruminants such as deer, giraffes, etc. Even the cud-chewing animals also love to eat silage.
5. Is silage better than hay?
Yes, Silage is much better than hay as a mechanically harvested content. The major advantages of silage over hay are less field loss and long-time nutrients preservation. However, the weather does not damage the quality of silage.
6. What happens if silage is watery?
The crops should be harvested within a suitable amount of moisture content for silage. Because the silage of watery crops could be poorly fermented and also lose some nutrients due to seepage. Even the crops with a higher concentration of moisture can damage the packing.
7. What is the ensiling process?
Silage is made after the fermentation of multiple grass crops such as maize, sorghum, oats, and cereals. While the process of that fermentation and storage of silage is called ensiling process. This process is also known as silaging.