“There is no room for average quality silage on an efficient beef producing farm”
Properly ensiled forage can have higher DM and protein content and be less susceptible to spoilage. Animals fed with silage inoculated with homofermentative bacteria tend to have improved milk production, daily gain and feed efficiency.
Ensiling additives reduce risk but choosing the best type can provide numerous additional benefits.
Ensiling Additive Types
1. Live Homofermentative Bacteria
The best solution. They produce twice as much lactic acid and as a result reduce the pH rapidly. Due to the rapid pH reduction, test have proven that greater levels of DM and crude protein are retained in the feed. They offer great mould protection and post feeding results include improved milk production, daily gain and feed effi ciency.
2. Live Heterofermentative Bacteria
Good a reducing pH but besides lactic acid, they also produce acetic acid in a 1:1 ratio and this can affect the taste of the feed. They offer good control of mould formation, but no post feeding benefits.
3. Freeze Dried LAB
These need to be hydrated at a specifi c temperature with chlorine free water before use and take longer to reach an effi cient concentration and as a result take longer to reduce the pH. They have a marginal effect on mould formation due to the slow start and
little post feeding benefi ts.
4. Acids
Ensiling acids have the advantage of dropping the pH very quickly and help prevent mould formation. Knowing the moisture content of the crop is critical. More moisture = more acid required = more expense. There are no known post feeding benefi ts.
The Good News
Precision Microbes Silage Additive is now produced in Ireland.
This means that Irish farmers now have access to fresh live Homofermentative LAB to aid in the production of top-quality silage.
DAFM registration no. aIED242410