Silage additives and aerobic stability – test results 2000

The efficacy of the three silage additives Conservit liquid, Kofa Grain pH5 and Lupro-Grain on aerobic stability during unloading and feed out was investigated in grass and also maize silage in comparison to a treatment without additives and a treatment with propionic acid (Luprosil). All three silage additives are chemical products. The trials with grass were carried out at two different pre-wilting degrees (46 and 62 % DM). The maize was harvested at two different dry matter levels (30 and 39 % dry matter). The forage was ensiled in 1.5 litre laboratory scale silos. The storage period was two month. 7 days before the silos were opened the silage underwent an air stress for 24 hours during the storage period. For all treatments the fermentation was less intense in the grass silage with the higher pre-wilting degree. The silages without additives were more susceptible to aerobic instability than the treated silages. The two additives Kofa Grain pH5 and Lupro-Grain showed a good efficacy for the aerobic stability. The maize silages had a good fermentation quality. In the maize silage with 30 % DM the additives Conservit liquid and Lupro-Grain improved the aerobic stability. Only a small increase of the temperature in the maize silages with 39 % DM was observed in all treatments. But in contrast to the treated silages moulds were only found in the silage without additives.