Sugar beet pulp and silage quality

In the next years the sugar beet factories in Switzerland intend to press the sugar beet pulp more strongly. In an experiment we ensiled sugar beet pulp with 20 % (standard) and 27 % dry matter (DM) in order to investigate the influence of the DM-content on the fermentation quality and on the aerobic stability. With the stronger pressing, the sugar content of the pulp decreased strongly and the lactic acid fermentation was less intensive and consequently the pH was not so low. In none of the silages butyric acid was found. After opening the silos in both variants the surface was mouldy and showed high yeast contents. Two weeks after feeding-out, there again were problems with moulds in both silos. The too early opening of the silos after filling, respectively the high temperatures (> 30 °C), which still existed especially in the middle of the silos as well as the influence of the air, were responsible for the development of yeasts and moulds. Subsequently, the formation of mould did not continue and the contamination of yeasts and moulds was low in both variants. The silage samples with 20 % as well as 27 % DM which were taken between middle of November and middle of December, heated very rapidly. The samples taken after middle of December, were less susceptible for aerobic instability. Not the DM-content, but the fact to open the silos too early was the main reason for the quality problems.