photo courtesy of www.farm-images.co.uk

The popular silage clinics are returning to the Dairy Event, to be held at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 September by its organizers, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers.

Farmers are invited to bring along a sample of grass silage, either clamp or big bale, for analysis free of charge. Turn around time is two hours, and a panel of silage experts will be on hand to discuss the outcome and offer advice, explains RABDF's chief executive, Nick Everington. They include IGER's David Davies and Rhun Fychan; SAC's Jennifer Bell and Derek Kennedy; Chris Savery of The Dairy Group; Dr Mike Wilkinson, Chalcombe Agricultural Resources; and independent consultants, Prof David Beever, David Jacklin, Pete Kelly and Dr Cled Thomas.

"We expect tremendous interest in the service which, ultimately, will enable producers to feed more finely tuned diets this coming winter. Analysis will be on a first come basis so it's a case of dropping the samples off early," he says.

An award will be made to the farmer with the overall highest quality sample of silage analysed.

The silage clinic which is being sponsored by Central Laboratories, will be located in the Cattle Centre, between Cattle Sheds 3 and 4, and is open throughout the two day event.