The Silage Option. Long fiber stored as Baled silage Baled Hay. Silage Options. Objective: To harvest high quality forage. Chopped stored in:

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1 The Silage Option Objective: To harvest high quality forage : : Silage Options Chopped stored in: Bunker,Pile, Bag, Tower Long fiber stored as Baled silage Baled Hay

2 Advantages: Why Silage?? Preserve High Quality Forage Can harvest large amounts of forage quickly Suited to mixing with other forages Minimal storage & feeding waste Limitations: Capital cost of equipment is high Daily feeding required Storage losses can be high

3 Dry Matter Losses during Harvesting & Storage DM Loss 50 % DM Loss 50 % 40 % Direct cut Silage Wilted Silage Preservative Treated hay Field Cured Hay 40 % 30 % 30 % 20 % 10 % Storage Losses Harvest Losses 20 % 10 % 0 % 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Moisture when harvested % 0 %

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5 What is Silage?? Silage is the result of the anaerobic fermentation of plant tissues by bacteria that produces an acidic environment that pickles or preserves the forage. Four basic elements required for silage: proper moisture, sufficient plant sugars, quick establishment of anaerobic conditions adequate numbers of bacteria

6 Phases of Silage Process Five Phases of Ensiling process 1: Aerobic or respiration phase 2: Initial anaerobic phase 3: Final anaerobic phase 4: Stable phase 5: Feed out phase

7 Fermentation Process ph 6.0 Lactic acid Bacteria ph (Total ensiling time days) Phase 1: (aerobic): production of C02, water and heat - lasts until all air is used up

8 Fermentation Process ph 6.0 Lactic acid Bacteria 乳酸菌 ph (Total ensiling time days) Phase 2: initial production of Acetic & Lactic acid by bacteria (24-72 hours)

9 Fermentation Process ph 6.0 Lactic acid Bacteria ph (Total ensiling time days) Phase 3: rapid increase in Lactic acid bacteria, stops when ph is low enough to limit bacteria growth - can last for several weeks

10 Fermentation Process ph 6.0 Lactic acid Bacteria ph (Total ensiling time days) Phase 4: Stable phase where ph has dropped to 4.5 or lower - silage can be kept for long periods provided air tight.

11 Fermentation Process ph 6.0 Lactic acid Bacteria ph (Total ensiling time days) Phase 5: Feed out phase - introduction of air can result in secondary fermentation

12 Important Issues in Fermentation Lag phase: plant cells break down allowing juices to be available to the bacteria (importance of conditioning) Fermentation phase: bacteria grow, using plant sugars to produce lactic and acetic acid (1 billion/gm of forage) When ph reaches , bacteria die Problems: Oxygen may extend respiration undesirable bacteria may cause spoilage Buffering action of the crop (prevents lowering of ph)

13 Buffering Capacity Some forages have a high buffering capacity and are highly resistant to lowering ph (alfalfa) legumes are usually well buffered and require more acids to reduce ph (additional Lactic acid bacteria) first cut legumes are usually higher than second cut or third cut

14 Buffering Capacity of Forages Forage Buffering Capacity Corn 200 Orchard grass 300 Ryegrass Alfalfa Clover

15 Effect of Plant Sugar Levels Sugar is essential for good fermentation - needed by bacteria Sunny periods promote deposition of sugar in the growing plant Sugar levels highest later in the day (early cutting reduce wiliting time)

16 Effect of Plant Sugar Levels Long wilting (respiration) depletes sugars Rain leaches out sugars Compaction of silage shortens aerobic phase - more sugar retained

17 Minimum Sugar Content % for fermentation DM% Alfalfa Grass Corn Alfalfa requires at least 35% dry matter or more for maximum fermentation due to low sugar levels Grasses require at least 20% dry matter Mixtures of alfalfa/grass preferred are preferred due to higher sugar levels

18 Silage Dynamics Hay Burnt Forage Silage Molds Browning (common in hay - heat/fire!) Lactic Acid Bacteria Yeasts Clostridia Relative Activity % 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Forage Moisture Content

19 Protein Solublization It is the Conversion of true protein to soluble non-protein compounds (NH3, nitrates, amino acids) In the silo, much of the protein is solublized Causes excessive excretion of N by the animal To reduce this:: reduce aerobic conditions quickly maximize ph by rapid wilting to reduce sugar loss limit silo temperature by good compaction

20 Other Spoilage problems Clostridia Spoilage Undesirable bacteria that grow in high moisture silage (wilt to at least 30% dry matter) where ph is above May be from manure that contaminated the silage at harvest Listeria diseases - occurs where there is air leakage and high ph (5.5)

21 Listeriosis Circling Disease in Sheep Caused by moldy silage

22 Silage Additives Stimulants Inoculants (lactic acid bacteria) Enzymes (Cellulases( Cellulases,, Amylases) Sugars (Molasses, sucrose, glucose) Inhibitors Aerobic (Proprionic( acid, Ammonia) Acids (anaerobic) Formic, Acetic Other (Formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide)

23 Drying Process 作物 呼吸损失 细胞死掉 水分含量 分含量 收割后 ( 小时 ) ( 搂草时 ) 叶片损失安全存储 ( 大多数草捆 )

24 Use a Wide Swath to Dry Quickly Avoid raking - can pick up soil and contaminate fermentation process

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26 Chop Length Alfalfa/Grass Chop Length 65%-75% moisture 3/8 inch less than 65% moisture 1/4 inch Corn 65% 70% 3/4 inch 60%-65% 65% moisture 1/2 inch 55%-60% moisture 3/8 inch Small Grains 1/4 to 3/8 inch Note: dry forage cut to shorter length to ensure packing 15%-20% of particles should be more than 1.5 inches

27 Silage Storage Losses Storage Methods Potential Storage Losses horizontal pit 15% horizontal concrete 12% pile on ground 16% concrete tower 9% oxygen limiting silo 5% silage tubes 7% round bale silage 18% round hay bales (outside) 6%

28 General Silage Guidelines Cut at the optimum crop stage for quality Wilt to desired moisture for optimum fermentation Harvest with minimal soil contamination at correct moisture Exclude air as quickly as possible by even chopping or firm even bales Seal quickly into an air tight storage Allow fermentation 21 days prior to feeding Use fermentation aids where possible

29 Silage options - Chopping Silage Custom unit - up to 100 tonnes/hr

30 Packing Chopped Silage Buck Rake on tractor Wheel Tractors provide more compaction than tracks Rapid filling essential to exclude air

31 Custom Harvesting for Quality Disc mowers combine swaths Chopper capacity 100t/hr Fast Track Tractors Custom rate: $650/hr Alfalfa: $7- $8.50/ton Corn $6.50- $7.50/ton Cost/hr includes packing

32 Bunker/Pile silos Long, narrow silos better than wide must take off at least 6 inches per day Make pile silos 1.5 x wider than the tractor used for packing (10 ft tractor - silo 25 ft) Make sure sides are air tight by using plastic - bales for walls are too porous Have a well drained site - solid surface

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34 Why Cover a Silage Pile?? Aerobic fermentation (spoilage) = high DM Loss$$ Bunker silo: Covered Uncovered Dry Matter Loss top: 4% 51% bottom: 3% 13% ph How much loss?? Top 1 ft of a bunker silo 35ft x 100ft = 31.5 tons DM If losses =51% of DM, this amounts to: 16 tons DM of $50/ton= $800 Note Cost at time of survey

35 Bonded White Plastic Covers UV resistant Tear strength Comparing Silage Covers Chopped Alfalfa Silage Ashern 1998 Top 6" Black well sealed Black loose White well sealed Moisture Internal pile Moisture Available Protein TDN ph Temp sep Consistency/color loose brown black mush loose green/brown Silo 35 ft x 100 ft = 3,500 sq.ft White bonded: $0.067/sq.ft $234 Man itoba A gricu lture Black 6 mil: $0.04/sq.ft $140

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37 Silage Additives Bacterial/Enzyme Inoculants convert plant sugars to lactic acid reduces DM losses, improves bunk life Carbohydrate sources (molasses) reduce ph, low cost, difficult to apply Urea & Anhydrous Ammonia increases protein & fiber digestibility caustic, difficult to apply Proprionic acid? controls fungal & mold growth by low ph, can be caustic (except Buffered acids)

38 Cost of Silage vs Hay? Based on Annual Dry Matter Tons of: 500 1,500 Variable Fixed Total Total Chopped silage in a bunker $12 $19 $31 $23 Chopped in a bag $22 $28 $50 $34 Round Bale Silage (tube) $44 $14 $58 $40 Round Bale Silage (wrapped) $35 $17 $52 $32 Round Bale (dry hay) $8 $12 $20 $13 Note: comparative costs at the time of the survey

39 What is Baled Silage? High moisture forage stored as a round or square bale Moisture varies from 40% - 60% Uses plastic cover to provide an air tight seal Primarily used to supplement round bale harvesting of high quality forage

40 Why Baled Silage Can use the same harvesting equipment as for baled hay Permits harvesting at optimum crop stage with less field and harvesting losses than for hay Greater flexibility than chopped silage as can harvest in smaller amounts more adaptable to small field size Less labor and equipment than for chopped Can have low feed & storage losses

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42 Limitations of Baled Silage Can spoil if air leaks into the silage or improper fermentation Low moisture forage (-40%) can have mould risk Apparent cost is high due to plastic cost Disposal problem with plastic Need to match equipment to heavier bale weights Bales can freeze if moisture too high

43 Moldy forage What Can Go Wrong??? due to air in the system white molds less of a problem than colored Air leaks due to holes in plastic predator damage: mice, dogs, horses, birds wind effect on loose plastic Frozen bales too high moisture (above 60%) poor fermentation Limited storage life due to low ph of forage

44 Baled Silage vs Chopped Slower Fermentation than chopped silage Higher ph than chopped silage Not as suited to harvesting high tonnage as chopped Long fiber may be preferred for milking cows ph Levels of Silage Days Bale Chopped

45 Moisture - The Critical Factor Target 50% moisture for best results Use a Microwave to ensure correct moisture Above 60% potential for sour silage Below 40% usually no or minimal fermentation Wilting process critical wilt to 50% moisture (8-12 hours????) Moisture should come from plant not Rain! Cut only what you can bale & haul in 1 Day!

46 Fermentation Tips Cut when sugar levels are high at optimum crop stage. Avoid Manure contamination - Avoid raking Do not expect good results from mature forage or rain on hay Use inoculants to aid the fermentation process Anhydrous Ammonia can also be used at 1-2% 1 of forage weight to preserve wet or spoiled hay- may be too costly in some years

47 Harvesting Management Crop Selection 1st & 3rd cut forage are usually the priority difficult to dry crops such as green feeds surplus pasture Leave a high stubble to avoid soil contamination Swath size to fit baler width Bales to be firm and even sized Avoid sisal twine - as preservatives degrade plastic Wrap within 2 hrs (30 deg.) or 12 hrs ( deg.)

48 Baler Options Hard Core Round Balers easiest to make silage bales can adjust bale size slow down ground speed, increase rotation or speed of baler to make tight bales some balers will not roll high moisture bales Soft Core Balers slow ground speed will start a firm core center more difficult to control bale size/weight More tractor power required

49 Baling Options Medium Square can be used for silage reduce the bale size to 4 or 6 ft length some balers have difficulty with HM bales Silage Balers have cutters to slice bales into 4-66 inch sections makes it possible to use in mixer wagons improve the fermentation of forage

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51 Storage Options Stack System round bales stacked in pyramidal formation high covered with heavy plastic sealed to the ground with soil, sand or manure some problems with excess air between bales wind whip can wear holes in plastic.

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53 Storage options - Tube Systems Tube-O-Lator solid tube system that uses a movable hoop with guides that directs the bales through the hoop into the plastic. uses a strong, 4 ml bonded plastic, white/black can produce a very tight fit to the bale can seal bales very fast - up to 200 bales per hour bales must be made to fit the plastic lower capital cost than with other systems tubes usually comes in 100 ft length

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55 Tube Stretch Wrap Systems Bales moved through rotating wheel and plastic film cover is stretch wrapped around the bales. 4-5 layers or more of Plastic are used to provide a complete air tight seal Plastic must have a 50% stretch capability, stable from Ultra Violet rays, strength and tackiness Higher equipment cost than other systems

56 Other options

57 Individual Bale Wrap Systems Individual Round Bale Wrap More common in Europe Suited to stacking in a small area Greater cost per unit than other systems Individual Medium Square Bale More suited to bales for marketing of forage Usually made smaller to accommodate weight (4-6 6 ft) Ideal for horse markets where smaller packages are of greater interest

58 Storage Site Should be: Well drained Free of long grass, sharp objects Wind sheltered Preferable to locate north/south direction Check on a regular basis to maintain air tight Repair holes with red Tuck tape

59 Recipe For Baled Silage Cut in PM for High Sugar Content Select High Quality Forage Cut only what can be baled and hauled in one day Swath should be wide & flat for fast drying Swath should be suited to baler width Avoid soil contact - no raking, keep a high stubble

60 Recipe for Baled Silage Target 50% moisture Make bales firm & even - slow ground speed - higher baler speed Seal in Plastic as quickly as possible - most important with high temperatures Use quality plastic

61 Recipe for Baled Silage Tube Wrap System - do not wrap in rain, 4 layers plastic - use high quality plastic, good stretch Tube-O-Lator - bales must be suited to tube size Stack Systems - suck out surplus air, anchor plastic - sprinkle salt on the outside of the bales Check for Air Leaks

62 Feeding Experience University of Manitoba Trial RFV AVDG Feed/lb Gain Seven Sisters Feeding Project Comparison between dry hay and baled silage 25% more feed used by dry hay Note: all feed was chopped

63 Feeding Experience Beerd Hop Top BCA Herd Clint Dowd, Sundown AVDG 1.68 RFV 100

64 Feeding Experience Brian & Les Kurbis - Beausejour Winter steers/heifers on baled silage RFV 180 AVDG (steers) 2.12 %of Body Wt. 2.74% Feed/Lb Gain Sale of Hay through Calves $98/T Net Return/Acre $77.77

65 Kurbis Feeding Project 2000 Feeding project to determine feed value of different quality forage Results Jan. 5th-March 1st RFV Avg Daily Gain ARDI project in Cooperation with Univ. of Manitoba