Slugs in Silage

Torquoise

Hi there,

Hearing a few stories about slugs in silage... Anyone having a major problem with it??

Also does anyone know if it's dangerous to feed it to your cattle if there are a lot of slugs in it?

Birdnuts

Hard to avoid slugs in the averge Irish summer and cattle are as likely to pick up as many if not more out grazing in this type of weather. Some years you find more slugs in baled silage then others but I can't say its ever been an issue in my small suckler herd down west on fairly heavy land. Its certainly never been mentioned by my inlaws(who mainly run my show and are experieced stock handlers) as a problem.

kevthegaff

Birdnuts wrote: »

Hard to avoid slugs in the averge Irish summer and cattle are as likely to pick up as many if not more out grazing in this type of weather. Some years you find more slugs in baled silage then others but I can't say its ever been an issue in my small suckler herd down west on fairly heavy land. Its certainly never been mentioned by my inlaws(who mainly run my show and are experieced stock handlers) as a problem.

A friend was saying a lad opened put couple of weeks ago and lost a bullock, week later lost another. Got it sampled, slugs in the silage contamination. Hard to believe?

Birdnuts

kevthegaff wrote: »

A friend was saying a lad opened put couple of weeks ago and lost a bullock, week later lost another. Got it sampled, slugs in the silage contamination. Hard to believe?

Theres alot of poor quality baled silage about this year which has the potential to go "bad" for a variety of reasons - who tested the bale and what exactly in terms of bacteria, yeast,virus etc. killed the bullock??

PS: Just how many slugs are we talking about - like was it black with them or what??

maidhc

I have heard similar anecdotes.

Atilathehun

kevthegaff wrote: »

Birdnuts wrote: »

Hard to avoid slugs in the averge Irish summer and cattle are as likely to pick up as many if not more out grazing in this type of weather. Some years you find more slugs in baled silage then others but I can't say its ever been an issue in my small suckler herd down west on fairly heavy land. Its certainly never been mentioned by my inlaws(who mainly run my show and are experieced stock handlers) as a problem.

A friend was saying a lad opened put couple of weeks ago and lost a bullock, week later lost another. Got it sampled, slugs in the silage contamination. Hard to believe?

A man told me that a man told him kind if story! Was there intoxicating liquor involved at any stage of passing the story?

Conflats

Asked the vet 3 weeks ago when he was out doing the herd test and he said they were poisonous in large quantities

Manoffeeling

Is there protein in slugs?

Silvics

Manoffeeling wrote: »

Is there protein in slugs?

About 14%.
There's a recorded story of a poor widowed woman in England in the 1600s with kids who were exceptionally healthy. It was decided that she was probably a witch, and at her trial it was put to her that her magic made her kids so strong and that this had to be the only explanation. She took them to her home and showed than a barrel of slugs preserved in brine. This is what the family survived on. She was acquitted.

rocky bilboa

Heard myself that the trail these black slugs left behind was cause of contamination and farmers that got silage tested through teagasc were advised not to feed silage as samples had botulism in them

bbam

rocky bilboa wrote: »

Heard myself that the trail these black slugs left behind was cause of contamination and farmers that got silage tested through teagasc were advised not to feed silage as samples had botulism in them

Does anyone know if this could be a risk if grazing ground was heavily contaminated with black slugs?

pakalasa

"Slugs
Slugs are evident on almost all swards of grass that I have walked lately.
They can cause severe contamination to silage, with major animal health consequences.
There are reports of animal deaths in the last week due to feeding of very fresh silage contaminated with slugs. This must be avoided at all costs."

From;
http://www.irishexaminer.com/farming/dairy/winter-fodder-shortage-is-inevitable-this-year-201178.html

Examiner - Thursday, July 19, 2012

Any know if slugs are only a problem in freshly made silage?

jimmy G M

I'd say wrapping bales at early in the morn and late in the evening when slugs are most active should be avoided?

I cut the lawn the other day and the amount of slugs on top of the grass late that evening was unreal. Never seen a year like this for slugs.

nashmach

pakalasa wrote: »

Any know if slugs are only a problem in freshly made silage?

That is what it reads like to me too.

They are unavoidable this year anyway no matter what type of land. You can't even walk up a tillage field without being covered in them at the moment.

Our silage cut 2 weeks had quite a few but left it wilt and baled it at 6pm and no sign of them in the bales.

Bales were left unwrapped in the yard overnight and didn't see any on the ground at that stage so hopefully should be fine.

LostCovey

rocky bilboa wrote: »

Heard myself that the trail these black slugs left behind was cause of contamination and farmers that got silage tested through teagasc were advised not to feed silage as samples had botulism in them

Urban myth. Or rural equivalent thereof.

LC

reilig

Yesterday's FJ confirms that it was only a rumour. No silage was lost and no animals died as a result of slugs in silage.

I wonder did the rumour start here?? :D:D:D

redzerologhlen

reilig wrote: »

Yesterday's FJ confirms that it was only a rumour. No silage was lost and no animals died as a result of slugs in silage.

I wonder did the rumour start here?? :D:D:D

I seen where it said "whole threads on internet forums dedicated to it". Who knew the comedians read boards

Manoffeeling

rocky bilboa wrote: »

Heard myself that the trail these black slugs left behind was cause of contamination and farmers that got silage tested through teagasc were advised not to feed silage as samples had botulism in them

Take great care then when washing your lettuce!

Where is the proof?

ravima

Botulism????

There is a theory that decaying vegetation such as slug infested silage can cause botulism which is fatal to bovines. its not only chicken ****, but bad **** that causes it!!!!!!!!!

LostCovey

ravima wrote: »

Botulism????

There is a theory that decaying vegetation such as slug infested silage can cause botulism

Who has this theory?

There is NO basis for it.

It's very easy to start nonsense like this, and very hard to disprove it, so if the theory you are flogging sounds silly (like this one), then you as the propagator bear the burden of proof.

LostCovey

Conflats wrote: »

Asked the vet 3 weeks ago when he was out doing the herd test and he said they were poisonous in large quantities

So is water.

Time to change your vet?

LostCovey

kevthegaff wrote: »

A friend was saying a lad opened put couple of weeks ago and lost a bullock, week later lost another. Got it sampled, slugs in the silage contamination. Hard to believe?

Yes

Muckit

Was out walking the silage swarths about 10 at night. The ground was covered in the feckers. What's the story with them? Can't exactly call it a wet summer. Would this be normal or what causes them to come out? Would it be the dew?

votuvant

Muckit wrote: »

Was out walking the silage swarths about 10 at night. The ground was covered in the feckers. What's the story with them? Can't exactly call it a wet summer. Would this be normal or what causes them to come out? Would it be the dew?

Yes. They have to keep moist so usually come out in damp conditions.