Silage Additives

Silage Additives | Forage Preservation | Download Silage Additives Brochure |
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As the base of ruminant rations the quality of forage can influence livestock performance throughout the year. At Kelvin Cave Ltd. we have specialised for over 25 years in advising our customers on the most effective additive for individual situations, and supplying them with the correct product from our extensive range to help make the best of any conserved forage crop, from grass silage to maize, wholecrop and arable silages.

Activator Plus
An inoculant containing four species of lactic acid-producing bacteria, (lactobacillus plantarum, pediococcus acidilactici, lactococcus lactis lactis and lactobacillus paracasei), Activator Plus is ideal where low sugar situations are anticipated because the inclusion of lactobacillus paracasei, a fructan digester, can double the level of available sugars, ensuring a fast and effective fermentation. For use on all grass silages in the dry matter range 18-30%, Activator Plus also produces excellent results in crops with high clover content, where lower sugar levels and raised protein value can adversely effect efficient fermentation. Activator Plus has been extensively and independently trialed to demonstrate improved fermentation, reduced nutrient loss and improved animal performance. Activator Plus is suitable for use on organic farms.

Protect Bio
An inoculant containing two special bacteria (lactobacillus collinoides and lactobacillus cellobiosus) and three hydrolytic enzymes, Protect Bio is designed to promote aerobic stability in at risk silages, i.e. higher dry matter and/or feedout during periods of high ambient temperature. Protect Bio is the ideal solution for organic silages where the potential for aerobic instability is anticipated.

Pro-Active Bio
With its proven ability to promote successful fermentation in more difficult to ensile crops such as clover silages and arable silages that include legumes, Pro-Active Bio is a clever combination of Activator Plus and Protect Bio which can improve fermentation, animal performance and aerobic stability in higher dry matter silage or silage required for feed-out during periods of high ambient temperature.

Pro-Active Bio is suitable for use on organic farms.

Protect
Supplied as a ready-to-use liquid, Protect is a special blend of sodium metabisulphite, sodium sulphite and sodium benzoate. Protect improves aerobic stability and reduces nutrient loss in the clamp and at feedout.

Protect should be applied at 1litre/tonne on higher dry matter grass (24-34%DM) and maize silage (up to 34%DM). When making silages with a higher dry matter (34% +), or when the silage is likely to be fed during periods of high ambient temperature, an application rate of 2 litres/tonne is recommended.

It is essential that the clamp be sealed for a minimum of two weeks after ensiling to allow Protect to do its job of killing the yeasts and moulds that cause aerobic instability.

Pro-Active Combi
A combination of Activator Plus and Protect, this additive is the first and only product to have achieved approval in all nine categories of the UKASTA Silage Additive Approval scheme. By optimising fermentation and protecting against the activity of yeasts and moulds, Pro-Active Combi brings together all the benefits of its two constituent products and is designed for use on grass and wholecrop silages from 18-45% dry matter.

The mixing and application rates for Pro-Active Combi vary according to the challenges of the crop. Consult your Kelvin Cave Ltd. advisor for the most suitable combination for your situation.

Forage Preservation

Add-F NC - the non-corrosive silage preservative.
Add-F has long been one of the most respected and widely used silage preservatives. But now, there’s a non-corrosive formula, Add-F NC.

Add-F NC is manufactured by Kemira Chemicals, who have made it safer and more pleasant to use by employing their proven buffering process, which eliminates the adverse effects that the old Add-F had on machinery and skin.

Add-F NC is ideal for all silages that are low in sugar or have a high nitrate level, as well as wet and contaminated grass often found in autumn third and fourth cuts.

The main ingredient of Add-F NC is formic acid, still regarded by many as the most effective and rapid silage preservative. Formic acid treatment is widely seen as the benchmark for testing the effectiveness of silage additives because of its known reliability and predictability. Depending on crop condition and moisture content, 2 to 5 litres of Add-F NC is required per tonne to achieve a stable pH of around 4 within about two days, with minimal loss of valuable nutrients.

Stabilizer NC - the non-corrosive preservative for higher DM silages.
Using the same buffering technique as Add-F NC, Kemira Chemicals have produced Stabilizer NC, a formic/propionic acid preservative blend with all the power of its predecessor, but without the unpleasant and damaging corrosive side-effects. Stabilizer NC should be applied at 3 to 5 litres/tonne depending on DM and potential aerobic challenge.

Use Stabilizer NC to treat silages required for buffer feeding in warmer weather. As with any other silage, when making higher DM silages, including grass, wholecrop and maize, the aim should be to promote a fast and efficient fermentation. The amount of fermentation required to reach a stable pH is likely to be lower, but achieving it as quickly as possible will result in more valuable nutrients being preserved. Formic acid can be relied on to meet this requirement.

Silages with DM’s above 25-27%, present an environment that is ideal for spoilage organisms such as yeasts, moulds and some bacteria to multiply very rapidly once the silage is exposed to air. Their activity (often referred to incorrectly as secondary fermentation) uses up a lot of valuable nutrients very quickly. The first sign that aerobic spoilage is occurring is heating of the silage. Aerobic instability has been estimated to cause DM losses of up to 15% and is therefore a cause of major economic loss on many farms.

Propionic acid is well known for its ability to inhibit the growth of the yeasts moulds and bacteria that cause food spoilage. It is used extensively in the bakery industry and for preventing the spoilage of stored grain. It is equally effective at providing a solution to the problem of aerobic spoilage in ensiled forages.

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