The crop after it has been ensiled (e.g. corn silage, pea silage, alfalfa silage).

Used to describe a silage that is cut and harvested at the same time, i.e. the forage is not allowed to sit in a windrow and dry down.

The acid that is present in vinegar. It has a strong ability to prevent growth of yeasts and so should ideally be present in silages at a reasonable level to prevent heating and spoilage. It can be produced in silage in a number of ways, mainly by lactic acid bacteria. Acetic acid can be an indicator of a slow, inefficient fermentation driven by he [..]

Lactic acid bacteria can be broadly categorized into two groups based on how they ferment hexose (6-carbon) sugars like glucose and fructose. Homofermentative LAB convert each molecule of 6 carbon sugar into two 3 carbon molecules of lactic acid: Glucose 2 Lactic acid + 2 H2O Fructose 2 Lactic acid + 2 H2O Heterofermentative LAB produce a mixture o [..]

Are additives containing bacteria selected to grow quickly and dominate the bacterial population in the silage. Traditional inoculants contain homofermentative LAB, e.g. Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus spp., to increase lactic acid production and so increase the rate of pH drop and decrease the production of acetic and butyric acids. Newer ino [..]

An isomer of butyric acid, usually present because of the deamination of the amino acid valine by clostridia (though it is also known to be produced by Lactobacillus brevis).

Lactic acid is the most acidic of the common fermentation acids and so is the main driver of the initial pH drop responsible for "pickling" the crop and the initial ensilage of the crop. It is produced by lactic acid bacteria, which can vary dramatically in efficacy of production and in levels on the forage crops ensiled. Hence, it is imp [..]

There is a setting on the forage harvester which allows the operator to set the theoretical length of cut (TLC). General recommendations are to set the TLC to 3/8" -1/2" for alfalfa and grass, 1/2" - 3/4" for corn, but the particle size distribution achieved should always be checked (e.g. using the Pennsylvania State Forage Part [..]

A known mold inhibitor, used to treat many feedstuffs to prevent molding. It can also be produced in the silage, by fermentation of sugars and/ or lactic acid by propionic acid producing bacteria and/ or as a co-product in the conversion of lactic acid to acetic acid by Lactobacillus Buchneri.

Literally means any fermentation that takes place after the primary fermentation (i.e. after the lactic acid production). However, some use secondary fermentation only to refer to clostridial fermentation in the silage. Others use the term only to describe fermentation of the silage by yeasts and so the onset of aerobic instability. Technically bot [..]