Silage feeding for laying hens (OK-Net Ecofeed Practice Abstract)

High-quality silage can provide nutrients for the hen and encourage natural foraging behaviour, thus reducing the risk for feather pecking. Growing protein-rich silage helps increase self-sufficiency and improve the crop rotation of the organic poultry farms. \n \nPractical recommendation \n• Choose the silage type(s) that provides the best yield and quality, depending on soil type and weather conditions. \n• The silage has to be finely chopped. \n• Silage generally has to be preserved under proper conditions to optimize the fermentation process. \n• Analyse the protein content of the silage and other nutrients if possible. \n• Avoid silage with anti-nutritional factors. \n• Investing in an automatic feeding system (robot) is recommended for larger flocks to distribute the silage evenly and encourage the hens to eat it. \n• Including the chemical content of the silage in the feed formulation could be an advantage, when feeding higher amounts per hen per day (>20 g per day).