Silage Competition
2011 AgriScot Silage Competition Winners
The annual silage competition at AgriScot is always a close run race and this year was no exception.
Once again, the finalists list saw Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Lancashire featuring numerous times but, unlike last year, Ayrshire was pipped at the post for the top slot in both categories.
Messrs James Ballantyne of Auchenheath Farm, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire were crowned winners of the Big Bale competition whilst John and Alistair Cocherane of Glentask Farms County Antrim came out top in the First Cut Clamp category. The First Cut Clamp category averaged 11.5 ME and the Big Bale category averaged 11.1 ME, with dry matter sitting at 61.43 and 38.5 respectively.
Judge Hugh McClymont, farm manager at the Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries was particularly impressed with the attention to detail exhibited this year:
“Despite some challenging weather conditions this year, we have seen some really high quality forage and excellent attention to detail. Nutritionists always encourage us to go for quality over quantity when it comes to forage and the entrants have certainly achieved quality. Growing top quality forage doesn’t just happen by chance. It requires the very best management and once again we have had a high benchmark set this year. Every year the quality just gets better and better."
Andrew Best, from sponsors Watson Seeds, said:
“Forage is the mainstay of any ruminant diet and so the quality of silage can never be underestimated. At Watson Seeds we find it incredibly interesting to see the very best silages and involvement in this competition helps us to advise our clients on how to grow top quality. Building awareness of the best cutting times and the need for detail can really save money on feed bills.
“For entrants in the silage competition it marks the culmination of a year of hard work and so to be rewarded must be extremely satisfying for them. Our clients must see the potential of grass as a crop, and not just as a field, and so by sponsoring this excellent competition we are able to demonstrate its true potential.”
