A silage tarp is a plastic sheeting used in agriculture to protect and preserve feed crops for livestock. These covers are an important component of modern farming practices, enabling the long-term storage of forage. The use of these tarps increases the efficiency of feed management, helping farmers maintain a reliable supply of high-quality forage. This material plays a dual function in agriculture, serving both its traditional role in feed preservation and a modern application in soil management.
Physical Characteristics and Construction
Silage tarps are engineered products, typically constructed from premium-grade polyethylene (PE) resins. They are notably thicker than standard plastic mulch, often ranging from 5 to 8 mil in thickness, which provides superior durability and puncture resistance against environmental factors and physical stresses. This material is designed to be impermeable to water and air, which is fundamental to its preservation function.
Many high-quality tarps feature a multi-layer or tri-layer construction, often integrating a black layer with a white or silver layer. The black layer faces the silage or soil to block light, while the white or silver outer layer reflects solar radiation, helping to regulate the temperature underneath the tarp. Specialized UV inhibitors are compounded into the plastic to prevent the material from breaking down when exposed to sunlight, extending the tarp’s lifespan.
Primary Role in Feed Preservation
The primary function of a silage tarp is to create the anaerobic environment necessary for the preservation of forage, a process known as ensiling. Once harvested crops like corn, grasses, or legumes are chopped and compacted into a bunker or pile, the tarp is immediately applied to form a complete, airtight seal. This seal is the defining action that initiates the desired chemical reaction.
The exclusion of oxygen is the mechanism that allows beneficial lactic acid-producing bacteria to thrive, beginning the process of anaerobic fermentation. These bacteria convert the water-soluble sugars naturally present in the forage into organic acids, primarily lactic acid, which rapidly lowers the pH of the entire mass. This acidification, or “pickling,” stabilizes the feed and inhibits the growth of undesirable aerobic spoilage organisms, such as molds and yeasts.
If oxygen were permitted to enter, it would allow the growth of these spoilage microbes, causing the forage to heat up and decompose, leading to significant nutrient loss. Without proper coverage, dry matter losses can reach 20% in the top layers of the pile due to oxidation and microbial activity. The tarp’s ability to maintain a consistent, oxygen-free barrier is therefore directly responsible for preserving the feed’s nutritional value and palatability.
Modern Uses in Soil Management
Beyond feed storage, the silage tarp has been adopted by many organic and no-till farming operations for soil preparation. One such method is known as occultation, which uses the opaque nature of the tarp to completely exclude sunlight from a prepared soil bed. By covering the soil, the tarp encourages weed seeds near the surface to germinate due to the warm, moist conditions, but the complete absence of light then causes the tender seedlings to die.
This process creates a clean, “stale” seedbed without the need for chemical herbicides or intensive tillage, preparing the area for immediate planting. The tarp is also used in a related technique called soil solarization, though this typically involves clear plastic to maximize the greenhouse effect. However, the black side of the silage tarp can still trap substantial heat, which helps to warm the soil in early spring and promotes the biological activity of beneficial soil organisms.
By covering the ground for several weeks, the tarp also conserves soil moisture and encourages earthworms to move to the upper soil layers, which improves soil structure and reduces compaction. This minimal disturbance approach aligns with regenerative agriculture principles, allowing farmers to quickly transition beds between crops while improving overall soil health. The tarp is a multi-season tool for weed control, soil conditioning, and efficient bed turnover.