SILAGE FERMENTS CONTROLLED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2070, 20 December 1919, Page 4

SILAGE FERMENTS CONTROLLED.

A retired American distiller, accustomed to feeding stock on the by-products of the distillery, recently turned his attention to the silage-making operations of his farming neighbours. He found that around the edges and on the top of almost all silos there was a certain amount of decay. From his experience in distilling he came to the conclusion that there were not present naturally in the green material sufficient of the bacteria which cause the ferment preventing decay; and that a fermentation was invariably produced which helped decay. A consultation with the State bacteriologist of Utah, who had never previously given any attention to silage, led to the statement from him that lactic acid bacillus was the light agent for curing ensilage. Dairymen, who use a “starter’’ or pure culture to control the ripening of cream, will understand the value of this statement. A neighbouring stockowner erected a 200-ton silo of concrete blocks to the design of the distiller, each block having an enclosed air-space, which it was cou-

sidered would better maintain an oven temperature. The maize crop to be used by this time had matured, but the ex-distiller considered this highly dcsirahle, because it contained better feeding value than when cut green. The bacteriologist furnished a 2 oz. bottle of culture, and helped Mm distiller to prepare two or three barrels impregnated with proper bacilli. This material was deposited in holes in the silage, at various heights, as the tilling went on. The bacteriologist found that active fermentation had taken place a week after the silo was filled, and tests made each week' afterwards invariably gave favourable results. The silage was fit tq feed, to the stock in a month, and feeding was continued slowly to give every chance to detect; decay of any kind. Not a sign of deterioration was detected down to the last forkful. The distiller, continuing on this line of investigation, took samples from 20 farmers’ silos in the neighbourhood, and in each sample obtained alcohol by analysis. From ’the silage by the new process not a trace of alcohol was obtained. The sugar end starch were still there intact, so that the full feed value of the material was retained. The stockowner who used the silage confirms this report, and states that the feed value of the silage whose fermentation was controlled was 50 per cent, higher than that of the silage made in the usual way from the green crop. According to the Country Gentleman, the silage made from the. fully-matured maize was bright, clean, and very palatable. The grains were unbroken and sound right through, but the brittle hardness was gone. The stalks were soft and sweet, and crushed easily between the fingers, while live stock of all kinds consumed (he silage eagerly. The smell was like that of mild pickle, and the process altogether resembles the pickling process of sauerkraut. This may read like a fairy tale to those who have never made ensilage, hut experienced men who have had considerable waste at odd times will agree that there is something in it. One of our experiment farms should try the controlling process. It is possible that within it lies the successful ensiling of an oat crop, which, cut at the ordinary stage, proves too bitter for slock.