Silage sampling

A key step in late pregnancy nutrition for ewes is knowing the feed value of silage being used. In this episode of the OviCast podcast, sheep specialist Damian Costello joins Ciarán Carroll to explain the process of silage sampling in more detail, from the equipment needed to the process of taking the sample itself. Damian then highlights the importance of getting a representative sample and why it’s necessary to take a number of samples where silages from different harvest dates are being used. He moves on to discuss the preparation of that sample for sending and how to make use the results once you receive them. Finally, Damian encourages anyone who hasn’t taken a sample to do so to know the feed value of the silage their using. For more episodes from OviCast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast/