How we calculated clamp manager
A series of multiple choice questions where the user is given a result based on the answers given to the questions. Each answer has a score and the results will be dependent on the score achieved. (Scores in brackets below).
1. What type of silage?
- Maize [20]
- Fermented Wholecrop [25]
- Legume/Cereal mix [10]
- Legume [10]
- Grass [5]
2. What is the Percentage Dry Matter?
- Under 25 [10]
- 25-30 [5]
- 1-40 (10)
- 41-50 (15)
- Over 50 (20)
3. What is the ME?
- Over 11 [6]
- 10.5-11 [4]
- 10-10.5 [10]
- Under 10 [8]
4. How is it cut and wilted?
- Direct cut or picked up in a few hours [10]
- Tedded and raked [2]
- Not moved, picked up in 12-24hrs [6]
- Not moved, left more than 24hrs [15]
5. What is the average chop length?
- Under 2 cm [10]
- 2-5 cm [4]
- 5-10 cm [8]
- Over 10 cm [15]
6. How your clamp is best described?
- Vertical or sloping sides, not filled above side walls, slightly domed top [10]
- Vertical or sloping sides, heaped up towards the middle [4]
- Mushroom shaped, no side walls [8]
- Mushroom shaped, low side walls each side [10]
7. How is the clamp filled?
- Fairly steep ramp, moving forward during the fill [10]
- Shallower dorset wedge, gradually moving forwards [10]
- Flat filled, in thin layers from back to front [-10]
How well is it compacted?
- Extremely tight, top to bottom [10]
- Average compaction throughout [6]
- Tight in the bottom, loose in top half [12]
- Should all have been rolled better [18]
9. How is the clamp side sealed?
- No side sheet (12)
- Side sheet with good overlap under top sheet [10]
- Side sheet- no or minimal over [6]
10. Additive application
- Does the product contain an Acid Salt [-12]
- Is it a bacterial/enzyme inoculant [10]
- Nothing is applied [12]
11. How is the clamp covered?
- 1 sheet of black plastic [8]
- 2 sheets of black plastic [10]
- Plastic sheet with woven plastic top cover [10]
- ‘Cling film’ layer under the sheets [-8]
Question 12 How is the clamp covering weighted down?
- Another crop on top before sheeting [10]
- Straw or Silage bales on top [10]
- Touching tyres [10]
- Partial tyre covering [8]
- Lines of sandbags [8]
13. How is the clamp situated?
- Inside poorly ventilated shed [8]
- Inside well ventilated shed [10]
- Outside north facing [10]
- Outside south facing [6]
- Outside exposed windy site [8]
14. How long does it take to cross the face during feedout?
- Under 2 days [10]
- 2-4 days [5]
- 4-6 days [10]
- 6-8 days [15]
- Over 8 days [20]
15. How is the silage removed from the clamp?
- Shear Grab [10]
- Conventional Tined Grab [6]
- Lifted out with loader bucket [8]
- Scraped down material scooped up [10]
- Fed at the face [4]
16 In what conditions is the silage being fed out?
- Cold Winter [10]
- Average Winter [4]
- Mild Autumn [8]
- Warm Spring [12]
- Normal Summer [16]
- Very hot summer [20]
Results Assessment of your Silage Clamp
(Over 100) Very High Risk - Significant amounts of silage may be wasted.
(86-100) - High Risk - Likely to experience heating over much of the face.
(71 - 85) - Medium Risk - Mould may be visible towards top of clamp.
(50 - 70) - Low Risk - Heating possible in top half & shoulders of clamp.
(Under 50) - Minimal Risk - Unlikely to encounter heating during feedout.