Corn Silage Preservation with Anhydrous Ammonia, Live Culture Microbial, or Organic Acid-Based Additives

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Chopped whole corn plants were ensiled with anhydrous ammonia or 1 of 2 commercial additives in ten 2.4 .times. 6.1 m upright concrete silos at the Virginia Forage, Research Station at Middleburg. The 5 treatments were the following: 2 silages harvested at full and late maturity with no additives, full maturity silage with Silabac (a live Lactobacillus culture) added at 0.05%, full maturity silage with anhydrous ammonia (Cold-Flo Process) added at .apprx. 0.28%, and a late maturity silage with Silosyn II (an organic acid-based additive) at 0.1%. Additions were based on wet forage weights. Feeding comparisons were obtained from silages as prepared and fed without further supplementation. Digestion of dry matter (yearling steers) was reduced in the microbial-treated silage. Digestibility of fibrous components was reduced in the late harvested silages (more mature corn). Enrichment with ammonia increased apparent digestibility of N. Mean dry matter intakes were 2.50, 2.45, 2.35, 2.30 and 2.27% of body wt (230-270 kg crossbred heifers) for ammonia-treated, acid-treated, full maturity, late maturity and microbial-inoculated silages. Dry matter recoveries ranged from 89-92% and were not influenced by additives. Enrichment of corn silage harvested at 36-40% dry matter with ammonia increased silage pH, ammoniacal and total N, and digestion of total N. Measures of total and lactic acid production and structural plant components of treated silages were not significantly different from controls.