When ensiling both maize and whole crop there are similar considerations:
Fermentation Losses
Fermentation losses are ‘invisible’ and in well-fermented silages, the fermentation process can account for 10% of the harvested dry matter being lost. In silages where the fermentation process has been less efficient these losses in dry matter can be substantially higher than 10%
Aerobic Fermentation
Maize, and to an even greater extent whole crop cereals, are prone to aerobic spoilage and aerobic deterioration resulting in DM losses due to heating in the clamp. The better consolidated these silages are, the lower the dry matter losses.
Read more: What is aerobic spoilage and how can we minimise it?
Using additives in maize silage
Some additives are concerned solely with aerobic stability and whilst it is important to address these issues. The savings that can be made by improving the efficiency of fermentation are even greater.
The best approach is to use a good quality additive that tackles both aspects. The aim should be to effectively reduce the ‘invisible’ fermentation losses, whilst at the same time reducing more obvious losses due to heating in the clamp.
Ecosyl additives such as Ecocool have been shown to typically reduce the fermentation losses by half and also to improve aerobic stability, keeping the silage cooler for longer. The Ecosyl range has a considerable amount of evidence from independent feeding trials which demonstrate improved animal performance for dairy, beef and sheep.
Read more: Should I use an additive for my maize?
Read more: How to choose the right additive to prevent maize silage losses
Benefits of using an additive for fermentation losses
Using an inoculant to speed up the fermentation process has a number of benefits, such as;
- Improving corn silage quality
- Makes better use of the available sugars in the clamp
- Preserves more nitrogen as true protein
- Reduces Dry Matter content losses
- Minimises undesired microbial activity
Benefits of using an additive for aerobic spoilage:
Some of the many benefits of using an inoculant to inhibit the activities of the yeast and mould that cause aerobic spoilage include:
- Less heating
- Lower Dry Matter losses
- Less physical waste
- Higher energy feed
- Less risk of mycotoxins
Read more: Could mycotoxins be an issue for dairy cows this winter?
Maize Guide
Along with details on this years recommended varieties, our guide includes advice on how to get the most from your crop.
