While less than 20% of Irish silage crops are made using some form of additive, in the UK such products are used in over 50% of silages.
Though there are many types, the common goal of silage additives is to induce a pH drop and prevent spoilage and feed-out losses.
One of the most successful additives in recent years has been the acid-producing bacteria strain L.buchneri 40788 (LB). It was first discovered and patented by Biotal in conjunction with IDDLO Institute in 1995. A number of years ago, Biotal became a subsidiary of global giant Lallemand, who bought the company for access to LB.
Feed material loss is the most expensive and frustrating aspect to making silage.
One of the most peer-reviewed silage additives on the market, LB has been shown to reduce dry matter losses at feed-out by 5% to 10%. Indeed, LB has been the Biotal company’s trump card – a huge commercial success.
However, with their patent expiring in 2016 and competitors duly primed to jump on the bandwagon, Biotal and Lallemand were conscious that they needed a new flagship bacteria strain and set about the search.
In 2010, the Brazilian University of Lavras found that they had an exceptionally stable crop of maize silage. Something out of the ordinary was happening at a bacterial level in the clamp. The investigation began.
In all, 125 strains of bacteria from the crop were isolated and scientists set about identifying the strain that was having the biggest bearing on the crop’s stability.
Seven years later, the strain has been identified, cultured, mass-produced, patented and is due to go to market in 2018.
It is called L hilgardii (LH) and Lallemand representatives say that it has the potential to be huge.
Fast silage
“There have been over a dozen trials to date on LH and, amazingly, it is actually performing better than the hugely successful LB at first glance,” delegates at a recent fact-finding trip to Lallamand’s Malvern facility were told.
“The new strain will be incorporated alongside our leading bacteria LB across our range and ensures aerobic stable silage just after 15 days of clamping, further long-term stability is also significantly increased and dry matter losses reduced. This will help farmers ensure that more of the silage put into the clamp is fed to the cows and that feed value is higher too,” said Lallemand Animal Nutrition’s Irish business manager Bryan Buckley.
When it hits the market, the additive will be distributed in Ireland by Specialist Nutrition.