Instability can cause silage to heat and spoil, affecting dry matter intake and ultimately leading to an undesirable feed.
Silage additives are tools that can be used to help improve the fermentation process once basic harvest management and silage packing techniques are in place.
CHOOSE THE BEST ADDITIVE
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES are designed to improve aerobic stability by inhibiting undesirable yeasts during fermentation.
Managing the stability of silage is critical because a large portion of dry matter lost in a silo is caused by aerobic spoilage.
BIOLOGICAL ADDITIVES are derived from bacteria that are homolactic or heterolactic in nature. Homolactic bacteria are used at the beginning of fermentation and speed the process. Heterolactic bacteria improve the aerobic stability of the silage.
Silage additives or inoculants are effective when added at a high enough rate to compete against detrimental organisms and dominate the ensiling process.
“If there are no issues with aerobic stability, choose a homolactic acid bacteria-based inoculant,” said Dr. Limin Kung, University of Delaware dairy nutritionist. “If stability is an issue, then use a heterolactic acid-based inoculant or chemical-based antifungal additive.”
A sudden drop in pH might reduce protein degradation and prevent the growth of undesirable silage microbes and occasional improvements in animal production due to more efficient fermentation. But homolactic acid bacteria might not always be effective in improving the aerobic stability or shelf life of silage.
Good management should come before the use of silage inoculants. However, choosing the best additive to fit your needs can be helpful in improving fermentation and/or shelf life of silage. A research-proven inoculant should be considered based on the crop, silo and other management challenges.
