Making Silage for Dairy Cows in Kenya: A Complete Guide for Farmers

Silage is one of the best ways to ensure your dairy cows have access to nutritious feed all year round—especially during dry seasons when fresh fodder becomes scarce. In Kenya, where dairy farming plays a vital role in many households, learning how to make quality silage can significantly boost milk production and reduce feeding costs.

🐄 What Is Silage?

Silage is preserved green fodder that’s stored and fermented in the absence of air (oxygen). During this process, beneficial bacteria break down plant sugars and produce lactic acid—which prevents spoilage and keeps the feed fresh for months.

Cows love the sweet aroma and taste that result from this fermentation process, making silage a highly palatable and energy-rich feed option.

🌱 Common Crops Used for Silage in Kenya

The most common crops used to make silage in Kenya include:

• Maize (corn)

• Napier grass (elephant grass)

• Sorghum

While other grasses can also be used, Napier, maize, and sorghum remain the most popular due to their high yields and nutritional content.

🌽 When to Harvest

Harvest timing is key to making good-quality silage:

• Maize and Sorghum: Harvest at the milky stage—when you squeeze the kernel and a white milky substance appears.

• Napier Grass: Harvest 3–4 months after planting or when it’s about 1 meter tall for the first cut. Cut 5 cm above the ground to encourage regrowth.

  • For subsequent harvests, wait until the grass is around 1.5 meters tall.

  • Expected yield: 20,000–40,000 kg of fresh Napier per acre (depending on management and rainfall).

🧺 Methods of Making Silage

Kenyan farmers use different silage-making methods depending on the size of their farms and available resources:

1. Tube Silage

• Ideal for small-scale farmers with limited land.

• Chopped fodder is tightly packed into special plastic tubes and sealed to keep air out.

2. Surface Silage

• Suitable for well-drained areas.

• Fodder is spread on a polythene sheet laid on the ground, compacted, and covered with soil.

3. Underground Pit Silage

• Perfect for both small- and large-scale farmers.

• A pit is dug (size depending on the amount of fodder), lined with polythene, and filled with chopped forage.

• This method maintains stable temperatures and provides excellent preservation.

⚙️ Step-by-Step Process of Making Silage

Step 1: Chopping the Fodder

Chop the forage into small pieces (around 2 cm long) using a machete or chopper.
Reason: Small pieces allow for better compaction, reduce air pockets, and ensure maize grains are crushed—adding more energy to the silage.

Step 2: Compacting

As you fill the pit or tube, add fodder layer by layer and compact each layer by stepping on it or rolling a water-filled drum over it.
Reason: Proper compaction removes air, preventing spoilage from aerobic bacteria.

Step 3: Adding Molasses (Optional but Recommended)

For crops like Napier grass (which has low sugar content), mix 1 part molasses with 3 parts water and sprinkle evenly on each layer.
Reason: Molasses provides extra sugar that helps beneficial bacteria produce the acids needed for fermentation and preservation.

Step 4: Sealing and Covering

After compacting:

1. Cover the pit or tube completely with polythene.

2. Ensure all edges are well tucked in to prevent air or water from entering.

3. Cover the top with soil—starting from the edges inward.

Your silage is now ready to ferment! Allow it to ferment for at least 21 to 30 days before opening.

🥬 Feeding Silage to Your Dairy Cows

When it’s time to feed:

• Open only a small section of the silage at a time.

• Scoop out the daily amount needed, then seal it tightly again.
  This helps prevent air from entering, which can spoil the remaining silage.

✅ Key Benefits of Silage

• Year-round feed availability (especially during drought)

• Higher milk yield due to energy-rich nutrition

• Reduced feeding costs

• Better utilization of farm crops

💡 Final Thoughts

Silage making is one of the smartest investments a Kenyan dairy farmer can make. Whether you’re small-scale or commercial, adopting this practice ensures your cows remain healthy, productive, and profitable throughout the year.

Start with what you have—a few bags of Napier or maize—and build your experience over time. The results will speak for themselves: healthier cows, higher milk yields, and improved farm income.