Effect of silo sealing system based on an oxygen barrier film on composition and losses from the upper layer of grass/clover crops ensiled in farmscale silos. | Erinevate silokatmissüsteemide mõju tranšeesilo pealmise kihi kvaliteedile.
2012
Lättemäe, P. | Osmane, B. | Konosonoka, I-H. | Wigley, S. | Wigley, J.
Two experiments were conducted to investigate the extent to which a silo sealing system based on the oxygen barrier film ‘Silostop’ (S; 45 μm thickness) influenced the preservation quality of silage in the upper layer of the silo compared to a conventional sealing system comprising white-on-black polyethylene film (C; 150 μm thickness). Primary growth grass/clover crops were ensiled for 120 days in bunker silos split lengthways and covered with either S or C. Losses were estimated by burying bags beneath the top surface (Experiment 1) or by weighing inedible material (Experiment 2). Yeast counts were similar for the two crops at harvest, but the mould count was numerically higher in the crop at harvest in Experiment 2 than in Experiment 1, possibly reflecting wet weather. Silage in the upper 30 cm layer under S had higher concentrations of lactic acid than material stored under C (P < 0.05). In both experiments, counts of yeasts, moulds and clostridial spores were numerically lower for silage under S than for silage under C. Mycotoxins were not detected in silage samples. Losses of DM from the upper 30 cm layer in Experiment 1 averaged 5.0% and 2.5% for C and S, respectively. In Experiment 2, inedible silage fresh weight discarded from the top 30 cm layer was 1.7 tonnes (0.1%) and 100 tonnes (5.9% of total fresh weight ensiled) for S and C, respectively. Oxygen barrier film has the potential to reduce top spoilage and improve the microbiological quality of grass/clover silage.
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