Making silage in wet and cool conditions is of course difficult. Grass with a high moisture content ( i.e. 25 – 30% dry matter or less), a low sugar content, and also grass contaminated with soil borne spoilage organisms caused by rain splash, must be managed as carefully as possible to improve the chances of making a fully fermented stable silage. The first aim must be to wilt the grass as much as possible to increase the dry matter content, but any wilting must be achieve promptly before the grass undergoes excessive respiration in the field. If conditions do not allow for a fast wilt to be achieved it is often better to pick up the grass soon after cutting even though the dry matter content is still low. By doing this sugars are conserved and are available for conversion to Lactic Acid in the clamp.
It is critical to have an efficient and fast conversion of available sugars to maximise the quantity of Lactic Acid. The only way to ensure this is to apply an effective silage inoculant such as Pioneer Brand 1188. 1188 contains 6 different strains of Lactic Acid producing bacteria which together are able to efficiently convert the widest possible range of different sugar types into Lactic acid – thereby driving down the PH at the fastest rate possible. The different strains are specially selected to also work at different temperatures and different PH levels, which again helps ensure the most efficient acidification possible given different silage making circumstances.
Rain splash is likely to result in soil contamination of the grass. Soil carries clostridial organisms which, in the case where a fast and complete PH is not achieved, can utilise lactic acid and cause the silage PH to rise. This is known as secondary fermentation. To minimise the chances of secondary fermentation it is once again critical to ensure a fast and sufficient production of lactic acid. Pioneer Brand 1188 is able to increase the amount and speed of lactic production. This is a real benefit in tough silage making conditions and can make the difference between an unstable fermentation, where the silage deteriorates in the clamp, and a stable silage which has undergone a complete acid fermentation.
In situations where grass cutting has been delayed, but better weather has allowed for grass dry matter contents above 25% to be achieved, consideration must be given of the likelihood of aerobic instability. Delayed harvest is often accompanied with raised levels of yeast and mould spoilage organisms on the grass. Whilst higher dry matter content silage is easier to ferment it is more difficult to compact. Trapped oxygen in the silage will facilitate the growth of those yeasts and moulds. PIONEER BRAND 11G22 Rapid React contains both powerful lactic acid producing bacteria, such as those found in 1188, but also two proprietary strains of Lactobacillus buchneri. These two strains together quickly generate compounds that inhibit the growth of yeasts and moulds thereby suppressing the dry matter robbing effects of uncontrolled yeast and mould growth. 11G22 RR helps achieve both a well fermented silage but also a cool aerobically stable silage.
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