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Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 65 No. 2 250-258
© 1982 by American Dairy Science Association ®
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Evaluation of a Model Laboratory Silo1

M. G. El Hag2, R. L. Vetter3, M. D. Kenealy and R. J. Smith4

Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011

ABSTRACT

Objectives of this research were to evaluate a new type of miniature laboratory silo and describe its use in silage research. The silo unit was designed to study, separately or collectively, variables affecting the ensiling process, such as moisture, temperature, density, light, and additives. In addition, loss of wet weight and fermentation gases could be measured. The capacity of the unit was approximately 250 g of forage material with a volume of 463 cm3. Laboratory silos were evaluated for three forage crops (alfalfa at two moistures, whole plant corn, and corn stover) and two ensiling periods (3 and 5 wk). They also were compared with farm scale silos for whole plant corn.

The laboratory silos simulated farm silos and produced high quality silages from both high moisture alfalfa and whole plant corn. The smaller amounts of substrate permitted closer control of the process and more uniformity of composition of starting material. Dry matter and pH varied least. Variation was relatively higher with carbon dioxide, acetate, and lactate. The 3-wk ensiling produced high quality silages with low pH and high content of lactic acid compared to 5-wk. Lactic acid was predicted accurately, .97 correlation, from pH, titratable acidity, and carbon dioxide output. The pH also was predicted from lactic acid and titratable acidity but with relatively less accuracy, .62 correlation.

FOOTNOTES

1 Supported in part by funds provided by a grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture. Journal Paper No. J-10067 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, IA. Project 2260

2 Department of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Sudan.

3 A. O. Smith Harvestore, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL.

4 Department of Agricultural Engineering.






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Copyright © 1982 by the American Dairy Science Association ®.