INOCULANT DETAILS BACK WHAT HAPPENS DURING FERMENTATION? During silage fermentation, plant sugars are used as substrate by lactic acid bacteria from the crop to produce lactic and acetic acid, alcohol and other compounds. Lactic acid is a strong acid that allows forage pH to rapidly drop to levels where undesirable microorganisms will not be able to proliferate (usually pH should be 3.8 to 4.2). In addition, plant protein breaks down and it is first reduced to amino acids and then to ammonia and amines. When pH drops slowly then protein breakdown accelerates, and more nutrients are lost. Therefore: more nutrients will be retained in the silage if fermentation processes is completed in a faster way. One tool that could be considered to achieve this faster fermentation process is silage inoculants. WHY SILAGE INOCULANTS? Silage inoculants were created to aid in fermentation by converting fermentable carbohydrates into lactic acid and rapidly drop silage pH. Once silage pH is at the appropriate level and anaerobic conditions are established; then, undesirable microorganisms will no longer develop. Therefore, silage inoculants are tools that contribute to silage fermentation, but these tools need to work together with proper silage management. Keeping more nutrients in the silage and reducing dry matter loss contribute for better silage quality that influence positively animal health. Reducing silage waste is a good return on investment for dairy farmers. TYPES OF INOCULANTS: Inoculants that aid during fermentation process are based on homofermentative bacteria “Enterococcus faecium, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactococcus lactis”. Bacteria will help to produce lactic acid, reduce pH, and reduce dry matter loss. Inoculants that aid during the fermentation process and feedout are based on homofermentative bacteria and heterofermentative bacteria. Besides helping during fermentation, the additional heterofermentative bacteria “Lactobacillus buchneri” will produce acetic acid, which is known for reducing yeast and mold growth. Yeasts and molds are the principal cause of silage spoilage. This combination of inoculants will contribute to extending bunk life at the feedout stage. Close