All over the country, Irish farmers wait in hope for a dry spell to get cutting silage and fill the silage pit.
Too dry for too long and it will affect the second cut. Continued wet weather will hamper the first. It’s fingers crossed time.
The cutting season, by its condensed weather dependent nature, is a frantic one. Haste makes waste, and with heavy machinery it can be a recipe for disaster. Some simple tips to avoid a mishap becoming a real problem or a tragedy:-
- If using an Agri-contractor get a copy of their insurance in advance, ensuring they are covered as Agri Contractors, keep it on file
- Make sure there are fire extinguishers in your tractors, loading shovels and forage harvesters
- Make sure the machinery is good mechanically and that drivers do a workaround inspection as a minimum, each day.
- Slow down!! Modern agricultural machinery are double the size of previous versions. Our country roads have barely changed. Being in the right in the event of a collision, is of little use, if Gardai cannot attend, and the claim will go 50/50, leaving you with a claim on your insurance.
- Ingress – Ingress is the intrusion of unwanted solid objects into machinery, e.g. rock or iron bar into header of a harvester. Has the land been rolled? Has the operator cut here before? Have fields been merged or land cleared, potentially leaving a hazard.
Cutting silage is one of the busiest times of the year. Experience, and an appreciation that although there is plenty of work to be done, rushing things can only do more harm than good
Call us to check your cover on 053-9123630
