In the North of Minas Gerais, the preparation of silage to feed cattle during the dry months is in full swing. The arrival of the dry season requires strategies to guarantee the survival of animals, in the long period in which the absence of rain practically eliminates pastures on rural properties. In this scenario, silage of various green materials will provide food for livestock. Grass, sugar cane, grains such as corn and even cassava foliage are preserved so that they do not lose their nutritional qualities and are attractive to the animals’ taste.
In the municipality of Glaucilândia, about 30 kilometers from Montes Claros, farmers have already harvested corn and forage sorghum for silage production, says Antonio Dumont, agricultural extensionist at the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company of the State of Minas Gerais. Gerais (Emater-MG). The technician adds that capiaçu (a high-yielding elephant grass cultivar) is also gaining ground in the region for the preparation of silage.
For rural producer Kenedy Soares, the arrival of the dry season means the opportunity to increase income. In addition to preparing silage for his animals, he also sells a considerable portion to other producers, not only in Glaucilândia but also in municipalities in the region. “I was one of the first to invest in silage here, around 15 years ago”, recalls Kenedy, who, this year, has already harvested around 250 tons of corn and another 150 tons of sorghum and mombaça grass. “Around here, we only have rain three months of the year. If it weren’t for silage, we wouldn’t be able to keep the cattle”, he concludes.
The producer maintains around 30 dairy cows on the property (not all of them in production) and a farm with approximately 100 pigs. In addition to the income provided by animals, such as cheese production, he counts on sales of silage to municipalities as far away as Grão Mogol, which is around 170 kilometers from Glaucilândia. “Many producers don’t have the labor or machinery to cultivate the forage and then prepare the silage, so, as I have a lot of experience, I already supply the ready-made material”, explains Kenedy.
Cincho silo
To encourage producers to produce their own silage, Emater-MG routinely carries out training in several municipalities on the importance of this technology, mainly to face long periods of drought in the North and Northeast regions of Minas Gerais. In the case of small properties, one of the indications is the assembly of cincho-type silos, which have a reduced cost compared to traditional silos, such as trench silos, which require excavation of the land using machines.
Extensionist Manoel Milton de Sousa, from Emater-MG in Brasília de Minas, highlights that, in meetings with producers, the importance of creating food reserves for the herds is always remembered, to face periods of drought. The technician explains that the cincho silo is ideal for family farming, as properties generally have few animals and also produce little forage material to be transformed into silage. Manoel Milton adds that, if there is a need to feed a larger number of animals, it is possible to make several small silos, which will be opened according to demand, and this way the material is better preserved.
To make the assembly process even easier, he recommends zinc sheets, which are cheaper and lighter than steel sheets. They also save space, as they can be rolled up when not in use. In addition to the metal sheet (generally 50 centimeters high and 10 meters long), the other materials needed are plastic canvas and rope, to package the ensiled material. To close the metal form while compacting is taking place, hinges can be used, joined with a pin, or angles and screws.
In addition to capiaçu grass, various materials can be used for forage, such as sugar cane, corn, sorghum and even cassava branches. A small disintegrator (called a chopper) ensures that the vegetable remains are the ideal size to promote adequate fermentation of the green matter, which will guarantee the durability and quality of the feed for the livestock. The name of the cincho silo is of Italian origin, which means the ring in which the cheese is molded. Due to its small size, this type of silo does not require the use of a tractor to compact the green matter, which can be done by trampling, which makes the technology even more accessible to family farmers.
