Silage Additives

• Silage additives don’t offset the need to doing a top quality job of putting up high quality silage. They accelerate the ensiling process and increase the shelf life during feed out increasing net silage value.

• There are several types of silage additives ranging from bacteria to acids and sugars.

• Well designed high quality bacterial additives are generally the most effective. Remember they are alive and must be handled appropriately to keep them that way.

• Even distribution of the additive throughout the silage is key to having a positive effect. Add them during the chopping process in the field.

• The right additive may increase the quality of the silage.

• Bacterial additives should increase the rate of ensiling ensuring low pH is reached sooner.

• Some chemical additives lower the pH quickly but may be too expensive to be justified.

• The higher the value of the silage the more the cost of additives are justified.

• Crops like alfalfa tend to be tougher to ensile and bacterial additives may help to achieve a higher quality product.