CLAAS Purchases SHREDLAGE® Technology: Proven Silage Performance

CLAAS has announced that it has acquired SHREDLAGE technology from the US-based company, SHREDLAGE LLC.

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A year ago, CLAAS signed a license agreement with SHREDLAGE LLC to manufacture and market the unique corn silage processors that operate as a component of the CLAAS JAGUAR forage harvesters. After a successful launch of the CLAAS manufactured SHREDLAGE processors in 2015, the company has purchased the technology from the developers. The parties have agreed not to discuss the contractual details publicly.

"We are convinced that SHREDLAGE delivers a clear benefit to the customer. By taking over this well-known brand, we are now adding the finishing touches to our technology concept as international market leaders for self-propelled forage harvesters", explains Hermann Lohbeck, responsible for the Forage Harvesting Division on the CLAAS Executive Board.

The technology branded under the name “SHREDLAGE” produces a uniquely processed corn silage processing used by an increasing number of dairy cattle farmers. The method involves shredding the corn plant into unusually long sections of 22 to 30 mm and crushing the corn kernels. 

The intensive conditioning of the material enlarges the surface area of the chopped product many times over in a way that is designed to significantly improve bacterial fermentation after ensiling and above all during digestion in the cow's rumen. The aim of this process is to substantially increase the structural effects of corn silage in the rumen while simultaneously adding to the availability of the starch contained in all plant parts. This could lead to an increase in milk yields. In addition, the rumen-friendly silage structure is believed to improve the health of the herd.

SHREDLAGE offers dairy farmers other benefits as well, besides greater milk yield and improved animal health. Its optimum starch conditioning allows for a reduction in the use of concentrate while still improving the milk yield. The need to supplement with highly structured fodder such as straw can be reduced or even eliminated altogether, producing even more savings. "We are thrilled that the inventors of the technology used as part of the SHREDLAGE brand, Ross Dale and Roger Olson, will remain on board to advise us and our customers", says Hermann Lohbeck.

The CLAAS MULTI CROP CRACKER concept (MCC) with uniform cracker housing and two quick-change corn cracker rollers (MCC and MCC SHREDLAGE) delivers a one-stop solution to treat chopped crops in short-cut silage, long-cut silage and even SHREDLAGE. Like the familiar saw tooth profile rollers, the SHREDLAGE rollers are manufactured by CLAAS Industrietechnik in Paderborn, Germany.