Few additives give all round benefits
Few additives give all round benefits
SILAGE additives which improve material in one aspect such as feed quality, may depress other factors such as aerobic stability, below the no additive control, according to a Kingshay Farming Trust report.
It claims few additives produced all round benefits in its four-year, £270,000 study. Some additives produced opposite results in differing conditions, such as on unwilted or wilted silage.
Producers are advised to identify why they are using an additive and then to select the specific additive for that purpose and forage. Choosing the wrong additive could cost £3000 for a 100-cow herd, says Kingshays Martin Hutchinson.
"The UKASTA forage additives scheme is a good starting point but it would be enhanced if it highlighted when products do not perform well."