Retaining wall tips - silage rotting

curioush

Hi, anybody got any tips on preventing silage rotting alongside a retaining wall when covering the pit?

freedominacup

curioush wrote: »

Hi, anybody got any tips on preventing silage rotting alongside a retaining wall when covering the pit?

Put on side sheets. Job done.

curioush

Currently put plastic up the wall, but there's always a layer near the top that gets rotten by the wall. Tried putting 2 coverings over the wall and tuck in one over the silage..which improved it a good bit.

freedominacup

curioush wrote: »

Currently put plastic up the wall, but there's always a layer near the top that gets rotten by the wall. Tried putting 2 coverings over the wall and tuck in one over the silage..which improved it a good bit.

Side sheets must go up the shoulders and across the top for a few feet.

curioush

Have that already in place with the 2nd cover and also will have 4 more covering the pit and over the retaining wall. I've asked the pit loader driver before to compress it by the wall more, but the year he did, the loader got trapped in by the wall...took for ages to get it free.

rangler1

curioush wrote: »

Have that already in place with the 2nd cover and also will have 4 more covering the pit and over the retaining wall. I've asked the pit loader driver before to compress it by the wall more, but the year he did, the loader got trapped in by the wall...took for ages to get it free.

If he kept it rolled and filled properly along the wall he wouldn't get stuck......that's why you have rotten silage along the wall.

curioush

Might be a different driver this year hopefully...

freedominacup

curioush wrote: »

Might be a different driver this year hopefully...

I'd be insisting on it. Walled pits are easy. No excuse for not keeping it pushed out and rolled. Only a fraction of the work of open ones or clay banks.

Water John

Sad if you have to tell a driver how to do his job.
One always keeps a walled pit saucer shaped when filling. Higher at the sides, constantly packing. The loader is then leaning from the wall and won't get stuck.

Bullocks

curioush wrote: »

Might be a different driver this year hopefully...

Maybe roll the pit yourself while he is filling it to be sure it gets enough or at least threaten it !
Is the pit empty now ? You could have brought the contractor to take a look at the rotten sides aswell to be sure it doesn't happen again

Jb1989

Yea second man rolling is great help to compaction of pit

blackdog1

curioush wrote:

Hi, anybody got any tips on preventing silage rotting alongside a retaining wall when covering the pit?

Use clear plastic and then silage sheet cover. Make sure top of wall is clean and sheet secured tightly. Black plastic let's air in. The clear stuff like cling film doesn't. I pay 120 for a massive role. Coop doesn't sell it.

Jb1989

blackdog1 wrote: »

Use clear plastic and then silage sheet cover. Make sure top of wall is clean and sheet secured tightly. Black plastic let's air in. The clear stuff like cling film doesn't. I pay 120 for a massive role. Coop doesn't sell it.

Often seen rolls of cream coloured builders plastic used as the side sheets.

darragh_haven

blackdog1 wrote: »

Use clear plastic and then silage sheet cover. Make sure top of wall is clean and sheet secured tightly. Black plastic let's air in. The clear stuff like cling film doesn't. I pay 120 for a massive role. Coop doesn't sell it.

Is that clear plastic called Visqueen. Used it more on maize, but a lot better the the ordinary black plastic

blackdog1

darragh_haven wrote:

Is that clear plastic called Visqueen. Used it more on maize, but a lot better the the ordinary black plastic

Yea pretty sure it's called that. It's fantastic stuff. Used it on whole crop last 2 years gonna try it on silage this year. Buying no new sheet just using the 2 old ones and the new white plastic underneath.

pms7

Has to be rolled out to wall. In general drivers don't bother. I've seen more waste by wall, than where no wall when done properly