Some Points On Silage Making

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30610, 28 November 1964, Page 10

Some Points On Silage Making

TN the evening questions and 1 discussion on various aspects of silage making, with particular reference to the chemical processes involved, were continued before a smaller group of interested farmers at the Halswell hall, under the chairmanship of Mr A. R. Dingwall, fields superintendent, Department of Agriculture, Christchurch. Mr Jowsey spoke about vacuum silage and the part it would play in the overall farming system. His talk was well-illustrated with slides depicting the many types of feeding systems now being used by many North Island dairy and beef cattle farmers. Dr. R. M. Allison, principal scientific officer, Crop Research Division, D.5.1.R.. Lincoln, spoke on the chemistry of silage making, and made particular reference to the factors required to produce what he described as a quick, cool, and acid fermentation. Essentially these were a crop high in sugar, and harvested at the correct stage of maturity, which for grass was

in the leafy stage just prior to emergence of the short blade or seed head. Fineness of chopping would promote effective consolidation and, therefore, a quick, cool fermentation. A high dry matter content, was also important and pre-wilting of the crop if the grass was very lush and wet should be carried out. Drainage away from the silo site would prevent the formation of a sour silage and was equally as important with vacuum silage as with conventional silage. Crops with a high buffering capacity, such as lucerne, become difficult to make into good silage because of a shortage of lactic acid. This occurs when the protein breaks down producing amino acids, some of which tend to compete for the material required by the lactic acid bacteria. This situation can be most readily controlled by raising the carbohydrate levels, usually by adding molasses or young succulent leafy crops of greenfeed.