The silage fermentation

Abstract

In many countries silage is a major component of the winter diet of ruminant livestock. As a form of conserved forage, silage has gained popularity over hay (Wilkinson & Stark, 1992) because it can generally be made with less dependence on weather and the necessity to harvest crops at a mature stage of growth; moreover, silage can be made from three or more harvests per year, while with hay it is usually only one. Silage, like hay, when well made, can reduce dependence on expensive imported feed concentrates --- a factor of prime importance in developing countries.