Limerick City and County Council reminds farmers of regulations ahead of silage season

Despite the current cold spell and consequent slowdown in grass growth the silage-making season will soon be upon us.

Limerick City and County Council is writing to advise all farmers of their obligations to ensure that all effluents arising from silage operations are collected, stored and managed in accordance with the requirements set out in the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2022 (as amended).

Silage effluent is a particularly potent pollutant – (200 times more polluting potential than raw domestic sewage). It is essential that all effluents arising from the silage making process are collected, stored and managed in a manner which ensures that water quality is not impacted.

PRIOR TO MAKING SILAGE

Ensure that the silage base and associated collecting channels are free from defect. Where repairs are required, seek professional advice.

See Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine building specifications:

S. 128 - Minimum Specification for Concrete Silage Bases &

S.128A – Minimum Specification for Re-Surfacing of Silo Floors

Only use proprietary sealants where required.

WHEN MAKING PIT SILAGE

It is important that you know how much silage your slab is capable of storing. For example if your pit is designed to store 50 acres of silage at normal yield then that is all that should be stored in the pit. A lot of the problems with effluent arise from farmers attempting to ensile more silage than the slab is designed to hold. Additional silage should be stored on another slab or made into round bales.

Wilt the grass prior to ensiling - this helps ensure that dry matter content is at a level where release of effluent is minimized (at least 30% dm should be attained).

Ensure that grass is kept behind the drainage channels on the base and ensure that the drainage channels are kept free from blockage.

Ensure that the polythene cover extends beyond the channels. Check regularly to ensure that all effluents are being collected. Ensure that collection tank is fit-for-purpose and is never allowed to overflow. Regularly check field drains and streams (throughout the year) to ensure that farm effluents are not being directed away from effluent storage facilities. This is particularly important at silage-making time and when the pit is opened over the Winter period.

Directly ensiled grass can release up to 30 litres of effluent per tonne for the first few days after ensiling so keep a constant eye on effluent collection tank.

Where silage effluent is landspread, it should be diluted at least 1:1 with slurry. Ensure that adequate buffer zones are maintained to ensure waters are protected.

In the event that silage effluent is observed leaking from the pit, you must ensure that measures are taken to prevent entry to surface or ground waters. You are obliged to report any such issue to Limerick City and County Council at 061556000 or on the out of hours emergency phone: 061-417833

There shall be no direct connection of a pipe from the farmyard to any watercourse.