Silage Cut For Grass Fed Sheep Dairy - All The Year Round
I'm very happy with the fact that we got our silage cut today. I've done a little video of it below showing you the beautiful views with the sunshine and explaining why we cut silage how we prepare it and what we do with it.
Because grass doesnt grow in the winter and because we produce grass fed yogurt and cheese we need to find a way to feed the girls grass in winter. So given we have lots of grass growing in the summer, silage making allows us to preserve the grass, this is done by adding cultures to the cut grass, the cultures start to break down the grass. (they must have anaerobic conditions to do so) These anaerobic conditions are created by the big black silage bales you see around the country side - we wrap the grass in black plastic and this creates those conditions. The grass ends up more digestible for the sheep and tasting delicious and we can open the bales throughout the winter as we go.
Scientific Benefits of Grass Fed Dairy
Recent peer reviewed studies suggest that grass-fed/full-fat dairy contains higher omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and beneficial milk-fat compounds, with generally neutral or modestly positive effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health markers. Studies comparing grass-fed systems consistently show improved fatty-acid profiles in milk and butter — especially higher omega-3 levels and lower omega-6:omega-3 ratios — which are linked to anti-inflammatory and cardiometabolic benefits. So with the added beneift of A2 protein in sheep milk dairy, making it easier to digest, whats not to love?
