Silage Making: Process and Benefits
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Sayim ChaudhrySilage Making: Process and Benefits
Uploaded by
Sayim ChaudhrySilage making
What is Silage
• Silage is fermented, high-moisture stored fodder which
can be fed to ruminants such as cattle, buffalo etc.
• Silage is the better way to conserve forage crops. A
forage crop can be cut early and should have 30-35%
dry matter to be ensiled successfully.
• Silage making is long practiced by the larger
agricultural sector, but the production method relies
on heavy equipment and large production, in order to
dig or build storage pits and to compress the green
mass:
Thus putting it beyond the reach of smallholder
farmers.
Fermentation
• Silage undergoes anaerobic fermentation, which
starts about 48 hours after the silo is filled, and
converts sugars to acids. Fermentation is essentially
complete after about two weeks.
• Before anaerobic fermentation starts, there is an
aerobic phase in which the trapped oxygen is
consumed. When closely packed, the supply of
oxygen is limited; and the acid fermentation brings
about the decomposition of the carbohydrates
present into acetic, butyric and lactic acids.
Fermentation contd.
• If the fermentation process is poorly managed,
silage acquires an unpleasant odour due to excess
production of ammonia or butyric acid (like rancid
butter).
• Silage inoculants are used to enhance
fermentation. These contain one or more strains of
lactic acid bacteria, and the most common is
Lactobacillus plantarum. Other bacteria used in
inoculants include Lactobacillus buchneri, and
Enterococcus faecium species.
Types of silos
Bunker silo
Tower silo Trench silo
Bag Silos
Optimum moisture for different silos
• Ideally, corn silage should be harvested at the
moisture content appropriate for the type of silo
used. Recommended moisture contents are
• 65–70 percent for horizontal silos,
• 63–68 percent for conventional tower silos,
• 65 percent for silo bags.
Stage of Harvest
• Delayed harvest reduces the fiber and starch digestibility as
the stover gets more lignified and the over mature kernels
become harder and less digestible .
• Corn ensiled extremely wet ferments poorly and loses
nutrients by seepage and effluent.
• Another problem of silage with too much moisture is that a
larger amount of lactic acid is needed to reduce the pH.
• Silage that is too dry results in poorly packed material, more
mold and spoilage due to air trapped in the silage.
• In dry, over mature corn silage, the stovers are less
digestible and with lower amounts of sugars and vitamin A.
• Not pack well in the silo, more oxygen present and takes
longer to get through the aerobic phase into the anaerobic
phase of fermentation.
Estimating moisture contents
• The approximate moisture level of chopped
silage can be determined by means of a
“grab test.” Squeeze the chopped forage
tightly into a ball for 20 to 30 seconds, and
then release quickly. Forage chopped into 3/8
to ½ inch pieces should be used for this test.
Grab Test
Condition of the forage ball Approximate
moisture content
Ball holds its shape and there is Over 75%
considerable free juice
Ball holds its shape but there is very 70 to 75%
little free juice
Ball falls apart slowly and there is no 60 t0 70 %
free juice
Ball falls apart rapidly Below 60 %
Adjusting dry matter / moisture
• Increased moisture in silage should be avoided when possible,
as the activity of the lactic acidic bacteria is decreased and the
activity of the butyric acid producing bacteria is increased.
• The optimal quantity of dry matter is achieved in the last
phase of vegetation of the plants. When the weather
conditions do not allow timely harvest, resulting in too wet or
too dry silage materials, the desired moisture can be achieved
by mixing dry and wet components.
• The composition of the dry and wet components is
determined through use of the Pierson’ square formula:
Mixed Silage
• Adjusting 35% dry matter for silage
• Whole alfalfa, 40% 10 parts =60 %
35%
• Maize plants, 45% 5 parts =40 %
Advantages of silage
• Stable composition of the feed (silage) for a longer
period (up to 5 years).
• Plants can be harvested at optimal stage of
development and are efficiently used by live-stock.
• Reduction of nutrient loses which in standard hay
production may amount to 30% of the dry matter
(in silage it is usually below 10%).
• Better use of the land with 2-3 crops annually.
• Silage can be produced in both cold and cloudy
weather.
Advantages contd.
• The fermentation in silage reduces harmful
nitrates accumulated in plants during
droughts and in over-fertilized crops. Allows
by-products (from sugar beat processing,
maize straw, etc.) to be optimally used.
• Requires 10 times less storage space
compared to hay.
• 2 kg of silage has the equal nutritive value of
1 kg of hay.
Disadvantages:
• Needs heavy machinery which is beyond the
reach of a small farmer.
• It does not allow longer transportation.
• The weight increases manipulation costs.
• Has considerably lower vitamin D content
compared to hay.
Preparation of silage from whole maize
plants
• Corn silage produces more energy per acre than any other
crop. Most important for high-producing herds.
• Corn silage is well adapted for use in low-cost rations for
fattening cattle.
• Average DM contents should be 30-35%.
• The maize can be ensiled with or without other
components.
• Maize plant are harvested by cutting them 10- 12 cm from
the ground.
• The chaff size of the maize plant should be 1-3 cm
(one inch)
Fodder chaffing and pressing