Cosio Industries, a leading supplier of Horticultural and agricultural nettings, plastic films and landscape textiles, has launched the GeoSmart Reusable Silage Cover, designed to be a more sustainable and durable alternative to traditional options.
Cosio's Category Manager, Vaughan Podbielski joins Dom George to provide insight into the development of the GeoSmart Reusable Silage Covers, discussing their origins from the company's expertise with dairy effluent pond liners and adapting to the European Union's strict regulations on single-use plastics.
He specifically highlights the durability and longevity of the covers as a standout feature of the covers.
"It's been used in France for quite some time," Podbielski explains.
"They've done a number of research trials on research farms over there and all the data that they're getting in terms of spoilage reduction, preservation of energy and nutrients, dropping the pH exceptionally quickly and just getting that better airtight seal it all leads to a very good quality silage."
This is bolstered by a practical testimony from Ross Paching, a New Zealand farmer who has practical experience with the covers.
"He's reported zero damage since putting on the Geosmart reusable covers and he's still reusing it today," Podbielski says.
He also addresses the economic aspect of adopting these covers. Despite their higher upfront cost compared to traditional plastic covers, he outlines a strategic phased adoption approach, encouraging farmers to start with a couple of segments to test their effectiveness.
"But there is certainly an investment to make upfront...what I encourage farmers to do is stage the investment. Don't just take my word for it, don't just listen to the sales pitch. Buy two segments, put them on at the back of your stack, where it's going to sit the longest, and then cover the rest of your silage stack in normal plastic and see how it performs."
This approach seems to mitigate the financial risks while allowing farmers to gradually realise the long-term benefits.
Podbielski's discussion provides not only an understanding of the product's technical advantages but also a practical perspective on how farmers can integrate it into their operations in a financially sound manner.
For more information just head to www.cosio.co.nz or google 'elevate eco silage cover'.
Listen to the full chat between Vaughan Podbielski and Dominic George above.
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