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Dow’s 2005 season big bale silage survey reveals strong trend towards haylage
Most farmers opting for off-site waste disposal under new legislation Horgen, Switzerland - July 31, 2006 The annual bale wrap survey sponsored by Dow, the manufacturer of DOWLEX™ Polyethylene (PE) Resins, uncovers a substantial increase in baling silage for horses, known as haylage, and a move to regular use of green film as well as black. As in the 2003 and 2004 Dow sponsored surveys, grass silage remains the dominant crop for baling, but production of haylage increased across the board. Seventy per cent of respondents are now making haylage compared with forty per cent in 2004, therefore indicating a sharp increase in demand in the equestrian market place. Mark Saurin, Dow’s European silage films market manager, said: “In the last 10 years, the benefits of haylage as part of horse nutrition have been increasingly recognised by veterinarians and owners. We expect it will continue to displace hay as a core element of equine fodder.” “Haylage offers distinct advantages over hay, such as a superior nutritional value, improved hygiene, easier palatability, and increased rate of feed intake. Haylage can also eliminate dust and spores commonly found in hay and so has become very popular for competition horses, where fitness and easy breathing is crucial. Haylage is an important alternative to hay and other feeds which horse owners and breeders should consider.” The survey also looked at respondents’ attitudes to the new legislation for the disposal of farm waste. Forty-two per cent have opted for off-farm disposal at a licensed site, with only 14 per cent investing in on farm facilities to recycle under license. Unsurprisingly, the majority of respondents feel that the new requirements will result in more money and time being spent on the disposal of waste. The 2005 season survey shows a continued increase in the use of six and eight layers, and a decrease in the number of respondents using four layers for all their bales. In 2005, 68 per cent of producers used four layers for at least some of their baling, 72 per cent used six layers and 25 per cent used eight layers. Looking specifically at haylage, more than half used six layers, with 13 per cent using four layers and 17 per cent wrapping bales with eight layers. Saurin says: “Farmers and contractors are increasingly recognising the economic benefits and reduction in feed loss achieved from an increased number of layers of bale wrap used. Recent work at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) in partnership with Dow has proved considerable benefits in wrapping high quality baled silage with six layers of film. The additional film layering provides a more robust oxygen barrier, resulting in less spoilage of bales by yeasts and moulds, as well as more stable and consistent silage at feed out, with obvious financial benefits.” The traditional choice of black film remains the most popular wrap colour, with 90 per cent using it in 2005. However, a slight decrease has been seen in the number saying that it was their only colour choice in 2005. The overall use of green film has increased to 67 per cent in 2005, compared to 54 per cent in 2004. This may be attributable to the increase in wrapping for haylage, as green is the common choice for this. “The results of the 2005 survey are very encouraging,” said Dow’s Mark Saurin. “We see greater market awareness of the economic benefits provided by bale silage compared to other storage methods. It also shows greater recognition of the importance of using high quality films to reduce waste to an absolute minimum to improve profitability.” “The feedback that the survey has provided over the past three seasons is a valuable source of user information, which helps shape our future investment in product and technical innovation for the silage market.” Notes to editors: Survey conducted in UK as a self completion questionnaire in conjunction with ‘Farm Contractor and Large Scale Farmer’ in May 2006. DOWLEX polyethylene resins, designed and adapted for bale wrapping films, are made of low density linear polyethylene. About The Dow Chemical Company Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of science and technology to improve living daily. The Company offers a broad range of innovative products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $46 billion and employs 42,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. For more information on Dow and its activities in the silage market, please visit www.dowsilage.com or request specific information via the following e-mail address: dow@silage.com.
For Editorial Information:
Shanna Wendt
Chloe Joint
Jane Grey |
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