It is a feed produced from crops with high moisture content through controlled, auto or induced fermentation, in a silo, achieving and maintaining anaerobic condition, allowing lactobacilli or other similar species to proliferate and produce lactic acid and restricting the growth spore forming anaerobes which produce amines, ammonia and carbon dioxide. The animals prefer silage to hay since silage are more palatable due to more nutrient conserved, succulent in feeding and most important is that the Ph of silage is almost similar to the Ph of rumen of animals which enhances digestion.
--Characteristics of forage for silage making/Ensiling:
¨Forage should contain adequate amount of fermentable carbohydrate.
¨Presence of suitable microbial population.
¨Ability to achieve and maintain anaerobic condition.
¨Weeds are most suitable for silage making
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--Advantages of silage making;
¨ It retains higher proportion of nutrients
¨Can be prepared when weather doesn’t permit for hay making
¨It makes less waste and utilize coarse stem of forage
¨It requires less storage space
¨It kills majority of weed seeds.
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