Silage effluent production when storing round baled grass silage

When storing wrapped round bales of grass silage, nutrient losses can occur due to leaking silage effluent. This is undesirable for both economic and environmental reasons. Six practical trials with a total of 62 bales of temporary ley showed the dry matter (DM) content of the initial silage to be the principal determinant of the quantity of silage effluent. If DM content of the initial silage exceeded 25 %, no further drainage of silage effluent was observed. The maximum average DM loss measured due to silage effluent was 4,5 % of the total DM in the initial silage. In all of the trials, at least three quarter of the total quantity of silage effluent ran off in the first 45 days. Storing the round bales on-end or lengthwise did not evidently affect the quantities of effluent occurring.