Silage
Dr. Toner Korkmazhan
INTRODUCTION
• Fresh forage crops, such as maize, grasses,
legumes, wheat and lucerne, can be preserved
by ensiling. In many countries, ensiled forages
are highly valued as animal feed. In European
countries, such as The Netherlands, Germany
and Denmark, more than 90% of the forages
locally produced are stored as silage.
THE ENSILING PROCESS
• Ensiling is a forage preservation method based
on a spontaneous lactic acid fermentation
under anaerobic conditions. The epiphytic
lactic acid bacteria (LAB) ferment the water-
soluble carbohydrates (WSC) in the crop to
lactic acid, and to a lesser extent to acetic
acid.
Phase 1 - Aerobic phase
• In this phase - normally taking only a few hours -
the atmospheric oxygen present between the
plant particles is reduced, due to the respiration
of the plant material and aerobic and facultative
aerobic micro-organisms such as yeasts and
enterobacteria. Furthermore, plant enzymes such
as proteases and carbohydrases are active during
this phase, provided the pH is still within the
normal range for fresh forage juice (pH 6.5-6.0).
Phase 2 - Fermentation phase
• .This phase starts when the silage becomes
anaerobic, and it continues for between
several days and several weeks, depending on
the properties of the ensiled forage crop and
the ensiling conditions. If the fermentation
proceeds successfully, LAB develop and
become the predominant population. Due to
the production of lactic and other acids, the
pH decreases to 3.8-5.0.
Phase 3 - Stable phase
• For as long as air is prevented from entering the silo or
container, relatively little occurs. Most micro-organisms
of phase 2 slowly decrease in numbers. Some acid-
tolerant micro-organisms survive this period in an
almost inactive state; others, such as clostridia and
bacilli, survive as spores. Only some acid-tolerant
proteases and carbohydrases and some specialized
micro-organisms, such as Lactobacillus buchneri,
continue to be active at a low level. The activity of L.
buchneri will be discussed in more detail later in this
paper.
Phase 4 - Feed-out phase or aerobic
spoilage phase
• This phase starts as soon as the silage is
exposed to air. During feed-out this is
unavoidable, but it can start earlier due to
damage to the silage covering (e.g. by rodents
or birds).
THE SILAGE MICROFLORA
• The silage microflora plays a key role in the successful outcome of the
conservation process. The flora can basically be divided into two groups,
namely the desirable and the undesirable micro-organisms. The desirable
micro-organisms are lactic acid bacteria. The undesirable ones are the
organisms that can cause anaerobic spoilage (e.g. clostridia and
enterobacteria) or aerobic spoilage (e.g. yeasts, bacilli, Listeria and moulds).
Many of these spoilage organisms not only decrease the feed value of the
silage, but also have a detrimental effect on animal health or milk quality, or
both (e.g. Listeria, clostridia, moulds and bacilli).
First Harvest
Transport in Farm
cover the silage
Characteristics of a good silo:
• 1. Sufficient volume
• 2. There should be no air intake, the side walls should be flat and the surface should be
smooth 3. Sufficient depth
• 4. It must be solid. Meadow silages create 0.5-2.5 times more pressure on the silo wall
than corn silage.
• 5. Drainage
• 6. Ease of filling and emptying
• 7. The cost should be low
• 8.The building material should not absorb the water of the feed, should not be affected
by the water of the silage
Bad Drainage
Horizontal silos:
• -The most common silo type in Turkey and
Cyprus
• -Easy to build, fill and unload, low cost
• -It is preferable to build a hillside
• -Side walls made of concrete, stone, brick,
accumulation or folded wood, base of earth,
stone, gravel and concrete
• -Slope (1-5%)
• -Crate silo (direct feeding from silo)
HIGH DRY MATTER LEVEL OF WATERS
(HAYLAJ)
• It is usually made from meadow or legume grasses.
By withering, the humidity is reduced to 40-55%. Its
construction, storage and use in animal feeding is
the same as in silage. Only the amount of dry matter
is higher. Haylaj made under favorable conditions
has a pleasant aroma and flavor. It is a quality feed.
It has an increasing use especially in dairy cows.
Silage Feeds:
• Easily siloed feeds:
-They do not need additives.
-Corn, sunflower
• Medium-siloed feeds:
-They are siloed relatively more powerfully
-Rye harvest, pods, legumes,green mustard,
meadow grasses
• strong siloed feeds:
-It is quite difficult to obtain a quality silage.
-clover, vetch and peas,
Points to be considered when making
silage:
1.The form time of the silage plant:
-The optimal form time for the production of
legumes and wheat grasses for dry grass
production is also valid for silage production.
-For corn, the period when a black layer is formed
at the junction of the grain with the cob is the
most suitable time for the form.
-The best harvest time is in the afternoon or
evening
2. Cutting the silage plant into pieces
3. Humidity of the silage plant:
-The optimal humidity rate is 60-67%.
4. Filling time of the silo:
-Two days at the latest
5.Closure of the silo:
-must be hermetically sealed.
• Dairy cows are given 15-20 kg after milking
• heifers 5-10 kg
• Beef cattle 15-20 kg
• calves 10-15 kg,
• horses 6-15 kg,
• sheep 2 kg
