XtraBlatt Issue 02-2017

MENSCHEN ON-FARM
1
ped grass per year, or an average 800 to 900 ha per cut.
“As a tendency, we’re getting more forage maize to chop
on the Alb, despite the despite its relatively short growth
period and yields between 30 and 70 t/ha fresh material.
This means that in 2017 we’ll cover around 700 ha with
both machines. Percentage of chopped grass silage also
increases slightly this year at the expense of round bale
silage,” calculates Johannes Vöhringer.
He sees one reason for this in the substantial expansion
of some full-time dairy farming enterprises. In his experience,
these units use a higher share of maize silage in
their rations. On the other hand, based on numbers, their
customer circle comprises relatively many horse keeping
enterprises as well as livestock farms run as part-time
units. “This means hay – of which we bale around 700
ha annually – continues to be important for us”, he reports
further. “Not to be forgotten, either, are the regular
customers that we service with our forage wagons. In
2017 this work represented about 400 journeys in total,”
reckons Christian Vöhringer. The family business contracts
for a good 250 customers within a 30-km radius,
from a shepherd with five sheep right up to dairy farmers
with 300 cows.
of 37 mm. Where grass is chopped in the silage harvester,
cut lengths vary between 3 and 25 mm, while in maize
this is generally between 4 and 10 mm, according to the
contractor. On the other hand, biogas making customers
nearly all want 4 to 6 mm chops. “Long chop is less commonly
requested here. The high dry matter content in
2016 meant this was out of the question anyway, and
in 2017 there’s only limited interest. This is logical. After
all the farmer continues to depend on straw and grass in
the feed ration,” explains Johannes Vöhringer.
QUALITY IS
IMPORTANT
The experience of both brothers indicates that much
more important than chop length is degree of cob processing
with maize. “Five or six years back, the most
important thing was that all the grains were cracked.
Farmers put a lot of value on as many grains as possible
being at least quartered. But now every grain should, as
far as possible, be quasi milled in order to achieve best
possible digestion in the rumen. In short: the grain treatment
is decisive. And this represents a challenge for us as
contractors,” he stresses.
Naturally dependent on size of client farms and livestock
type is the favoured silage chop length, continues Johannes
Vöhringer. Where the silage wagons are used, the
full number of 46 knives is in action, giving a chop length
Without a doubt, this aim is technically possible through
narrow setting of the cracker rollers, he explains. Up until
now, both harvesters work with roller crackers. Certainly,
already considered are plans for disc crackers, although
28