Minnesota dairy producer Tom Luebke knows just how important it is to prevent mold and heating in his silage. Even though he solved his spoilage problems 18 years ago, the experience is still fresh in his memory. Luebke
It is estimated that between $600 million and $2.2 billion worth of silage is lost each year simply due to dry matter (DM) losses from spoilage and heating1 — decreases in production due to nutritive value losses coul
Silage “shrink” — due to losses during ensiling — means that producers end up not only with less available feed due to dry matter (DM) loss, but it also results in lower feed quality due to those DM losses being
Q. We are planning to ensile corn stover at 50% dry matter (DM) with molasses, rolled corn and an inoculant. Would the resulting silage be of high enough quality for beef cattle?
When silage is opened at feedout, it is once again exposed to air (oxygen) allowing aerobic organisms that survived the ensiling process — e.g. bacteria, yeasts and molds — to grow. The growth of these spoilage orga
Air is the unseen, pervasive enemy of silage. After carefully growing and ensiling forage, growers can still experience substantial dry matter (DM) losses through mismanagement of the silo face.
Inoculants have been well documented to help with silage fermentation and quality; however, they contain live bacteria and have specific requirements for effective use. To get the best results, handle these living organ
