The density of grass silage is an important factor influencing the stability of the silage when exposed to air, both in the silo and on the feed table. It is therefore crucial to ensure proper compaction when filling the silo or maintaining optimum pressure in the bale chamber. If the silage is improperly prepared or poorly compacted, there is a high probability that undesirable microorganisms will develop in the silage, contributing to anaerobic and aerobic spoilage. Anaerobic spoilage is caused by clostridia, enterobacteria and bacilli, while aerobic spoilage is caused by yeasts, moulds and listeria. These microorganisms reduce the nutritional value of the silage or even make it unhealthy. It is therefore important to create optimum ensiling conditions right from the start of the ensiling process. This includes harvesting at optimum dry matter (DM) content, quick wilting, chopping the forage, achieving a density of 205 to 215 kg DM/m³ through compaction and closing the silo as quickly as possible. As soon as feeding begins, proper removal of the quality silage must be ensured, whereby the silage must be removed in such a way that a smooth silage surface is created. In a short trial, we confirmed that the density affects the aerobic stability of the silage, which is consistent with the findings from the literature.
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