Show t iC tin p L P- P Wilting Method for or org Silage g Is Suggested Experiment Extreme Care Needed to Make It Work By C. C W W. BENDER Professor Pro Dairy Husbandry Rut Rutgers gen u University In view of the Ithe high price of m molasses molasses mo mo- lasses and the scarcity of phosphoric phosphoric phosphoric acid for preserving silage the he wilting method of ensiling legumes le- le legumes le Ie gumes grasses and cereals a method requiring practically no preservatives pre pre- sounds sounds good The wilting method will work but it also takes experimental control and extreme care to make it work Moisture l Content Excess Farmers experienced at making grass silage know that mold accumulations accumulations accumulations caused by air pockets or air air leakage in in the silo often occur 3 i even when the silo is filled with material having a moisture content of 72 to 78 per cent Yet materials with this amount of moisture pack more readily and develop more pressure pressure pressure pres pres- sure than grasses with lower moisture content and the wilting wilting wilting wilt wilt- ing method calls for wilting down the green material to a moisture content of only 65 to 68 per cent Thus there is a greater danger of mold when the wilting method is used Secondly some type of apparatus is necessary to determine the ther r exact moisture content of the green ma ma- How long it takes to wilt the tha material down to the proper moisture mois mois- ture tune content cannot be determined in advance One thing is certain There will be many delays in in filling the silo thus increasing the danger danger danger dan dan- ger of mold and high temperatures both of which tend to destroy nutrients Fill Silo Three The silo must be filled more than that three-fourths three full with wilted green material within two days The material material ma ma- must be evenly distributed and well tramped Filling should be continued continued con con- on the third day using high moisture grasses or legumes to which a preservative has been added so that sufficient pressure is generated ed to exclude the air from the partially partially partially par par- wilted mass Delays in filling beyond this period may rum ruin the silage a fact which has lias been learned by many farmers Furthermore the wilting of a agreen agreen agreen green crop destroys carotene The longer the period of wilt the more carotene is lost an important consideration consideration consideration con con- in producing milk of excellent excellent excellent ex ex- ex- ex quality |