ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD SILAGE

• Very good silage: It is clean, the taste is acidic, and has no butyric acid, no moulds, no sliminess without proteolysis. The pH is between 3.5 and 4.2. The amount of ammoniacal nitrogen should be less than 10 per cent of the total nitrogen. Uniform in moisture and green or borwnish in colour. Taste is pleasing, not bitter or sharp.
• Good silage: The taste is acidic. There may be traces of butyric acid. The pH is between 4.2 and 4.5. The amount of ammoniacal nitrogen is 10-15 per cent of the total nitrogen. Other points same as of very good silage.
• Fair silage: The silage is mixed with a little amount of butyric acid. There may be slight proteolysis along with some mould. The pH is between 4.5 and 4.8. ammoniacal nitrogen is 15-20 per cent of the total nitrogen. Colour of silage varies between tobacco brown to dark brown.
• Poor silage: It has a bad smell due to high butyric acid and high proteolysis. The silage may be infested with moulds. Less acidity, pH is above 4.8. The amount of ammoniacal nitrogen is more than 20 per cent. Colour tends to be blackish and should not be fed.

Study Questions

1. Why should we wilt the crop before filling up the silo?
2. What will happen if there are air pockets in the filled silo?
3. What is the necessity for adding molasses when leguminous forages are ensiled?
4. What should be the pH of very good quality silage?
5. What is the best crop for making silage?
6. State the stage of harvesting of crop for silage making?
7. What will happen if a high moisture crop is ensiled?
8. Name the various types of silos used for large scale silage making?
9. A farmer maintaining a herd of 25 cows has to depend on silage as source of succulent fodder for 3 months in a year. The silage requirement per cow per day is 20 Kg. What is the quantity of green fodder containing 80% moisture he has to cut to produce enough silage?