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Potential for Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) in Grass Silage Production: Agronomics, system design and economics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2017

P. R. Hargreaves ,
S. Peets ,
W. C. T. Chamen ,
D. R. White ,
P. A. Misiewicz  and
R. J. Godwin
P. R. Hargreaves*
Affiliation:
SRUC Dairy Research and Innovation Centre, Dumfries, UK
S. Peets
Affiliation:
Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, UK
W. C. T. Chamen
Affiliation:
CTF Europe, Maulden, Bedfordshire, UK
D. R. White
Affiliation:
Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, UK
P. A. Misiewicz
Affiliation:
Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, UK
R. J. Godwin
Affiliation:
Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, UK
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Grassland silage management is generally ad hoc resulting in soil compaction damage. Literature suggests grass yield reductions of 5 to 74% through compaction (UK mean 13%), while a 2015 study, reported here, comparing grass dry matter (DM) yield between controlled traffic farming (CTF) and normal management (N), found a 13.5% (0.80 t ha−1) increase for CTF. Commercially available grass forage equipment with widths of 3 to 12 m set up for CTF reduced trafficked areas from 80%–90% for N to 40%–13%. Economic analysis based on 13% increase in DM for 2 and 3 cut systems, gave an increased grass value between £38 ha−1 and £98 ha−1. CTF for multi-cut grass silage effectively increases yields by reducing compaction and sward damage.

Keywords

grasslandeconomic analysisforage equipment
Type
Precision Pasture
Information
Advances in Animal Biosciences , Volume 8 , Special Issue 2: Papers presented at the 11th European Conference on Precision Agriculture (ECPA 2017), John McIntyre Centre, Edinburgh, UK, July 16–20 2017 , July 2017 , pp. 776 - 781
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2017 

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