Silage fermentation processes and their manipulation

Abstract

Fresh forage crops such as maize, grasses, legumes, wheatand lucerne can be preserved by ensiling. In many countries ensiledforages are highly valued as animal feed. In European countriessuch as The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark more than 90%of the forages locally produced are stored as silage. Even incountries with generally good weather conditions for hay makingsuch as France and Italy approx. 50% of the forages are ensiled(Wilkinson