Wait for the fermentation process
Maize silage ensiles somewhat faster than grass silage. Factors such as the dry matter content, the length of the chopped material, the storage management and the use of
ensiling agentsMaize silage: What ferments for a long time, finally becomes good
Why you should not open the silo prematurely
Many farmers open their maize silage too early. This disrupts and delays lactic acid fermentation - and can cause high losses. Find out more here.This and all other important terms can be found in the glossary
Short and sweet
- Every silage needs time. If you open it too early, this has a negative effect on the quality and aerobic shelf life
- Cattle cannot digest silage that is opened too early - which in turn has a negative effect on milk yield
Do not open silage too early
If you open the silage after one to two weeks, the lactic acid fermentation is not yet complete. Premature opening then disrupts the entire conversion process and can even delay it. The silage loses nutrients and energy, and the quality also deteriorates. The aerobic shelf life may also be reduced. The reason for this is that yeasts also multiply at the beginning of storage. They grow in the presence of air. So if the maize silage is opened prematurely, air gets into the silage. This favours the proliferation of yeasts. The risk of reheating the feed increases.
Long storage allows your animals to digest starch better
If you feed fresh maize silage, you will often find maize grains in your animals' faeces. The longer the storage period, the lower the risk. This example can be used to explain nutrient breakdown. If you adhere to the storage time, the result is feed that your animals can utilise well. This applies to the digestibility of both fibres and starch.
Starch digestibility increases by around ten per cent within the first month and a half and continues to increase as Silierung progresses. This is due to the fact that the individual starch granules are enclosed in special proteins and held together by them. During the ensiling process, plant and microbial enzymes dissolve these structures and gradually break down the bonds. The starch granules are then free and can be metabolised more easily by the rumen microbes in the animal's gastrointestinal tract. If the silage is opened too early, this always means losses in digestibility - which equates to a loss of one to two litres of milk per cow per day. Silage that has been stored for four to six weeks is easier for your animals to digest.
If you still have to open the maize silage too early, we recommend that you check the ration regularly and reassess it if necessary. Otherwise your animals' performance may suffer.
