The art of silage compaction is not new, and has been practised for donkeys’ years. Every farmer tries to make the best-quality silage possible, but in reality, it all happens in a short period of time.
With the majority of first-cut silage clashing on most farms, contractors are being placed under more and more pressure to get their clients’ silage ensiled in short weather windows. As machines get bigger and grass comes into silage pits faster and faster, the art of silage compaction has never been more important.
When it comes to making high-quality silage, farmers in Northern Ireland on multi-cut systems often make as good as forage as what’s out there. In recent years, we have seen manufacturers such as Tusk Machinery, MDE, Watson and ProDig entering this space.
'When compacting, I charge farmers £40/hour if they supply fuel, £47/hour if I supply the fuel, or I hire out the compactor for £125-£150/day.'
To find out more about silage compactors and how they work, I spoke with Tusk Machinery and some farmers/contractors using its equipment to see if it is worth the investment.
What does the research say? “The compaction process is the most important process in silage making. This process is necessary to increase the density and remove oxygen from inside the silage as much as possible. Higher silage-density and quality can be achieved by applying more compaction on the silage. It was indicated in the literature that the density of silage was variable in silage silos”
– Muck and Holmes, 2000; Roy et al., 2001; Tan et al., 2018.
Tusk Machinery currently have three options available- the T600, T800 and the T800 side shift. \ Houston Green
The machines
Based near Ballynahinch in Co Down, Tusk Machinery is one of a number of companies manufacturing silage compactors. Having started with compactors in 2020, the firm currently has three options available: the T600, T800 and the T800 side shift.
With a 3-metre working width, the T600 has a 600mm barrel and an empty weight of 1,750kg, with the option to increase this to 2,500kg, when full of water. Also, with a 3-metre working width, the T800 has an 800mm barrel and an empty weight of 2,040kg, ballasting up to 3,500kg when filled with water.
The T800 side shift is the flagship machine. It features an 800mm barrel with an empty weight of 2,290kg, a full weight of 3,750kg and features an 800mm stroke ram, meaning it has 400mm travel to either side of the machine, for compacting along pit walls. With a 3-metre working width, it comes with 16 heavy duty steel rollers and a central grease bank as standard, while it has the option of lights. Tusk has said its T800 would be the most popular model in the UK and Ireland.
The T600 is priced at £5,850, the T800 at £6,550 and the T800 SS at £7,750, with all prices plus VAT.
All models have an available add-on of detachable Tusk leaf weights which allow users to easily add 500kg or 1,000kg at a time, which sit on the frame on top of the compactor.
'Silage compactors aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but everyone needs to try it.'
All models have two 80mm triple-sealed heavy duty bearings (each bearing can withstand 13.5t) and rubber/nylon side rollers to protect silo walls and compactors. Tusk Machinery told the Irish Farmers Journal that the demand for compactors is really starting to take off, with requests for even larger models for the US and 2.5-metre wide models for the European market.
Farmer’s opinion
Based in Gilford, between Portadown and Banbridge in Co Down, Adam Waugh runs a farm-scale anaerobic digester and a large beef finishing unit.
“We typically cut 300ac of grass silage three times and cut another 100ac between maize and forage rye,” Adam says.
“Our silos have walls, and are 37ft wide and 100ft long.
“We typically wait until there is approximately 10 loads tipped in the pit, before beginning to compact. I looked at a compactor years ago in the UK, before they were common place.
“That particular machine was made from old train wheels. We bought the new Tusk compactor last year.
“We run the 3.5t compactor on a New Holland T6.180.
“With a big loader and a silage compactor on the pit, you need two good operators that know what they’re at, so one doesn’t hold up the other,” he adds.
In times like this, the compactor is essential
“I think the art of perfecting the compaction process is to make the pit long straight away. It does mean that the loader driver has to carry more grass to the back of the clamp, but the overall pit is getting a better rolling. Loader drivers often don’t get much time on the pit anymore. Often times our contractor might bring two forage harvesters to get the silage in before the rain.
'We’re definitely happy with the compactor. You can still get some waste alongside the walls, but overall it does allow you to fit more forage into the pit.' \ Houston Green
“In times like this, the compactor is essential. We’re definitely happy with the compactor. You can still get some waste alongside the walls, but overall it does allow you to fit more forage into the pit,” Adam said.
Contractor’s opinion
Irish Farmers Journal caught up with Alan Graham, based between Drumbo and Lisburn in Co Down. With a lifetime’s experience milking cows and contracting, Alan’s business today only focuses on mowing, raking and compacting silage. Currently running two silage compactors, he has a third machine ordered for the coming silage season.
“I have been following silage compactors closely on the continent for several years,” Alan says. “I priced several machines in Europe, before I made the investment in my first silage compactor in 2023. I demo-ed a machine, and after two hours of use I bought it, the job it was doing was unbelievable.
“Silage compactors aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but everyone needs to try one. I started pushing up silage back in the day with a Massey Ferguson 35X, and it’s not rocket science, but in my opinion from making silage for over 40 years, young fresh leafy grass in a multi-cut system needs to be correctly compacted for it to ensile properly,” he adds.
You also need to have a good man on the compactor. The compactor operator needs to work in tandem with the loader
“I typically start compacting the pit one hour after the contractor has started cutting silage. When you build from the start, the pit is continually compacted, its safer and you will fit more forage into it. We have found the ideal speed to be 3mph – too fast and it is a waste of time. I usually will spend one hour rolling it once the last load of grass has been tipped.
In terms of pricing, the Tusk T600 is priced at £5,850, the T800 at £6,550 and the T800 SS at £7,750, with all prices plus VAT.
“To be straight and honest, silage contractors probably won’t go down this route, because it will be another tractor and another implement, at a time when manpower is very limited. You also need to have a good man on the compactor. The compactor operator needs to work in tandem with the loader driver. They cannot afford to hold up the loader, everything needs to keep moving,” he explained.
I couldn’t recommend a silage compactor enough
“I have two compactors, one is ballasted up to 5t and runs on a New Holland T7050, while the other is 3t and runs on either a John Deere 6910 or a 6630. I charge farmers £40/hour if they supply fuel, £47/hour if I supply the fuel, or I hire out the compactor for £125-£150/day. I’m very happy with the Tusk machine, it’s well put together and it’s well finished.
“You need to see it in action to believe it. I couldn’t recommend a silage compactor enough; it’s the coming thing for silage preservation. It does add more expense, but I think it’s worth the investment. A silage compactor will not turn bad silage into good silage, but it will turn good silage into better silage,” says Alan.
The art of silage compaction is not new, and has been practised for donkeys’ years. Every farmer tries to make the best-quality silage possible, but in reality, it all happens in a short period of time.
With the majority of first-cut silage clashing on most farms, contractors are being placed under more and more pressure to get their clients’ silage ensiled in short weather windows. As machines get bigger and grass comes into silage pits faster and faster, the art of silage compaction has never been more important.
When it comes to making high-quality silage, farmers in Northern Ireland on multi-cut systems often make as good as forage as what’s out there. In recent years, we have seen manufacturers such as Tusk Machinery, MDE, Watson and ProDig entering this space.
'When compacting, I charge farmers £40/hour if they supply fuel, £47/hour if I supply the fuel, or I hire out the compactor for £125-£150/day.'
To find out more about silage compactors and how they work, I spoke with Tusk Machinery and some farmers/contractors using its equipment to see if it is worth the investment.
What does the research say?
“The compaction process is the most important process in silage making. This process is necessary to increase the density and remove oxygen from inside the silage as much as possible. Higher silage-density and quality can be achieved by applying more compaction on the silage. It was indicated in the literature that the density of silage was variable in silage silos”
– Muck and Holmes, 2000; Roy et al., 2001; Tan et al., 2018.
Tusk Machinery currently have three options available- the T600, T800 and the T800 side shift. \ Houston Green
The machines
Based near Ballynahinch in Co Down, Tusk Machinery is one of a number of companies manufacturing silage compactors. Having started with compactors in 2020, the firm currently has three options available: the T600, T800 and the T800 side shift.
With a 3-metre working width, the T600 has a 600mm barrel and an empty weight of 1,750kg, with the option to increase this to 2,500kg, when full of water. Also, with a 3-metre working width, the T800 has an 800mm barrel and an empty weight of 2,040kg, ballasting up to 3,500kg when filled with water.
The T800 side shift is the flagship machine. It features an 800mm barrel with an empty weight of 2,290kg, a full weight of 3,750kg and features an 800mm stroke ram, meaning it has 400mm travel to either side of the machine, for compacting along pit walls. With a 3-metre working width, it comes with 16 heavy duty steel rollers and a central grease bank as standard, while it has the option of lights. Tusk has said its T800 would be the most popular model in the UK and Ireland.
The T600 is priced at £5,850, the T800 at £6,550 and the T800 SS at £7,750, with all prices plus VAT.
All models have an available add-on of detachable Tusk leaf weights which allow users to easily add 500kg or 1,000kg at a time, which sit on the frame on top of the compactor.
'Silage compactors aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but everyone needs to try it.'
All models have two 80mm triple-sealed heavy duty bearings (each bearing can withstand 13.5t) and rubber/nylon side rollers to protect silo walls and compactors. Tusk Machinery told the Irish Farmers Journal that the demand for compactors is really starting to take off, with requests for even larger models for the US and 2.5-metre wide models for the European market.
Farmer’s opinion
Based in Gilford, between Portadown and Banbridge in Co Down, Adam Waugh runs a farm-scale anaerobic digester and a large beef finishing unit.
“We typically cut 300ac of grass silage three times and cut another 100ac between maize and forage rye,” Adam says.
“Our silos have walls, and are 37ft wide and 100ft long.
“We typically wait until there is approximately 10 loads tipped in the pit, before beginning to compact. I looked at a compactor years ago in the UK, before they were common place.
“That particular machine was made from old train wheels. We bought the new Tusk compactor last year.
“We run the 3.5t compactor on a New Holland T6.180.
“With a big loader and a silage compactor on the pit, you need two good operators that know what they’re at, so one doesn’t hold up the other,” he adds.
In times like this, the compactor is essential
“I think the art of perfecting the compaction process is to make the pit long straight away. It does mean that the loader driver has to carry more grass to the back of the clamp, but the overall pit is getting a better rolling. Loader drivers often don’t get much time on the pit anymore. Often times our contractor might bring two forage harvesters to get the silage in before the rain.
'We’re definitely happy with the compactor. You can still get some waste alongside the walls, but overall it does allow you to fit more forage into the pit.' \ Houston Green
“In times like this, the compactor is essential. We’re definitely happy with the compactor. You can still get some waste alongside the walls, but overall it does allow you to fit more forage into the pit,” Adam said.
Contractor’s opinion
Irish Farmers Journal caught up with Alan Graham, based between Drumbo and Lisburn in Co Down. With a lifetime’s experience milking cows and contracting, Alan’s business today only focuses on mowing, raking and compacting silage. Currently running two silage compactors, he has a third machine ordered for the coming silage season.
“I have been following silage compactors closely on the continent for several years,” Alan says. “I priced several machines in Europe, before I made the investment in my first silage compactor in 2023. I demo-ed a machine, and after two hours of use I bought it, the job it was doing was unbelievable.
“Silage compactors aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but everyone needs to try one. I started pushing up silage back in the day with a Massey Ferguson 35X, and it’s not rocket science, but in my opinion from making silage for over 40 years, young fresh leafy grass in a multi-cut system needs to be correctly compacted for it to ensile properly,” he adds.
You also need to have a good man on the compactor. The compactor operator needs to work in tandem with the loader
“I typically start compacting the pit one hour after the contractor has started cutting silage. When you build from the start, the pit is continually compacted, its safer and you will fit more forage into it. We have found the ideal speed to be 3mph – too fast and it is a waste of time. I usually will spend one hour rolling it once the last load of grass has been tipped.
In terms of pricing, the Tusk T600 is priced at £5,850, the T800 at £6,550 and the T800 SS at £7,750, with all prices plus VAT.
“To be straight and honest, silage contractors probably won’t go down this route, because it will be another tractor and another implement, at a time when manpower is very limited. You also need to have a good man on the compactor. The compactor operator needs to work in tandem with the loader driver. They cannot afford to hold up the loader, everything needs to keep moving,” he explained.
I couldn’t recommend a silage compactor enough
“I have two compactors, one is ballasted up to 5t and runs on a New Holland T7050, while the other is 3t and runs on either a John Deere 6910 or a 6630. I charge farmers £40/hour if they supply fuel, £47/hour if I supply the fuel, or I hire out the compactor for £125-£150/day. I’m very happy with the Tusk machine, it’s well put together and it’s well finished.
“You need to see it in action to believe it. I couldn’t recommend a silage compactor enough; it’s the coming thing for silage preservation. It does add more expense, but I think it’s worth the investment. A silage compactor will not turn bad silage into good silage, but it will turn good silage into better silage,” says Alan.
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