Silage additives and aerobic stability – test results 2003

The efficacy of the silage additives Bonsilage Mais Granulat and NH 708 uroSIL on aerobic stability was investigated in maize silage in comparison to a treatment without additive and a treatment with propionic acid. In addition two further treatments with urea (granular form and liquid application) were investigated. The maize was harvested at two different dry matter levels (35 and 45 % dry matter) and ensiled in 1.5 litre laboratory scale silos. 7 days before the silos were opened, the silage underwent an air stress for 24 hours. The storage period lasted 56 days.All silages showed a good fermentation quality. In comparison to the other variants, the silages treated with urea had higher crude protein contents. The silages with 35 % DM showed few yeasts and by none of the investigated silages a heating was observed. In the silages with 45 % DM there were differences concerning the aerobic stability between the variants. In comparison to the treatment without additive, the product Bonsilage Mais Granulat slightly improved the aerobic stability. With Luprosil, NH 708 uroSIL as well as with the two variants with urea, the aerobic stability was strongly improved.