AgriScot sets out stall for silage contest

Prizes worth £500 are up for grabs in the annual AgriScot silage competition.

The first stage of judging requires farmers to submit silage analysis reports which are then whittled down to a top five list for each class.

Independent assessor Hugh McClymont from Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries will then judge fresh samples at November’s AgriScot event with a live commentary so that visitors can learn how the winning silages were produced.

The presentation will also include tips for silage production and making best use of silage analysis in ration management. A new class has been launched specifically for beef farmers.

Other classes are for dairy farm clamp silage, big-bale silage and the best produced by a young farmer under 26.

Competition organiser Andrew Best said silage-making had been a struggle over large parts of the country this year.

“For dairy farmers in a four-or-morecut system, the weather early in the season was ideal for the production of low-volume, but high-quality silage,” he said.

“From June and July onwards, when most of the silage is made on beef and sheep farms, the weather has been nothing short of a nightmare.

“However, in a challenging year, when silage quality may be compromised, analysing samples from pits, clamps and bale stacks to ascertain feeding value is even more important than normal if animal performance is to be optimised in the coming winter months.”

He said increasing numbers of farmers were taking part in the AgriScot competition every year.

He added: “In previous years, most of our entries, and therefore winners, have come from dairy farms.

“For 2017 we are giving beef and sheep farmers the chance to compete in their own dedicated clamp silage class for the chance to win 10 acres worth of grass seed mixture.”

Entries should be submitted to andrew.best@virgin.net

Silage-making has been a challenge over large parts of the country this year.