what is sillage in agriculture

• Silage is good source of nutritious food.
• Silage makes animals gain weight in short period, especially in sheep
• Dairy cows produce more milk with silage feeding.
• Silage is very useful in summer when there is no scope for natural gazing.
• Silage is used as animal fodder such as in goat, sheep and dairy cows.

Full
Answer

What is a Sillage?

Silage, also called ensilage, forage plants such as corn (maize), legumes, and grasses that have been chopped and stored in tower silos, pits, or trenches for use as animal feed. Since protein content decreases and fibre content increases as the crop matures, forage, like hay, should be harvested in early maturity.

What is silage?

Silage is the main conserved forage fed to organic dairy herds during the winter housing period. It influences feed intake and the quality and quantity of milk produced. It is primarily made …

What is haylage?

Silage is pasture grass that has been ‘pickled’. It is a method used to preserve the pasture for cows and sheep to eat later when natural pasture isn’t good, like in the dry season. The grasses …

What is the meaning of sillage in agriculture?

silage, also called ensilage, forage plants such as corn (maize), legumes, and grasses that have been chopped and stored in tower silos, pits, or trenches for use as animal feed. Since protein content decreases and fibre content increases as the crop matures, forage, like hay, should be harvested in early maturity.

What is silage production?

Silage (/ˈsaɪlɪdʒ/) is a type of fodder made from green foliage crops which have been preserved by fermentation to the point of acidification. It can be fed to cattle, sheep and other such ruminants (cud-chewing animals). The fermentation and storage process is called ensilage, ensiling or silaging.

What is the importance of silage?

Silage has several advantages over hay as a mechanically harvested product. Silage has more nutrients preserved per acre because there is less field loss. Silage is also less affected by weather damage because the forage does not lie in the field drying.

What is the importance of sillage?

Silage is preserved pasture. Making silage is an important way for farmers to feed cows and sheep during times when pasture isn’t good, such as the dry season.

How do you make sillage?

Process of Preparing Silage The materials used in making silage should have a moisture content of about 60-70% or dry matter of 30 -35% and a pH under 4.2 for wet forage and 4.8 for wilted forage. In rainy seasons when the fodder is too damp, with more water, you must first wilt it in the sun.

What are types of silage?

Types of Silages?High-moisture silage (< 30% dry matter)Medium-moisture silage (30 – 40% dry matter)Low-moisture silage ( < 30% dry matter)

Which crop is best for silage?

The fodder crops, such as maize, sorghum, oats, pearl millet, and hybrid napier rich in soluble carbohydrates are most suitable for fodder ensiling. Quality of silage can be improved with the use of suitable additives such as molasses, urea, salt, formic acid etc.

What is the pH of good silage?

SILAGE of good quality has a pH of 4.2 or less, with the possible exception of silage made from wilted materials. If grass with a high protein content is ensiled, acids or carbohydrates may have to be added to obtain such a low pH.

How is silage stored?

There are several ensiling/storage methods that will accomplish the ensiling process. All methods have advantages and disadvantages, and have widely ranging capital costs.; Some methods of storing silage include trench, bunker, concrete silos, oxygen-limiting silos, heap silage, and bale silage.

What is silage and how is it prepared?

In brief, Silage is a high moisture fodder that farmers use to feed their domestic animals, especially during the dry season. Made up of grass, corn, maize, and others, silages are made by chopping the crops into small pieces and then storing them.

What is good quality silage?

Quality ranges from 58% to 78% dry matter digestibility (DMD) nationally, but average quality remains poor at around 65% DMD.

Is silage better than green fodder?

Green fodder can be kept preserved in succulent stage for any length of time. 3. Grass silage preserves 85 % or more of the feed value of the crop, whereas hay making will preserve much less percentage of nutrients.

What is silage and how is it prepared?

In brief, Silage is a high moisture fodder that farmers use to feed their domestic animals, especially during the dry season. Made up of grass, corn, maize, and others, silages are made by chopping the crops into small pieces and then storing them.

Why is silage good for cows?

Silage can provide a long-term forage reserve for drought, bushfires or floods. Targeting high quality for drought feeding reduces feeding costs. A high-quality silage also provides the option to finish cattle cost effectively during a drought.

What do farmers plant for silage?

Silage is the entire corn plant that is harvested while green in the summer. The whole plant is chopped up and held in an airtight container (like a silo, silage bag, or silage pit) to ferment. It is then stored and used as cattle feed throughout the year.

What is another word for silage?

What is another word for silage?fodderforagefeedgrassstrawprovenderpasturagehayfoodherbage37 more rows

What is silage used for?

Silage is usually used as a supplement to pasture. The quantity required will depend on the quantity and quality of pasture available. Silage quality has to be high to ensure a good animal response. Supplementation of cows grazing young lush pasture with high-quality silage can reduce the incidence of grass tetany.

Why is silage important for cows?

Silage prevents precious pasture going to waste Collecting the excess pasture for silage is a great way to preserve nutrients for autumn and winter when pastures are less productive and the weather outside is too grisly for cowkind to contemplate.

How does silage pollution affect fish?

The problem of silage effluent pollution It’s at least 200 times stronger than untreated domestic sewage. It kills fish and the tiny creatures they feed on, starving them of oxygen until they suffocate. Just small amounts pollute groundwater, springs, wells and boreholes, endangering public water supplies.

Why is silage better than hay?

Silage has several advantages over hay as a mechanically harvested product. Silage has more nutrients preserved per acre because there is less field loss. Silage is also less affected by weather damage because the forage does not lie in the field drying.

What is the best fodder for ensiling?

The fodder crops, such as maize, sorghum, oats, pearl millet, and hybrid napier rich in soluble carbohydrates are most suitable for fodder ensiling. Quality of silage can be improved with the use of suitable additives such as molasses, urea, salt, formic acid etc.

What is silage made of?

Not to be confused with Sillage. Silage ( / ˈsaɪlɪdʒ /) is a type of fodder made from green foliage crops which have been preserved by acidification, achieved through fermentation. It can be fed to cattle, sheep and other such ruminants ( cud -chewing animals).

What is the silage underneath plastic sheeting?

Silage underneath plastic sheeting is held down by scrap tires. Concrete beneath the silage prevents fermented juice from leaching out

How many stages does silage go through?

Silage goes through four major stages in a silo:

Is silo a corrosive substance?

The fermentation process of silo or pit silage releases liquid. Silo effluent is corrosive. It can also contaminate water sources unless collected and treated. The high nutrient content can lead to eutrophication (hypertrophication), the growth of bacterial or algal blooms.

What bacteria are used in ryegrass?

Other bacteria used include Lactobacillus buchneri, Enterococcus faecium and Pediococcus species. Ryegrasses have high sugars and respond to nitrogen fertiliser better than any other grass species. These two qualities have made ryegrass the most popular grass for silage making for the last sixty years.

What bacteria are inoculated with silage?

Silage inoculants contain one or more strains of lactic acid bacteria , and the most common is Lactobacillus plantarum.

What happens to the sour silage in anaerobic fermentation?

When closely packed, the supply of oxygen is limited, and the attendant acid fermentation brings about decomposition of the carbohydrates present into acetic, butyric and lactic acids. This product is named sour silage. If the fodder is unchaffed and loosely packed, or the silo is built gradually, oxidation proceeds more rapidly and the temperature rises; if the mass is compressed when the temperature is 140–160 °F (60–71 °C), the action ceases and sweet silage results. The nitrogenous ingredients of the fodder also change: in making sour silage, as much as one-third of the albuminoids may be converted into amino and ammonium compounds; in making sweet silage, a smaller proportion is changed, but they become less digestible. If the fermentation process is poorly managed, sour silage acquires an unpleasant odour due to excess production of ammonia or butyric acid (the latter is responsible for the smell of rancid butter).

What are the components of silage?

Silage formation consists of the following: (1) Oxygen trapped in the forage is utilized within a few hours by aerobic microorganisms. (2) Anaerobic bacteria (lactobacilli) increase from 2000 to 4000 up to 1 billion per gram of silage very early in the process. (3) Sugars are the principal food for anaerobic fermentation bacteria, but pentosans and starch are also used to a small degree. (4) Principal organic acids formed are lactic, acetic, succinic, and a trace of formic (McCulloch, 1978; McDonald, 1981; Neidig, 1914 ). Lactic acid is the desired acid ( Woodward, 1939). (5) Poor silage fermentation breaks down much of the protein and amino acid N to form less digestible ammonia forms (Gordon et al., 1957, 1961; McHan, 1979 ). (6) Silage development is usually completed within about 12 days ( Langston, 1958). (7) Losses of DM during fermentation range from 5 to 20%; gas losses range from 5 to 10%; seepage losses from 0 to 10%, depending on the water content of the initial fodder. Spoilage losses can range from a low of 1% (airtight silos) to a high of 40% (silage piles and poorly covered bunker or pit silos) (Guilbert, 1931; LeClerc, 1939; Martin et al., 1976; Takano, 1983; Walton, 1983 ).

What are the characteristics of silage formation?

(3) Sugars are the principal food for anaerobic fermentation bacteria, but pentosans and starch are also used to a small degree. (4) Principal organic acids formed are lactic, acetic, succinic, and a trace of formic (McCulloch, 1978; McDonald, 1981; Neidig, 1914). Lactic acid is the desired acid (Woodward, 1939). (5) Poor silage fermentation breaks down much of the protein and amino acid N to form less digestible ammonia forms (Gordon et al., 1957,1961; McHan, 1979). (6) Silage development is usually completed within about 12 days (Langston, 1958). (7) Losses of DM during fermentation range from 5 to 20%; gas losses range from 5 to 10%; seepage losses from 0 to 10%, depending on the water content of the initial fodder. Spoilage losses can range from a low of 1% (airtight silos) to a high of 40% (silage piles and poorly covered bunker or pit silos) (Guilbert, 1931; LeClerc, 1939; Martin et al., 1976; Takano, 1983; Walton, 1983).

Can E. coliO157:H7 be grown in silage?

No reports on the occurrence of E. coliO157:H7 in silage are known to the author. However, possibilities to control its viability were tested in silage inoculated with this harmful strain. Overall, E. coliO157:H7 does not survive in well-fermented silage with a fast pH decline and low pH value, such as corn silage (e.g., Pedroso et al., 2010). In difficult to ensile forages such as alfalfa with a slow initial pH decline, propionic acid, or some bacterial inoculants applied during silo filling, the inhibition of E. coliO157:H7 during ensiling is hastened, and its growth on contaminated silage during the feed-out period is also prevented (Ogunade et al., 2016). However, the danger strain can survive and grow in poorly fermented silage, and in aerobically deteriorated silage.

What is the most important organism in silage?

In silage, Escherichia coli is the most important species within the group of enterobacteria from the viewpoint of human health risk, because some its types cause severe gastrointestinal diseases. Recently, the greatest interest has been focused on the strain E. coli O157:H7, a Shiga-toxin producing food-borne pathogen associated with hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans. Cattle are considered the primary reservoir of the bacterium, shedding the pathogen in their manure. The presumed route of raw milk contamination is similar to that described above for other contaminating bacteria.

Is silage good for cattle?

Silage, which is produced to preserve forage with high moisture content by controlled fermentation, is an important winter feed for cattle. Recent efforts towards an increased use of potato pulp were primarily directed to a broader application as animal feed (Lisinska and Leszczynski, 1989). Okine et al. (2005)studied the effect of addition of two bacterial inoculants as Lactobacillus rhamnosusand Rhizopus oryzaeat ensiling on the fermentation quality, change in nutrient composition, and the nutritive value of potato pulp silage. They concluded that the potato pulp can ensile well with or without bacterial inoculants.

What is haylage made of?

Haylage is a silage product made from forage grasses and legumes containing 40 to 60% moisture (Walton, 1983 ). Elsewhere its definition is given as a product resulting from ensiling forage with about 45% moisture in the absence of oxygen ( Heath et al., 1973).

What is silage forage?

Silage has been defined in various ways, but all the definitions have a common element. For example, silage is forage preserved in succulent conditions by partial fermentation in a tight container (Martin et al., 1976 ). Walton (1983) says that it is feed preserved by acid-producing action of fermentation.

Why is silage important?

Silage is preserved pasture. Making silage is an important way for farmers to feed cows and sheep during times when pasture isn’t good, such as the dry season. Find out how silage is made below.

What is silage grass?

Silage is pasture grass that has been ‘pickled’. It is a method used to preserve the pasture for cows and sheep to eat later when natural pasture isn’t good, like in the dry season .

Why is grass cut and fermented?

The grasses are cut and then fermented to keep as much of the nutrients ( such as sugars and proteins) as possible. The fermentation is carried out by microscopic organisms living in the grass.

Why does the pH of silage drop?

These are bacteria that are needed to make the silage, and they turn the plant sugars into lactic acid. This causes the pH to drop (the mixture because more acidic).

Why is silage made with oxygen?

This is because fermentation has to happen under anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions, or the correct type of microorganisms won’t grow.

Why is grass compacted?

The cut grass is chopped into even smaller pieces and then compacted to get out as much oxygen as possible (this is important because the microorganisms, called lactic acid bacteria, that are needed to carry out the fermentation like living in oxygen-free environments). If the silage is to be stored piled in a large pit, tractors and other machinery are usually driven over the grass pile until it is firm. If the silage is stored as bales, the baling machines will compact the grass as they work.

Why do cows need acidic conditions?

The process must be carried out under acidic conditions (around pH 4-5) in order to keep nutrients and provide a form of food that cows and sheep will like to eat. Fermentation at higher pH results in silage that has a bad taste, and lower amounts of sugars and proteins.

What is silage made of?

Silage Making Process. Introduction of Silage:- Silage is a preserved pasture/ fodder or high moisture content fodder made from green crops. Making silage is very important for farmers as silage can be fed to animals (dairy, sheep, goat other livestock) during times when pasture isn’t good or natural fodder is not available.

How to make silage?

Silage Making Process – Step 1:- First and Foremost, decide the type of crop to be grown for forage or silage. Choose hybrid and perennial varieties of crops which can be grown in short duration and produced multiple times.

How long does silage last?

The silage can last up to 2 years if it is prepared with well sheeting and good soil cover. Silage Making Process – Step 13:- To use the silage, open the pit from the lower side of the slope, take the enough silage fodder for one day and close the pit again.

Is silage good for livestock?

Silage very useful in stall fed farming and saving cost of fodder in any livestock farming essential for high returns. Uses of Silage:- Following are some of the uses and benefits of silage. Silage is good source of nutritious food. Dairy cows produce more milk with silage feeding.

How do farmers make silage?

Some farmers exclusively make silage in commercial way to make money by growing green crops like maze/ corn or any millet crops. Anyone who wants to go for dairy, sheep or goat farming should learn the silage making process. Silage very useful in stall fed farming and saving cost of fodder in any livestock farming essential for high returns.

Can you make silage from maize?

In India, making silage from corn or maize is popular and forage can be cut at the baby corn stage (This stage,it will have highest nutrition values) and can produce corn silage.

Why is silage used in cattle?

Silage is used to feed the dairy cattle, and it helps to produce more milk. Silage is used to feed the the animals in summer when there is no scope for natural grazing. It is used as animal fodder and can be fed to most of the animals such as cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats.

What is silage made of?

And silage is generally made from grass crops including sorghum, maize, barley, oats, millet or other cereals. Entire green plants (not just the grain) is used for making silage. Although, silage can be made from many field crops, and special terms may be used depending on type. For example, the silage is called oatlage which is made from oats, …

How long can you keep silage?

But you should wait at least 2 weeks before using. The silage made in such process can be kept for long time, generally up to 2 years.

How to cover a silage pit?

Cover the top of the pit with polythene sheet after final pressing. Covering the top is important to prevent the silage from any water contact, and if possible dig a small trench around the sides of the pit.

How to keep silage from rotting?

Using a garden sprayer for distributing the solution will be good. Doing this will help for preventing the forage from rotting. Sprinkling the solution throughout the silage pit will help in feeding the micro-organisms, for making the silage ferment quickly and saving the silage from rotting.

How much polythene do you need for a silage pit?

For example, you have to dig the pit size of about 2 cubic meters for making 20 bags of silage. And you will need about 10 meters of polythene and 30 liters of molasses for such a pit.

What is the best grain to use for silage?

Growing sorghum, maize, barley, oats, millet or other cereals will be very good for making silage.

What is silage used for?

Silage is essentially “pickled pasture,” or fodder that’s been fermented to feed cattle or sheep during dry seasons. Grasses or other crops, such as rye or maize, are cut, fermented and compressed until they’re ready to be fed to the livestock.

Why is silage important for cattle?

During dry seasons in particular, this helps the cattle or sheep stay healthy and strong. Furthermore, the importance of silage is in its energy. It often serves as a high-energy source for animals such as cows. Fortunately, a little goes a long way. This makes it a low-cost option for fattening grazing cattle.

Why is silage good for storage?

What’s the advantage? Silage is stored using plenty of moisture, which allows it to retain a higher percentage of nutrients than a dry storage option . While the process of silaging won’t add any nutrients, it does a great job preserving existing nutrients.

What do farmers feed their animals?

Farmers typically have a few popular options when it comes to feeding their livestock. One of these options is silage — preserved pasture, which allows farmers to keep feeding their livestock when grazing isn’t optimal.

Can animals digest hay?

Digestive capabilities: Animals do not digest hay. Silage is partially and easily digested, offering more nutritious value. Preservation: Hay is typically kept in a bale, while silage is stored in a bale and covered with tight plastic wrap.

What is the difference between hay and silage?

The primary difference between hay and silage is that the former is grass that’s cut and dried to use as animal fodder. Silage is fermented and stored in a silo before used as food. As a result, they have several distinctions: Moisture content: Hay usually has a moisture content of 12%, whereas silage moisture content is between 40-60%.

Is silage hay a good forage?

Both silage and hay are popular ways for farmers to feed their livestock when they’re unable to graze during the winter. They’re both comprised of grass and considered a preservation method of forage. However, despite overarching similarities, these two styles certainly have their differences.

How to store silage bags?

It is important to pick a suitable location for the storage bags. Obviously, one would wish to keep them relatively close, in an area that has adequate drainage and easy access. Keeping the bags away from other feed sources, may reduce damage from birds and rodents. Stacking the carefully in a room can protect them against rats, mice and other pests. Although open storing in a way disabling rodents to form layers, and covering with a thin plastic foil to prevent damage from birds is sometimes most effec- tive. The surface area selected for storage of silage bags has a large impact on silage quality and ease of feeding from the bag. Based on experience the surfaces rated as follows:

Why is corn used for silage?

Corn silage produces more energy per acre than any other crop

What is the moisture content of corn silage?

Recommended moisture contents are 65–70 percent for horizontal silos, 63–68 percent for conven-tional tower silos, 55–60 percent for limited-oxygen silos, and 65 percent for silo bags.

Is silage good for marketing?

Silage is not interesting for marketing as its value is difficult to be determined.cultural sector, but the production method relies on heavy equipment and large production, in order to dig or build storage pits and to compress the green mass, putting it beyond the reach of smallholder farmers.

Why is hay made from forage?

Forages can be made into hay to conserve the nutrients, especially protein , before they decline in the plant. However it is often too wet to dry the successfully and special machinery, has to be used to assist the forage to dry quickly. Forage crops such as maize, are too thick-stemmed to dry successfully as hay. Silage is considered the better way to conserve forage crops. A forage crop can be cut early and only has to have 30% dry matter to be ensiled successfully. There is no need to dry out the plant material any more than that, so wet weather is not such a constraint as it is with making hay. Silage making is long practiced by the larger agri- cultural sector, but the production method relies on heavy equipment and large production, in order to dig or build storage pits and to compress the green mass, putting it beyond the reach of smallholder farmers.

How is forage preserved?

Forage which has been grown while still green and nutritious can be conserved through a natural ‘pickling’ process. Lactic acid is produced when the sugars in the forage plants are fermented by bac- teria in a sealed container (‘silo’) with no air. Forage conserved this way is known as ‘ensiled forage’ or ‘silage’ and will keep for up to three years without deteriorating. Silage is very palatable to livestock and can be fed at any time.

How to improve the nutrition of farmers’ milking animals when each family keeps only one dairy cow?

How to improve the nutrition of farmers’ milking animals when each family keeps only one dairy cow? available are wheat or maize straw, together with hay and concentrated feeds. As a minimum, it is essential to provide a green fodder supplement to enhance rumen function for bovine animals. Therefore, one should develop winter fodder crops. For smallholder farmers with limited production capacity, finding enough feed in the winter months to maintain good milk production is always a problem. Many are forced to buy hay, concentrates or silage just to keep their animals alive and are unable to benefit due to the higher prices paid for animal feed in the winter months.

Overview

Production

Haylage

Fermentation

Pollution and waste

Storing silage

Safety

Nutrition