How to Make High-Quality Grass Silage
Grass silage is pickled pasture, preserved through the conversion of its sugars into lactic acid by bacteria.
A clever idea from the Emerald Isle, addresses the issue of stability when operating loaders on silage stacks.
Developed by Samco Manufacturing in Limerick, the aptly named Wheeled Loader Extender is a retrofit hub system that allows loader operators to undertake road work at the factory set wheel track, then extend the loaders front wheels for work on the stack.
The wheels are “pushed” out using an integral, manually operated hydraulic pump, typically increasing overall track widths by up to 600mm
The system is said to remove the need for dual wheel set-ups and the chore of removing them for road transport. The modified track is also said to help improve consolidation on the stack, as it creates an offset between the front and rear wheels. Additionally, for those operating in walled stacks or clamps the extended track allows consolidation right up to the wall, while the body of the machine is kept further away.
Samco founder Sam Shine, a well-known face at the New Zealand National Fieldays says, “we originally designed the system for loaders, be we are currently receiving enquiries from people operating headers or large trailed implements on slopes and looking for improved stability.”
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
The red meat sector is in great heart.
Dr Scott Champion, Foundation for Arable Research chief executive, says that everyone in the supply chain had a role to play in driving the sector's long-term success.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.