A MEMBER of the Narberth Grassland Society, Richard Phillips of Orton Farm, has received the latest annual championship award for producing best quality silage given by the Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies together with the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and sponsored by the Wynnstay group and supported by Agri Lloyd.

Whilst the quality of the silage is the key factor the judges also visit each farm to fully assess clamp management and feeding practices amongst other efficiency markers.

On his south facing 420 acres Richard, and his wife, Myfanwy, run a milking herd of 230 cows with an average milk yield of 8,790 kgs at 4.23 per cent butterfat and 3.33 per cent protein. Each year they also fatten some 30 beef cattle.

The winning silage was made predominantly from intermediate and late heading high sugar diploid ryegrass and white clover mixtures which produced an analysis of DM 30.6 per cent, D-value 74.8 per cent, ME 12.0 MJ/kg DM and CP of 14.2 per cent.

For the first cut some 170 acres were taken on 19 May, 150 for the second on 30 June and 130 for the third in August giving a total of about 2,900 tonnes. Each time the grass had been wilted for 24- 36 hours and an additive used and up to seven people were involved in the silage making process and the entire operation too three days -40 acres of forage maize was also grown.

Over the winter period each lactating cow received a daily ration of 32.5 kg grass silage, 12.5 kg maize silage and 9 kg of a concentrate feed.

Technical judge John Evans remarked: “In the competition as a whole the farm inspections were impressive in that we probably only found a forkful of waste between the five clamps examined. Efficient feeding procedures, careful rationing and good all round management were evident wherever we went”.