SiloSolve® FC for sandwich silage. A dairy farm in Lower Saxony had to expand its silo area “upwards” after increasing the herd to just over 200 cows. The second and third cut of grass were ensiled on top of each other. The silo had no side walls. Both cuts were treated with SiloSolve® FC.
The dry matter of the analyzed mixed sample, at 33.5%, was well within the target range. Despite higher fiber contents (ADF just under 30%, crude fiber just under 27%) and a solid crude protein level (17.2%), both cuts ensiled very well. This was certainly also supported by the moderate crude ash content of 8.9%. Good management was reflected in a pH of 4.08 and 6.2 MJ NEL. An analysis for molds and yeasts showed no mold colonies and only very low yeast counts (3,000 CFU/g). The acetic acid content, at 3.38, was above the < 3% required by the DLG. However, since it resulted from efficient fermentation through the use of SiloSolve® FC, it had no negative impact on feed intake. In the barn, feed intake was excellent. No surprise: although the lactic acid bacteria in SiloSolve® FC produced a significant amount of fermentation acids, 4.3% sugar remained in the silage.
