Leicestershire: Introducing a multi-cut silage system to improve yield and quality FULLY BOOKED

This event is now fully booked

Join us for an on-farm event at Honeypot Farm to find out how George Wade is hoping to increase both yield and quality of his silage this year by switching to a multi-cut silage system. It will mean George can feed more silage to his milking cows, rather than heifers or dry cows, and it will help push his impressive milk from forage to over 5,000 litres.

 You will hear from Dr George Fisher who is helping George to pinpoint where savings can be made at Honeypot, identify areas of waste and look at how productivity can be improved.

 The session will involve a farm walk and discussion around the silage fields. During the walk we will hear about George’s first year as a Strategic Dairy Farm and find out how his forage plans have fared after a wet winter and a very dry spring. We will also review his silage making, including: 

• Soil health on the silage platform, checking for compaction and biological health
• The nutrient management plan – is it working?
• Sward content, tiller counts and quality

 There will be no refreshments offered at this event.

To assist with biosecurity and conform to government guidelines please ensure outer clothing and vehicles are clean and that clean boots that can be disinfected are worn. Please note children under the age of 16 and dogs are not allowed at the event, even if they are staying in the car.

Health and Safety guidelines for AHDB Events

About Honeypot Farm

Honeypot Farm is based in Husbands Bosworth in Leicestershire and consists of 190 ha of ring-fenced land, of which 98 ha is the grazing platform, supported by 249 ha for forage and youngstock grazing. This autumn block-calving herd consists of 380 Holstein Friesians cows using British, Irish and New Zealand genetics. The herd averages 8,000 litres at 4.3% butterfat and 3.6% protein and generates 5,000 litres from forage. They graze from February through to October and are fed 1.6t of concentrates in the parlour, with silages fed via a forage box. They have a 6-week calved rate of 75% and their age at first calving averages 24 months. They have a replacement rate of 22% and rear all their own replacements.

Honeypot Farm has been operated as a farm partnership between Mr Garner and Martin Wade since 1982. Over time this successful joint venture has expanded, and in 2019 they converted an arable operation at Oak Tree Farm, into a second autumn block-calving dairy business. The day to day operations of the units are managed by Martin’s sons George and Ben, both of whom have returned home after a period away studying civil engineering. They are supported by two full-time and one part-time staff.