Silage Production Flashcards
define silage
anaerobically fermented feed
plant material chopped and packed to exclude oxygen
how long does active anaerobic fermentation last
20-30 days then slow after that
when does silage reach max tempurature
4-5 days after ensiling
when does main pH drop happen
by day 5
when is oxygen in the pack used up by
day 5
silage temperature should not exceed ___ degrees
40
phase 1
aerobic production of CO2, water and heat
lasts until air is used up
phase 2
initial production of acetic and lactic acid
phase 3
rapid increase in lactic acid bacteria, stops when pH is low enough
phase 4
stable phase where pH is low
phase 5
feed out phase, introduction of air introduces secondary fermentation
consequence of high levels Butyric acid
animals will refuse feed
critical factors of silage quality (6)
oxygen level
temp
moisture
particle size
acidity
silage crop
too much oxygen
aerobic bacteria depletes levels of water soluble carb
incomplete fermentation leading to spoilage
too high moisture
nutrient runoff
freezing
increased risk of listeria
too low water
leaf loss in field
poor packing
is high or low forage buffering capacity desirable
low as dont want it to resist decrease in pH
what kind of crops is forage buffering capacity an issue in
legumes
when to cut barley
mid-late dough
when to cut oats
early dough
when to cut triticale
early milk
when to cut field peas
early pod wilting
when to cut alfalfa for silage
10% bloom
when to cut perennial grasses for silage
boot to bloom
triticale is 2 weeks ___ that wheat maturing
later
moisture content for harvesting corn for silage
whole plant moisture is 60-70%
most kernels should be dented
advantages of alfalfa silage
high protein and good energy levels
too long particle size
poor ensiling
too short particle size
decreased effective fiber
ideal particle length
1cm
why is particle size important
affects nutrient exposure to microbes
makes easier to compress
3 types of silos
bunker (western canada)
bag (increasing usage)
tower (high quality self packing but expensive to set up)
bunker silos have ___ storage losses
higher
bulk density should be above ____ lb/cubic foot for horizontal silos
40
plastic films used on silage must be
5mm thick and UV resistant
not covering results in __-___% DM losses depending on crop type
50-70%
benefits to using silo bags
low annual storage costs and low losses if not damaged (5-10%)
correct way to gather silage
face scraper
15cm (6”) per day to reduce deterioration
minimize exposed surface area
pit design consideration
design pit with correct face size to waht you would use in a day
if temp is higher you will have to take ____ silage from the face per day
more
if silage is too wet(2)
clostridial fermentation occurs resulting in butyric acid
silage seepage may occur (nutrient loss)
DM content at ensiling should be ___-__% for most crops and __-__% for legumes
30-40
35-40
silage effluent
squeezed out water and soluble sugars, proteins, and minerals
want pH at
and temp at
<4.5
less than 15 degrees above ambient temp
ideally when producing silage you want to
harvest pack and close in the same day
greatest impact on silage quality
maturity of plant (60%)
5 factors of DM losses
plant respiration
primary fermentation
secondary fermentation
aerobic storage losses
after fermentation losses
characteristics of good silage
yellow-green colour
sour milk odor
pH <4.2
silage additives
inoculants to change environment to speed fermentation, support bacterial growth, and change fiber structure
when to use silage additives (4)
high moisture
low water soluble carbs
high buffering capacity
improve nutrient content at ensiling
difference between silage and haylage
haylage is lower moisture, decreased curing time compared to hay
lower harvest losses
