Chemical changes and losses during the ensilage of wilted grass

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Abstract
Two experiments were carried out; in the first, wilted Italian ryegrass at two different dry matter (DM) levels (34% and 47%) was ensiled; in the second, fresh grass (15.9% DM) and similar herbage wilted to 30.3% DM were ensiled. Total edible DM losses from the wilted silages were low and ranged from 6.7 to 10.4%. Changes in individual sugars and organic acids were followed. The residual amounts of sugars in the wilted silages were directly related to the degree of wilting. All silages were well preserved, but little fermentation had occurred in the material wilted to 47 % DM. From a knowledge of the sugars lost and amounts of mannitol and ethanol formed it has been possible to examine quantitatively the main chemical changes during the ensilage of the wilted materials. The results confirm the efficiency with which wilted grass is anaerobically conserved.