Abstract

This paper reviews the effects of mechanical treatment on the ensiling process of pasture and maize, its losses, quality, digestibility, intake and subsequent animal production. At present there are four common types of forage harvesters: flail, double-cut and metered-chop machines and the pick-up wagon equipped with a large number of knives. Compared with a long chop length, short chopping has a positive influence on losses and silage quality, but this effect decreases with high moisture content, early harvesting, additives, high tower silo, etc. The chop length does not influence digestibility as long as it is over 10 mm and as long as the ensiling process losses are small. A chopping length shorter than l0 mm can affect digestibility for cattle and sheep. Several studies show that, for maize silage, a chop length between 5 and 15 mm does not cause any significant difference in losses, conservation quality, or digestibility. According to the studies reviewed, fine chopping (less than 20 mm) increases the intake, especially by sheep, but the effect diminishes with a higher proportion of concentrates in the ration. The influence of chop length in milk, meat, and sheep production was variable in several trials, so that further studies are necessary to explain chopping effect under different conditions. No optimal chop length was determined, but it seems that a length of about 20 mm is better in terms of silage quality and intake. Under favourable ensiling conditions a longer chopping length also produces a good silage.

Keywords

hackelselängd; ensilagekvalitet; ensilagekonsumtion; ensilagesmältbarthet; lastarvagnar

Published in

Rapport - Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för lantbruksteknik
1986,
ISBN: 91-576-2797-5
Publisher: Institutionen för lantbruksteknik, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/125649