The aerobic deterioration of grass silage and its effect on the water-soluble carbohydrate and the associated heat production

Experiments are described which investigated the aerobic deterioration of silage under laboratory conditions. Relationships were established between: (i) dry matter (DM) loss and the temperature rise (t) of the silage (° C) (percentage DM loss = 0.17t?1.480; r=0.9646, significant at the 0.01% level); (ii) daily DM loss, depth and time (percentage daily DM loss = ?0.1394–0.00633 × depth (mm) + 0.780 × day ?0.059 × day²; r = 0.9576, significant at the 0.1 % level); and (iii) total DM loss and the final pH of the silage (pH = 3.79 + 0.13 percentage DM loss; r = 0.8355, significant at the 0.01% level). The indications were that most if not all of the DM loss was accounted for by the losses of water-soluble carbohydrate. The field application of the work is discussed.