Testing silage additives 1997

The efficacy of the new silage additives, available in Switzerland to promote the main fermentation, was tested. The trials were carried out in small-scale silos with a mixture of lucerne and cocksfoot. Forage of the first and also second cut was ensiled at two different dry matter levels (about 20 and 30 % dry matter). The silos were opened after a storage time of about 100 days. The additives Eurosil Aprilis and Kroni 905 Bactosil Forte proved to be efficient, when used in forages less difficult to ensile. For the forages difficult to ensile the two products were effective for the first cut and ineffective for the second cut. The low sugar content was certainly responsible for this results. With the two products Biosil Plus and Biosil-K similar results were obtained for the forages difficult to ensile. For the forages less difficult to ensile the products showed a good efficacy for the first cut, but in the second cut the efficacy was sufficient. With the other products the efficacy was insufficient. Apart from the lower sugar content the low concentration of lactic acid bacteria was responsible for this. Based on these trial four products were authorized.