The harvesting of maize crops is underway on farms, but caution is advised with sticky conditions leading to muck being brought onto roads.
The weather has played havoc with the harvesting of crops and grazing on farms this autumn. Conditions are soft underfoot, which creates the risk of muck or mud being brought onto the public road by agricultural vehicles harvesting crops.
Maize
Harvesting maize crops can be challenging to say the least, especially in a year with a wet back end.
Once you have determined that the crop is at the optimum dry matter (DM) content of 30-33%, it should be harvested promptly.
The aim is a chopping height of 1.5-2cm and it is recommended to avoid cutting plants too low to the ground.
Like grass silage, you should fill the pit quickly and consolidate the crop well. Once the pit has been rolled well, it should be completely sealed to allow for anaerobic fermentation to take place.
Ensure the sheet used to cover the pit is weighed down with tyres, sand bags or whatever you use on the pit.
The digestibility and starch content of maize silage improves with time in the clamp.
Where possible, a maize crop should be left to ferment for at least one month before feeding. This is to allow the pH and feed quality of the crop to stabilise.
But unlike grass silage, maize silage can be fed to cows straight away if required.
Mud on roads
Farmers and contractors harvesting maize crops need to be careful over the coming days and weeks.
Getting the crops harvested is important, but bringing muck or mud on the road can be a potential hazard to motorists.
Under Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993 it is an offence to deposit materials on a public road, or to permit mud or anything that falls from a vehicle to remain on the public road, so as to cause a hazard or potential hazard to road users, or to obstruct or interfere with the safe use of the road.
An effort should be made to ensure that excessive muck or mud is not brought onto the road and if it is there should an effort made to remove it.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) advises that wheels are washed regularly to avoid carrying mud and stones onto the public road.
They also reminded drives of agricultural vehicles to avoid overloading of trailers and to look out for low bridges; overhanging trees; overhead cables and uneven road surfaces which could cause the load to shift and possibly overturn.