In extreme climate change, UV-resistant silage film comes as one of the answers to face serious challenges. The feed quality is one of the big challenges. The winter and the summer have extreme temperatures that affect the feed stocks. The impacts of the climate extremes include nutrient content reduction, the mold grows faster, and in the end, threatens the livestock’s health. That anti-ultraviolet seal plays a significant role in protecting the feed. Continue reading to explore more.
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The Changes in Climate and Harvest Time
The very first impact of climate change would be the intensity (the coldness for the winter, and the heat for the summer). The sun exposure is more intense, which makes the people uncomfortable, and so is the feed quality. Harvesting is now not according to the timeline and duration (old climate table).
The timeline has changed. For husbandry, it is a big deal because the farmers should have the feedstock for a longer time. It means that in harvest time, they work harder to make more feed. And they have to invest in a better seal quality to keep the feed in good condition. The feed that is directly exposed to the sunlight will be damaged easily. The moisture level will be higher with the vitamin, protein and cellulose content decrease.
Reducing the Spoilage and the Feed Loss
Spoilage of any factor is the biggest problem in husbandry. The effects are the loss of replacing it with the new one (financial) and the livestock’s health that is at stake. In an area with extreme summer, the feed that is sealed with a conventional wrap could be broken easily. The air penetrates the bale and welcomes the microbes that start to damage the outside layer.
Switching to UV-resistant silage film strengthens the feed to be tough to face physical damage and radiation-based damage. The effect of drastic temperature change can be avoided. Both moisture and heat are blocked. It erases the possibility of mold growth and pathogenic microorganisms. The zero-feed waste can be achieved, and the production cost can be maximized.
Mycotoxin and Livestock Health
The risk of mycotoxin and pathogenic microorganisms attack is due to the high temperature. The sun exposure is the source of that. Mycotoxins decrease productivity by disturbing the digestive system.
The immune system weakens. Besides the profit decrease because the dairy products and meat are out of stock, the livestock’s health is not in good condition. The UV-resistant silage film helps to resolve those problems.
It kept the moisture at a balanced level. It also blocks the heat that comes from the sun exposure, which encourages the mold growth on the silage surface. Using this sunlight-protected wrap boosts the performance of the livestock by minimizing health problems. The livestock get the best nutrients from the feed, and the farmers do not lose any feed.
The Small Farmland Business, Power and Adaptation
The farmers who do not have a proper storage facility indoors solve the storage problem by putting the feed stock in an open space. Any weather things could easily reach the bales. For your information, although the name suggests that the seal is proof of sun exposure, the seal could also protect from outside disturbance like the wildlife attack, wind, rain, etc.
The bales that are stored in open space are safe, although they cannot give perfect protection like a fully indoor space. At least it protects better than the conventional seal. It already reduces spoilage and feed loss so that the farmers have good feedstock.
Economic Profit, Cost and Productivity
As the starter, the weatherproof wrap charges more for purchase. The conventional ones are indeed cheaper. To pay for the feature that doesn’t exist in the other seals, yes, it is more expensive.
However, the long-term profit shows significant profit related to the reduced feed waste and the faster handling time. The high-quality feed supply prevents the livestock from seeing a veterinarian too often. The expensive supplement purchase can also be avoided because the livestock already get enough nutrients from the feed. The death rate in the husbandry decreases significantly.
The analysis on cost shows that the feed waste caused by spoilage could be higher than the percentage of the whole feed production. If the weatherproof wrap could reduce the percentage (although just a few), the savings could pay for the purchase of this material. It cannot be stated as a loss; it is a great investment that has to be considered.
The quality (meat, milk, and other products) is also leveled up for it is affected by the feed that the livestock eat. The oxidized feed or exposed mycotoxin could give an unpleasant aroma to the milk. It also decreases the meat’s deliciousness, which will affect the customer demand. The use of UV-resistant silage film might be a small step, but very advantageous and almost covers all elements.
