Tama Assist What to Do When Silage Doesn’t Ferment Properly
It usually doesn’t take long to spot silage that hasn’t fermented properly. A sharp, sour or buttery smell is often the first clue. A vinegar smell might indicate your silage was made too wet or fermented too slowly. A rancid buttery smell (butyric acid) may indicate the same.
You might also notice slimy patches and mould, or silage bales that heat up once opened. These are classic signs that the silage fermentation process wasn’t right. Although your senses can tell you plenty about silage quality, checking the pH (ideally around 4) or determining the levels of lactic and butyric acids can give you extra clarity.
When you’re dealing with poorly fermented silage, you first have to get rid of the worst of the spoiled sections. Feeding poor-quality silage may upset livestock digestion and reduce feed intake. Even a little bit can reduce palatability and feed quality.
Once the bad spots are discarded, prevent exposing opened silage bales to air as this will cause further spoilage.
It’s all about damage control; doing what you can to retain silage quality and prevent further spoilage.
Preventing poor silage fermentation means paying close attention at every step. Moisture matters most. If the crop is too wet, low pH levels can cause fermentation to stop. If it’s too dry, it won’t compact properly, which leaves oxygen in the silage bale. Rapid wilting helps, especially if you’re working with wetter crops. Chop length plays a role too, shorter cuts help release sugars and pack tighter. That’s exactly what lactic acid bacteria need to thrive.
Use a proven inoculant if conditions are challenging. It helps give the good bugs a head start, especially in cooler weather when natural fermentation can be slower.
Tama silage baling products are built to support the silage fermentation process. Tama silage stretchfilm seals bales tightly, keeping out oxygen to ensure a thorough silage fermentation process. It’s tough enough to prevent oxygen penetration due to perforations during rough handling and extended storage conditions.
Prewrapping silage bales with Tama Netwrap helps form dense, even bales that hold their shape and resist damage. Using netwrap in combination with silage wrap gives your silage bales the best conditions for anaerobic fermentation and staying stable right through to feedout.
Getting the details right makes a big difference. And if you’re not sure where the silage problem started, talk it through with your feed nutritionist or silage contractor, or reach out to the Tama team for advice.