Inoculant Choices
In the next few week’s the forage harvesters will be out in force as first cut gets underway, so now is the time to start planning your silage inoculant needs.
Silage inoculants play two important roles in forage production by encouraging a fast and efficient fermentation to ensure a higher quality feed and by helping reduce waste.
It is usually quoted that around 15% of the harvested dry matter can be lost as a result of inefficient fermentation and by aerobic spoilage once the clamps are open so the financial advantages of steering an effective fermentation and reducing spoilage can be considerable.
By applying specific populations of beneficial bacteria, inoculants will promote a rapid drop in pH required to achieve an effective and stable lactic acid fermentation. The faster the pH drop is achieved, the higher feed value the silage will be.
Your choice of inoculant will be largely determined by the dry matter of the silage being made. With lower dry matter grass the focus is on a rapid fermentation, but drier crops are more prone to heating and waste therefore need a different combination of bacteria to ensure a good fermentation and improved stability. So, this is why we recommend the Magniva crop and condition specific range of inoculants from Lallemand Animal Nutrition
For low dry matter grass, especially if conditions at harvest are a bit variable, Magniva Platinum Grass Wet delivers a rapid fermentation while for drier grass and crops harvested in good conditions Magniva Platinum Grass Dry which contains a unique combination of bacteria will ensure a fast and efficient fermentation allowing you to open clamps in as little as 15 days with improved stability at feed out.
Talk to your Feed Specialist about choosing the right inoculant to ensure you have a top-quality silage to feed for next winter.
