So what is silage?

Why is it made and

how?
Silage is grass that has been ‘pickled’. This is used to preserve the grass for later
events, like in winter season when there is no grass growing.

The grass is cut and then fermented. This process must be carried out under acidic
conditions (around pH 4-5) in order to preserve nutrients and provide feed that cows will
like to eat. Fermentation at higher pH results in silage that has a reduced pallatability,
and lower nutritional quality.

Preparing the grass

First, the lay must be cut when the grasses contain their highest nutritional values. This
is usually just before the grass is fully mature. This is important because all forms of
preserved grass, such as hay and silage, will have lower amounts of nutrients than
fresh pasture,  everything must be done to make the end product  as nutritious as
possible.
Grass is allowed to wilt in the field for a few hours to reduce the moisture content to
around 60-75%. This moisture level will allow for optimum fermentation. If the grass is
left out longer, it may get too dry, or it may get rained on - and both these will reduce
proper fermentation. 

Fermentation
After the grass is cut, it is chopped into smaller pieces and then compacted to get out as
much oxygen as possible. This is important because the microorganisms, called lactic
acid bacteria, that naturally habitats the grass are needed to carry out the fermentation,
like living in oxygen-free environments. If the silage is to be stored, piled in a large pit,
tractors and other machinery are usually driven over the grass pile until it is compacted. 
The next step is to seal the compacted grass with plastic to keep oxygen out. Mounds of
silage are covered with huge polythene (plastic) sheets and weighted down to ensure
maximum compacting. Silage can also be stored in bales which are covered with a
plastic wrapping.

The oxygen challenge 

Removing and keeping out oxygen is a key part of making good quality silage. This is
because fermentation occurs under anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions, otherwise the
correct type of microorganisms won’t grow.
While oxygen remains, plant enzymes, bacteria and unwanted microorganisms react
with the plant sugars and proteins, reducing the amounts of these nutrients in the silage.

 
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THE IMPACT OF OPTIMAL SILAGE QUALITY
19 JULY 2019
ANIMAL NUTRITION, SILAGE, MOLD INHIBITION
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The impact of optimal silage quality

Today we will look at the benefits of good silage practices. It’s not easy seeing the value of the
effort and quality products that you may put into preserving your silage, feeds or feed raw
materials. You don’t have a testing facility at hand where you can compare poorly preserved
feeds to well preserved and tasty feed and the difference that makes on animal behavior and
performance. You don’t see the decrease in consumption or performance if all animals are served
the same feed.

In our many years in the silage business we have seen the difference on many farms, field tests
and laboratory trials. We have seen the improvements in consumption and drop in production
numbers when silage quality is improved. So let’s for the sake of it go through a theoretical
calculation of the benefits of high quality silage vs silage of compromised quality. An average
calculation for 100 dairy cows could look something like this:

Profitability calculation 100 dairy cows/month

*Milk production +1 kg/day, +0,2% fat, +0,1% protein
**Decreased DM-losses, decreased feed waste and decreased raw protein losses

A 4% increase in milk might stay unnoticed in all of the other fluctuations a season has to offer.
Roughage costs are difficult and bothersome to keep track of. But you see that it does add up!

We hope this demonstration was helpful. Stay tuned for more ‘quantify July’ on the Perstorp
Animal Nutrition social media channels and here on www.perstorp.com!

Please note that the application of the estimated savings represent only a theoretical estimate of the potential
savings that would result from improved silage quality. Data has taken a limited number of factors into
considerations and is based on findings from research and experiments done in the laboratory and field test. It thus
implies no guarantee (neither explicit, expressly or implied) to the savings will actually be achieved in individual
cases. Perstorp cannot be held responsible if the benefits of improved silage quality do not translate to the exact
same benefits in practical cases.

Tony Toebak
Marketing Communications Manager Perstorp Animal Nutrition
+31 416 317 721
Contact me