Harvesting and subsequent processing of silage

Roughage known as silage is made by slicing green feed that has a moisture content ranging from 65% to 75%. The fermentation of anaerobic lactic acid bacteria in closed, anoxic circumstances prevents the multiplication of other microorganisms. Silage smells sour, is juicy and soft, tastes nice, is high in nutrients, and can be stored for a long time. For cattle, it is an excellent source of fodder.

The scientific methods of harvesting and preserving silage are as follows:

Choose the relevant plant materials: Choose plant materials suited for silage production, such as grass, corn, sorghum, alfalfa, and red clover. Ensure that the plants are free of major pests, illnesses, and contaminants throughout the growth season.

Harvest at the appropriate time during the plant's growing season. Harvesting is typically done when the plants have attained their peak growth and nutritional value, resulting in more calories and protein. It is appropriate to harvest when the dry matter content of grass leaves and stems is between 25% and 35%.

To boost production, use correct harvesting instruments like a harvester or lawnmower. Make sure the cut is a reasonable length, usually between 2.5cm and 7.6cm, as this improves air tightness during compaction and storage.

Making silage: Create silage from harvested plant components. This frequently entails chopping, crushing, or compressing plant material for storage in wells, towers, or storage bags. Some preservatives, such as lactic acid or starter cultures, can be used to improve silage fermentation and preservation.

compressed Storage: Prepared silage is compressed to exclude oxygen and avoid mold and spoiling. The size of the silage cellar should be determined by the number of livestock and daily consumption. All contact surfaces between the silage cellar and the silage corn must be hardened, smoothed, and crack-free. To maintain smooth drainage, the silage cellar floor should be 1%-3% inclined toward the drainage ditch, with a 2%-5% slope at the bottom. Before silage, the silage cellar should be cleaned to eliminate moldy feed residue and other debris and disinfected. After the silage corn has been chopped, it should be hauled to the silage pit and compacted layer by layer. Each layer's thickness should be kept to less than 15cm; the compaction density should exceed 700kg/m3 for fresh silage corn; and the contact region between the silage corn and the pit wall should be compacted.

Sealing: It is advisable to use 2 layers of agricultural film for covering, the inner layer is a transparent film, and the outer layer is a black-and-white film. The inner transparent film should be extended to more than 30cm from the bottom of the silage cellar. The intersection of the transparent films on the top of the silage cellar should be superimposed on each other for more than 3m. The outer black and white film should have the black side inward and the white side outward. The intersection of the black and white films should be coated with a resistant layer. Hot glue seals. After the silage material is filled and compacted, it should be sealed within 72 hours.