International Silage ConferenceInternational Silage Conference 22--4 July 2012 4 July 2012 -- Hämeenlinna, FinlandHämeenlinna, Finland

Effect of silo management factors on aerobicEffect of silo management factors on aerobicEffect of silo management factors on aerobic Effect of silo management factors on aerobic stability and extent of spoilagestability and extent of spoilage

i f i ili f i ilin farm maize silagesin farm maize silages

Giorgio Borreani and Ernesto TabaccoGiorgio Borreani and Ernesto Tabacco

Dip. di Agronomia, Selvicoltura e Gestione del TerritorioUniversity of Turin - ITALY

Dip. di Agronomia, Selvicoltura e Gestione del TerritorioUniversity of Turin - ITALY

The aerobic deterioration of silages The aerobic deterioration of silages

DMDM losseslosses (various(various authorsauthors sincesince 19641964;; McDonaldMcDonald etet alal..,, 19911991))

reductionreduction inin animalanimal performanceperformance ((WithlockWithlock etet alal..,, 20002000))

riskrisk forfor animalanimal healthhealth duedue toto mycotoxinsmycotoxins andand biogenicbiogenic

aminesamines ((Woolford,Woolford, 19901990;; Wilkinson,Wilkinson, 19991999))

ListeriaListeria andand otherother pathogenspathogens ((FenlonFenlon andand Wilson,Wilson, 19911991))

l t idil t idi t tht th ((ViVi tt ll 20072007 T bT b tt ll clostridiaclostridia sporespore outgrowthoutgrowth ((VissersVissers etet alal..,, 20072007;; TabaccoTabacco etet alal..,,

20092009))))

BacillusBacillus andand PaenibacillusPaenibacillus sporesspores ((TeTe GiffelGiffel etet alal..,, 20022002))

What is the health status of the silage during What is the health status of the silage during consumption?consumption?consumption?consumption?

VisibleVisible Spoiled with visible mouldSpoiled with visible mould

spoiled with yeast or spoiled with yeast or AcetobacterAcetobacter spp. spp. developmentdevelopment

InvisibleInvisible

developmentdevelopment

increase in silage temperatureincrease in silage temperatureInvisibleInvisible

well conserved silagewell conserved silagegghigh feeding valuehigh feeding value

Aim to identify the extent ofAim to identify the extent ofaerobic deterioration in farm silosaerobic deterioration in farm silosaerobic deterioration in farm silosaerobic deterioration in farm silos

VisibleVisiblemoulded areasmoulded areas

InvisibleInvisiblespoiled areasspoiled areas

Well conserved Well conserved silagesilage

Line of increased temperature Line of increased temperature due to microbial activitydue to microbial activity

Yeast count and silage temperature at the silo faceYeast count and silage temperature at the silo face

YYYeast countYeast count

Visible moulded areasVisible moulded areas

TemperatureTemperature

AimsAimsAimsAims

•• toto quantifyquantify thethe extentextent ofof aerobicaerobic deteriorationdeterioration ofofq yq y

maizemaize silagessilages onon commercialcommercial farmsfarms inin NorthernNorthern

ItalyItaly

•• toto definedefine goodgood managementmanagement practicespractices thatthat

shouldshould bebe appliedapplied asas thethe basisbasis forfor safesafe silagesilage

productionproduction

Materials and MethodsMaterials and MethodsMaterials and MethodsMaterials and Methods

•• sixsix yearsyears ((20052005--20102010)) ofof datadata collectioncollection inin 107107 farmsfarmssixsix yearsyears ((20052005 20102010)) ofof datadata collectioncollection inin 107107 farmsfarms

breedingbreeding ItalianItalian FriesianFriesian cowscowsgg

•• winterwinter andand summersummer maizemaize silagesilage samplingsampling

•• representativerepresentative samplessamples fromfrom silagesilage core,core, peripheralperipheral

areasareas andand visiblevisible mouldedmoulded spotsspots (if(if present)present)

•• silagesilage analysesanalyses forfor pH,pH, lacticlactic acid,acid, VFA,VFA, yeastyeast andand

mouldmould

Materials and MethodsMaterials and MethodsMaterials and MethodsMaterials and Methods

•• measuremeasure ofof linearlinear feedfeed--outout raterate ofof thethe workingworking•• measuremeasure ofof linearlinear feedfeed--outout raterate ofof thethe workingworking

facefacefaceface

•• measuremeasure ofof temperaturestemperatures atat variousvarious depthsdepths intointomeasuremeasure ofof temperaturestemperatures atat variousvarious depthsdepths intointo

thethe workingworking facefacethethe workingworking faceface

•• measuremeasure ofof thethe extensionextension ofof thethe visiblevisible mouldedmouldedeasu eeasu e oo ee e e s oe e s o oo ee s b es b e ou dedou ded

areasareas onon thethe silosilo feedfeed--outout faceface

Extent of mouldy spoilage in farm maize silages Extent of mouldy spoilage in farm maize silages in Northern Italyin Northern Italy

Winter seasonWinter season Summer seasonSummer season

46%46%10%10%

29%29%

44%44%42%42%29%29%

More 10%More 10% 22--10% spoiled10% spoiled Less 2% spoiledLess 2% spoiled

DM losses and mould count in maize silageDM losses and mould count in maize silageat farm levelat farm levelat farm levelat farm level

80

100

))

Visible mould on silageVisible mould on silage

60

80

ses

(%)

ses

(%)

40

DM

loss

DM

loss

RR22 = 0.8629= 0.8629

0

20DD

01.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0

Mould count (log CFU/g silage)Mould count (log CFU/g silage)Mould count (log CFU/g silage)Mould count (log CFU/g silage)

Removal rates from bunkers and pilesRemoval rates from bunkers and piles

Measured in meters per week rangedMeasured in meters per week rangedfrom 0.32 to 2.69 m in summerfrom 0.32 to 2.69 m in summerfrom 0.24 to 3.15 m in winterfrom 0.24 to 3.15 m in winter

Silo face visibly moulded in relation with feedSilo face visibly moulded in relation with feed--out rate:out rate:

WINTER CONSUMPTIONWINTER CONSUMPTION

Mouldy areas below 2%Mouldy areas below 2%

2020

ed (%

)ed

(%)

1212

1616

y m

ould

ey

mou

lde

44

88

ce v

isib

lyce

vis

ibly

000.00.0 0.40.4 0.80.8 1.21.2 1.61.6 2.02.0 2.42.4 2.82.8 3.23.2Silo

fac

Silo

fac

1.01.0

Weekly feedWeekly feed--out rate from the silo face (m)out rate from the silo face (m)

Silo face visibly moulded in relation with feedSilo face visibly moulded in relation with feed--out rate:out rate:

SUMMER CONSUMPTIONSUMMER CONSUMPTION

Mouldy areas below 2%Mouldy areas below 2%

2020

ed (%

)ed

(%)

1212

1616

y m

ould

ey

mou

lde

44

88

ce v

isib

lyce

vis

ibly

000.00.0 0.40.4 0.80.8 1.21.2 1.61.6 2.02.0 2.42.4 2.82.8 3.23.2Silo

fac

Silo

fac

Weekly feedWeekly feed--out rate from the silo face (m)out rate from the silo face (m)

Some further considerationsSome further considerations2020

Summer consumption

Winter consumption1616

Winter consumption

ed (%

)ed

(%)

Minimum feed-out rate

1212

y m

ould

ey

mou

lde

Good silo management

88

ace

visi

blac

e vi

sibl Good silo management

practices!

44Silo

faSi

lo fa

000 00 0 0 50 5 1 01 0 1 51 5 2 02 0 2 52 5 3 03 0 3 53 50.00.0 0.50.5 1.01.0 1.51.5 2.02.0 2.52.5 3.03.0 3.53.5

Weekly removal rate from the silo face (m)Weekly removal rate from the silo face (m)

Strategies to prevent aerobic deterioration Strategies to prevent aerobic deterioration at farm levelat farm level

Packing downPacking down fresh forage when filling the silofresh forage when filling the silo

Oxygen barrier filmsOxygen barrier films to cover silageto cover silage

Weigh downWeigh down shoulder and top sheetsshoulder and top sheets

AdditivesAdditives and and inoculuminoculum typestypes

Type of plastic cover: Oxygen barrier filmsType of plastic cover: Oxygen barrier films(temperature profile)(temperature profile)

Barrier film (120Barrier film (120 m)m) PE film (150PE film (150 mm))Barrier film (120 Barrier film (120 m)m) PE film (150 PE film (150 mm))

Maize silage:Maize silage:Maize silage:Maize silage:summer consumptionsummer consumption18 cm/day = 1 26 m/wk18 cm/day = 1 26 m/wk18 cm/day = 1.26 m/wk18 cm/day = 1.26 m/wk

See Poster no. 66 (Borreani and Tabacco)

Weigh down shoulder and top sheetsWeigh down shoulder and top sheetsgravel (150 kg/mgravel (150 kg/m22)) tyres (30 kg/mtyres (30 kg/m22))

Maize silage:Maize silage:summer consumptionsummer consumption15 cm/day = 1.05 m/wk15 cm/day = 1.05 m/wk

Silo wall and packing density effectSilo wall and packing density effect

Maize silage:Maize silage:Maize silage:Maize silage:summer consumptionsummer consumption17 cm/day = 1.19 m/wk17 cm/day = 1.19 m/wk

Seasonal recommended feedSeasonal recommended feed--out ratesout rates(m/week) in dairy areas around the world(m/week) in dairy areas around the world(m/week) in dairy areas around the world(m/week) in dairy areas around the world

Latitude Winter Summer

The Netherlands (Visserset al., 2007) 51°N 1.00 1.50

North Dakota(Schroeder, 2004) 47°N 1 05 2 10North Dakota (Sc oede , 00 ) 47 N 1.05 2.10

Italy 45°N 1.05 1.60

Wisconsin (Muck and Pitt, 1993) 44°N 1.10 2.10

Kansas (Berger and Bolsen, 2006) 38°N 1.35 2.15

Israel (Weinberg, 2003) 31°N 1.40 2.10

Recommended silage feedRecommended silage feed--out rates in relation out rates in relation with environmental temperatureswith environmental temperatureswith environmental temperatureswith environmental temperatures

2.52.5

2.02.0e (m

)e

(m)

Present surveyPresent survey

1 51 5

2.02.0

dd--ou

t rat

out r

at International dataInternational data

1.51.5

kly

feed

kly

feed

RR22 = 0.84= 0.84

1.01.0

Wee

kW

eek

0.50.5--1010 --22 66 1414 2222 3030

Seasonal mean temperature (Seasonal mean temperature (°°C)C)

In conclusionIn conclusionco c us oco c us o

•• ThisThis studystudy onon maizemaize silagessilages underlinesunderlines thethe importanceimportance•• ThisThis studystudy onon maizemaize silages,silages, underlinesunderlines thethe importanceimportance

ofof couplingcoupling highhigh feedfeed--outout ratesrates withwith carefulcareful silosilop gp g gg

managementmanagement inin orderorder toto controlcontrol aerobicaerobic deteriorationdeterioration

•• DefiningDefining thethe correctcorrect sizesize ofof silossilos atat farmfarm levellevel isis thethe

mainmain factorfactor thatthat couldcould preventprevent aerobicaerobic spoilagespoilage

ThTh i t li t l t tt t tt bb thth•• TheThe environmentalenvironmental temperaturetemperature seemsseems toto bebe thethe

drivingdriving factorfactor inin sizingsizing silossilos forfor differentdifferent areasareas andanddrivingdriving factorfactor inin sizingsizing silossilos forfor differentdifferent areasareas andand

seasonsseasons

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!