Silage season is the most important time in the dairy farming year — the moment that determines milk production, herd health and profitability for the next 12 months. Here’s what it looks like from the inside.
How this year’s silage operation compares — for our own dairy herd and for our commercial customers.
Acres for own herd
Acres commercial sale
Daily feed per cow
Fermentation period
If you’ve ever wondered what dairy cows actually eat, the answer might surprise you. It’s not just grass.
Behind every litre of fresh milk is a carefully managed feeding system, and at the heart of that system is silage — preserved, fermented crop (most commonly maize) that’s harvested once a year and stored to feed dairy cows through all twelve months. Think of it as the cow’s equivalent of a well-stocked pantry.
A single dairy cow at Gulshan Farm consumes around 45kg of feed per day, with up to 30kg of that being silage alone. It makes up the majority of the diet — there is simply no substitute for a consistent, high-quality supply.
January–February: planting the crop. The process begins months before any harvesting takes place. Maize is sown between mid-January and the end of February across leased agricultural land, timed so the plants reach peak maturity by late spring.
May: the harvest window opens. By May, the maize crop is ready. This is the single most important month in the Gulshan Farm calendar — and the most demanding. The harvest window is just 25 to 30 days long, which means every hour counts.
Fermentation: nature does the rest. Once sealed with inoculants and proven techniques, the silage enters a 45-day fermentation period. Over this time the crop transforms into the nutrient-dense, stable feed cows thrive on. When done correctly, silage stored this way can remain viable for up to two and a half years.
Without silage, milk production suffers. With it, cows remain healthy, well-nourished and productive all year round.
— Gulshan Farm operations team
This year, Gulshan Farm is producing silage across approximately 450 acres for its own herd — enough to sustain our dairy operation for the full year.
Alongside this, a separate commercial operation under Gulshan Silage and Forage is producing a further 500 acres for sale to other dairy farmers and export markets, including the Gulf region. The business model is straightforward but smart: produce at scale, sell what we don’t need ourselves, and create a recurring revenue stream that runs alongside the dairy.
The silage operation sits at the foundation of everything Gulshan Farm does. A reliable, high-quality feed supply means predictable milk yields, healthier animals and a more stable business overall.
It also represents a growing commercial opportunity — demand from Pakistani dairy farmers and from Gulf nations that lack suitable growing conditions is significant and increasing. For investors, the silage process is the clearest window into how the farm operates: disciplined, large-scale, and built for the long term.
Read our investor pack, run the numbers in our calculator, or book a free 30-minute investment call to discuss whether Gulshan Farms fits your portfolio.
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