Bunker Silo Management and Its Relationship to Forage Preservation on Dairy Farms

Management practices were quantified for ensiling of alfalfa and grass crops in 30 fillings of 15 bunker silos over 2 yr on 12 farms in eastern New York. Wet mass ensiled per day, time and vehicle weight in packing, DM and nutrient analyses, and particle size were determined at filling. At feedout, cover integrity, density of tires used to hold down the cover, smoothness of the working face, and feedout rate were assessed. Rate and extent of DM loss, nutrient content of ensiled material, silage temperatures at the working and top surfaces, and aerobic instability were evaluated. Packing intensity, defined as the vehicle weight multiplied by the time spent packing per unit of top surface area, was associated with increased silage DM density, lower DM losses, and improved aerobic stability. The ADIN was lower with filling periods 11.6 cm/d averaged nearly 10 percentage points lower in extent of DM losses.