Uneven, Long Chop
Long or ragged pieces trap air in the pile, so the bunker heats up and grows mould.
Fix: Adjustable 10–30 mm chop length from manganese-steel blades packs densely and ferments evenly.
Harvest · Chop · Pack · Seal
Silage Preparation SolutionFrom Field Crop to Stored Silage
Matched harvesting, chopping, loading and baling equipment for maize, Napier grass, sorghum and oats — sized to your herd and your power supply, so fresh crop is chopped, packed and sealed while it is still at its best.
- 10–30 mmUniform chop length
- 1–36 t/hThroughput range
- 3 drivesElectric · diesel · tractor PTO
- Direct manufacturer
- Delivery in 3–4 weeks
- Lifetime spare parts supply
- Seaworthy wooden-case packing
Why a Matched Line Matters
Good Silage Is Won or Lost Between Cutting and Sealing
Silage keeps when the crop is chopped short, packed tight and shut off from air quickly. Most spoilage starts with one weak link in that chain — so we size every machine in your line to the same daily target.
Slow Processing
When the cutter cannot keep up, harvested crop waits in the sun, dries out unevenly and loses sugar before it is packed.
Fix: Cutter and loader capacity matched to your daily harvest, so each bunker or batch is filled and sealed quickly.
No Power at the Field
Unreliable grid power, or crop that grows far from the farmyard, stops an electric-only line during peak season.
Fix: The same cutter series runs on an electric motor, a diesel engine or a tractor PTO shaft.
Process Flow
How Silage Is Made: 6 Steps from Field to Feed
Each step below shows what the job needs, the control point that protects silage quality, and which part of the line Golden Machinery supplies. Items marked “your side” are usually handled with equipment or materials the farm already has.
- Supplied by Golden Machinery
- Your side (farm equipment or consumables)
-
Harvest at the Right Stage
Cut the standing crop when moisture and sugar content suit fermentation. A forage harvester cuts, chops and loads in one pass; smaller farms cut by hand or with a mower.
Control point: whole-plant maize is typically harvested at ½–⅔ kernel milk line, around 30–35% dry matter.
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Chop to a Uniform Length
Short, even pieces release plant sugars and pack without air gaps. Our chaff cutters chop green or wilted crop straight into a trailer, pit or baler.
Control point: set the chop between 10 and 30 mm — shorter for maize and drier crop, longer for wet grass.
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Load & Transport
Move crop from the field heap into the cutter, and chopped forage from the cutter to the bunker, without hold-ups. A grapple loader replaces several workers feeding by hand.
Control point: keep crop moving — harvested material should not sit in heaps for hours before chopping.
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Fill & Compact
Spread chopped forage in thin layers and roll each layer with a tractor or wheel loader. Density pushes air out so lactic-acid bacteria can take over.
Control point: fill in layers of roughly 15–30 cm and keep rolling until the next load arrives.
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Seal Airtight
Cover the bunker with silage film weighted by tyres or sandbags as soon as filling ends. Without a bunker, bale and wrap each portion of chopped forage in film instead.
Control point: seal the same day filling finishes and check the cover for tears regularly.
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Ferment & Feed Out
Leave the silage closed while it ferments, then open one face and remove a fresh layer each day. Well-chopped, well-packed silage feeds evenly and wastes less at the bunk.
Control point: allow at least three weeks before opening, and keep the open face small and clean.
Configuration by Scale
Small Farm, Ranch or Cooperative: Which Line Fits?
The steps are the same at every scale — the machines are not. Start from how many tonnes of fresh crop you need to chop on a busy day, then match drive type and storage to what your site already has.
Small farmSmall Farms & Smallholders
First-time silage makers, family dairies and goat or sheep units.
- Harvest
- Hand cutting or a small mower
- Chopping
- Mini or FC-2.5 electric chaff cutter, about 1–4 t/h
- Power
- 220 V single-phase, 380 V three-phase or diesel ≥ 8 HP
- Storage
- FC-585 wrapped bales, silage bags or a small pit
Medium ranchMedium Dairy & Beef Ranches
Farms filling their own bunkers every season with whole-plant corn or grass.
- Harvest
- Contract harvesting or manual cutting with field trailers
- Chopping
- FC-4.0 to FC-9.0 tractor or electric chaff cutter, about 4–12 t/h
- Loading
- GC-06 grass loader feeding the cutter
- Power
- Tractor PTO 15–50 HP or 380 V three-phase
- Storage
- Bunker or trench silo
Large farmLarge Farms & Cooperatives
Commercial dairies, feedlots and cooperatives that sell or share silage.
- Harvest
- Self-propelled forage harvester, 180 PS, 2.44 m cut, 10 kg/s
- Chopping
- In the harvester, or a heavy-duty industrial cutter up to 30 t/h
- Transport
- Trailers running alongside the harvester
- Storage
- Large bunkers, drive-over piles or baled silage for sale
Capacities are typical ranges and vary with crop, moisture and chop length. Not sure which tier you are in? Tell us your crop and daily tonnage and our engineers will size the line for you.
Application Scenarios
Silage Equipment Matched to Your Crop, Power and Storage
Choose the situation closest to yours to see the recommended machine combination, the settings that matter and the product pages with full specifications.
Scenario 01 · First-time silage
Silage Making Equipment for Small Farms
Making silage for the first time does not need a harvester or a concrete bunker. One reliable chaff cutter turns hand-cut maize or grass into short, uniform pieces you can pack into bags, a small pit or wrapped bales.
Recommended configuration
- Mini chaff cutter or FC-2.5 electric chaff cutter for daily chopping
- Single-phase 220 V motor where only household power is available
- Optional FC-585 baler & wrapper to store silage without building a pit
1–4 t/hFC-2.5 throughput
10–30 mmAdjustable chop
220 VSingle-phase option
Scenario 02 · Whole-plant corn
Maize Silage Harvesting and Chopping Equipment
Whole-plant maize gives the highest energy silage, but its harvest window is short. The line has to cut, chop and move tonnes of crop a day without leaving it to dry in the field.
Two proven routes
- One pass: self-propelled forage harvester cuts row-independent, chops, cracks over 90% of kernels and blows straight into a trailer
- Stationary: manual or contract cutting, GC-06 grass loader feeding a tractor or electric chaff cutter beside the bunker
- Run the cutter at the short end of the range for maize so the pile packs tightly
180 PSHarvester engine
10 kg/sHarvesting efficiency
90%+Kernels cracked
Scenario 03 · Napier / elephant grass
Napier Grass Chopper for Silage Making
Napier grass grows tall, thick and very wet. Long stems wrap around light machines and wet grass packs poorly — so feed capacity and blade strength matter more than with soft grass. Step-by-step: how to prepare Napier grass for silage.
Recommended configuration
- FC-4 or larger chaff cutter: chain conveyor and feed rollers come standard to pull long stems in evenly
- Wilt freshly cut grass for a few hours before chopping to lower moisture
- Chop short and pack in thin layers; many farms add molasses to help fermentation
2–20 t/hFC-4 to FC-9
StandardFeed rollers, FC-4 up
Mn steelBlades
Scenario 04 · No grid power
Diesel Powered Silage Chopper for Farms
Where the grid is weak or the crop grows far from the farmyard, the chopper has to travel to the crop. Diesel and tractor-driven models keep silage work going without cables or generators. Still weighing it up? Read diesel vs electric silage chopper.
Recommended configuration
- FC-2.5 to FC-9 chaff cutter with diesel engine mounting (≥ 8 HP to ≥ 28 HP)
- Tractor PTO chaff cutter if the farm already runs a 12–50 HP tractor
- Pneumatic tyres on FC-6 and FC-9 for towing between fields
≥ 8 HPDiesel, FC-2.5
12–50 HPTractor PTO range
No gridNeeded on site
Scenario 05 · Bale & wrap storage
Silage Baling and Wrapping Equipment
Baled silage suits farms without a bunker, herds too small to keep an open silage face fresh, and growers who sell silage. Each bale is sealed on its own, so opening one does not expose the rest. See the full baled silage vs bunker silage comparison.
Recommended configuration
- Chaff cutter feeding chopped forage onto the FC-585 conveyor
- FC-585 forms a 55 cm round bale, binds it and wraps it in stretch film in one machine
- Electric motor, diesel engine or tractor drive (30 HP tractor for the PTO version)
70 kgPer sealed bale
45–120 sPer bale
3 drivesElectric · diesel · tractor
Suitable Raw Materials
Which Crops Can You Turn into Silage?
The same chaff cutter handles every crop below — what changes is when you cut it and how short you chop it. Each card shows the standing crop beside the material that comes out of our cutters.
Whole-Plant Maize (Corn)
- Harvest at
- ½–⅔ kernel milk line, about 30–35% dry matter
- Chop length
- Short end of the 10–30 mm range
- Watch for
- Cracked kernels — whole grains pass through the animal undigested
Napier / Elephant Grass
- Harvest at
- Young, leafy regrowth before stems turn woody, commonly around 1–1.5 m tall
- Chop length
- Short, so wet grass packs firmly
- Watch for
- High moisture — wilt for a few hours; molasses is often added
Forage Sorghum
- Harvest at
- Soft-dough grain stage, similar dry matter to maize
- Chop length
- Short end of the range to break the tough stalks
- Watch for
- A drought-tolerant alternative where maize struggles
Oats & Cereal Forage
- Harvest at
- Milk to early-dough stage, wilted before chopping
- Chop length
- Mid to long end of the range
- Watch for
- Hollow stems trap air — pack and seal especially well
Values are general guidance. Crop variety, climate and target ration all matter — share yours and we will recommend blade setup and chop length before shipment.
Equipment Lines in Action
Two Proven Ways to Build a Bale Silage Line
Where there is no bunker, or silage is made to sell, the line is built around the FC-585 baler: either a continuous chop-mix-bale line, or wrapped-bale storage that replaces a concrete pit entirely.
Line 01Chop, Mix & Bale in One Continuous Line
The chaff cutter blows chopped forage into a mixing hopper, where additives or a second forage can be blended in. The hopper discharges onto the FC-585 conveyor, which bales and wraps each portion as it arrives.
- Chaff cutter
- Mixing hopper
- FC-585 baler & wrapper
- Fresh forage is sealed in film within minutes of chopping
- One crew runs the whole line from a single yard
- Uniform 70 kg bales that are easy to sell, stack and ship
Line 02Bale Storage Instead of a Bunker
Wrapped bales are stored in rows on open, level ground. Each bale ferments on its own, so silage can be fed out one bale at a time — or sold to neighbouring farms — without opening a large pit face.
- Harvest
- Chop
- Bale & wrap
- Store in rows
- No concrete bunker or compaction tractor needed
- Less spoilage for small herds that feed slowly
- Silage becomes a product that can be moved and traded
Machines in This Solution
The Equipment Behind Every Silage Line
Every machine below is built in our own factory and can be combined in one shipment. Open a product page for full specifications, drive options and pricing.
Harvest & chop
Forage Harvester Machine
Cuts, chops, cracks kernels and loads whole-plant corn in a single pass.
- 180 PS
- 2.44 m cut
- 10 kg/s
Chop
Electric Chaff Cutter
FC-2.5 to FC-9 series for stationary silage chopping, with an optional diesel engine.
- 1–20 t/h
- 4–15 kW
- Diesel option
Chop · mobile
Tractor Chaff Cutter
PTO-driven cutter that travels to the crop — no grid power or generator needed.
- 2.5–30 t/h
- 12–80+ HP tractor
Chop · high volume
Heavy-Duty Industrial Chaff Cutter
For large bunkers and cooperatives that chop maize, Napier and stalks all season.
- Up to 30 t/h
- 10–30 mm
Load & feed
GC-06 Grass Loader
Grapple loader that feeds whole stalks into the cutter and loads trailers.
- 600 kg per grab
- Replaces hand feeding
Bale & seal
FC-585 Silage Baler & Wrapper
Forms, binds and film-wraps chopped silage into 70 kg round bales.
- 70 kg bale
- Electric · diesel · tractor
Silage FAQ
Questions Buyers Ask Before Ordering
Straight answers from our engineering and export team. If your question is not here, send it with your inquiry and we will reply within 12 hours.
Ask an EngineerWhat equipment do I need to make silage on a small farm?
At minimum, a chaff cutter that chops your crop to 10–30 mm, plus a way to seal it airtight — silage bags, a small pit covered with film, or an FC-585 baler that wraps each bale. Many small farms start with a mini or FC-2.5 electric chaff cutter and add a baler later. See the small-farm configuration.
What is the right chop length for maize silage?
Use the short end of our 10–30 mm range for whole-plant maize. Short pieces pack more densely and push out air; drier maize needs a shorter chop than wetter maize. Kernels should also be cracked so animals can digest the grain.
Can a chaff cutter process Napier grass for silage?
Yes. For tall, thick Napier stems we recommend FC-4 or larger models, which have a chain conveyor and feed rollers as standard so long stems feed in evenly. Wilt the grass for a few hours before chopping to bring moisture down. Details are in the Napier grass scenario.
Diesel or electric silage chopper — which suits my farm?
Choose electric if you chop at a fixed spot with reliable power — it is quieter and cheaper to run. Choose diesel or tractor PTO if power is unreliable, the crop is far from the yard, or you move between fields. Our FC-2.5 to FC-9 cutters accept an electric motor or a diesel engine, and tractor models run on 12–50 HP tractors.
How much chopping capacity do I need?
Work from the tonnes of fresh crop you plan to harvest on a peak day and the hours you can run. As a guide, FC-2.5 chops about 1–4 t/h, FC-4 to FC-9 about 2–20 t/h, the heavy-duty industrial cutter up to 30 t/h, and the forage harvester about 10 kg/s. Send us your daily tonnage and we will size the line.
Baled silage or bunker silage — which is better?
Bunkers have a lower cost per tonne for large herds that remove a full layer from the face every day. Baled silage needs no pit, suits small herds that feed slowly, and can be sold or transported bale by bale, but it uses wrapping film for every bale. Read more about baled silage equipment.
Which parts wear out, and how do I get spare parts?
Blades, belts and bearings are the normal wear parts on a chaff cutter. Golden Machinery supplies quality, fairly priced spare parts for the lifetime of every machine you buy from us, and we recommend ordering a set of spare blades with the machine.
How long does delivery take, and how are machines packed?
Production and delivery to port typically take 3–4 weeks after order confirmation. Machines ship in seaworthy wooden cases or are secured inside containers, and a complete line — harvester, cutter, loader and baler — can be combined in one shipment.
Get Your Silage Configuration
Tell Us 5 Things — We Size the Whole Line
With these details our engineers can recommend models, drive type and spare-parts kit in the first reply, instead of a long back-and-forth.
- Crop — maize, Napier, sorghum, oats or a mix
- Daily volume — tonnes of fresh crop on a peak day, or herd size
- Power — voltage and phase, or diesel / tractor PTO
- Storage — bunker, pit, bags or wrapped bales
- Destination port — for an accurate freight quote
Request a Silage Line Quote
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