Current Trends in Forage Preservation and Storage

Abstract

Improving forage quality to optimize dry matter intake is an important challenge facing progressive dairymen.

Forage quality improvement begins with agronomics, hybrid and variety selection. Eighty percent of preserving quality forage is management practices that are employed to eliminate oxygen from the storage structure as rapidly as possible.

Cutting at optimum maturity and ensiling at proper moisture are important factors. Chopping at the proper length and rapid filling, packing and sealing of the storage structure are all important considerations in eliminating oxygen from the silo.

Silage additives are considered as an important management tool to improve forage quality. Several types of additives are currently available and include acids, enzymes, nutrients and bacterial inoculants.

Bacterial inoculants are the predominant additive being used on ensiled forage in today's progressive operations. It is generally recognized that bacterial inoculants will not make bad silage better, but will improve the quality of well-managed silages.

Certain bacterial inoculants have been shown to improve dry matter recovery, improve protein quality, increase fiber digestibility, improve bunklife and improve animal performance. Bacterial silage inoculants should be considered a routine part of a good silage management program.