Every farmer knows the top of the clamp is never as good as the rest. Far fewer put a number on it. Once you do, the cost of “normal” spoilage often looks very different. Here’s a simple way to work out what your clamp is really losing.
Step 1: Estimate the silage at risk
Take the top metre of your clamp. Multiply its length by its width and by one metre to get the volume in cubic metres, then multiply by your silage density (use your own figure if you have measured it). As an illustration only: a clamp 30 m long and 10 m wide has about 300 m³ in the top metre, and at an assumed 650 kg per m³ that is roughly 195 tonnes of silage.
Step 2: Decide how much of it you lose
Think about a typical season. How much of that top layer is thrown away, and how much is fed at reduced quality? Even if only a fifth is wasted, that is about 39 tonnes in our illustration: feed you paid to grow, harvest, chop and compact.
Step 3: Put a price on it
Multiply the tonnes lost by what silage costs you per tonne to produce or buy. Then add the hidden costs: the labour of removing spoiled silage, the lower intake and performance of animals fed heated or mouldy feed, and the plastic and time you spend on the clamp.
Step 4: Compare it with prevention
An oxygen barrier film costs more per roll than standard PE film, so the right question is the cost per tonne of silage saved, not the price per metre. Silostop Agri offers an ROI calculator on its UK website so you can test the sums with your own numbers. Silostop also quotes a return of around 6:1 with its Orange and Anti-UV covers, though your own result will depend on your clamp and management.
Reduce losses whatever film you use
- Fill and compact quickly and thoroughly
- Seal as soon as filling is finished
- Weight the cover so there are no gaps, with a fully sealed perimeter
- Inspect the cover regularly and repair any holes straight away
- Keep the feed-out face tidy and work across it quickly
To protect the surface, walls and edges, see Silostop Orange, Silostop Wall Film and Silostop Gravel Bags.
Official Silostop distributor in Pakistan
Teepo Industries International is the official distributor of Silostop Agri products in Pakistan. Silostop Agri is a UK-based global brand in silage protection, and you can read more about the company and its range on silostop.com. Buying through us means genuine Silostop product, local stock in Karachi and access to the manufacturer’s factsheets, guides and ROI calculator.
Want help protecting your clamp? Contact us for pricing and availability. WhatsApp: +92 334 8223300 | Phone: +92 21 36962804-5
