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Effects of the colour and thickness of polyethylene film on ensiling conditions and silage quality of chopped maize, as investigated under ambient conditions and in mini‐silos
Author(s) -
Snell H. G. J.,
Oberndorfer C.,
Lücke W.,
Van den Weghe H. F. A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2494.2002.00334.x
Subject(s) - silage , silo , plastic film , information silo , materials science , composite material , polyethylene , zoology , agronomy , layer (electronics) , biology
The influences of variations in thickness and colour of agricultural plastic film on silage preservation conditions and silage quality were investigated. Thirty cylindrical plastic containers (mini‐silos; 0·3 m 3 ) were filled with chopped maize and covered with five different types of film (90 µm white, 150 µm transparent, 150 µm white, 150 µm black, 200 µm white). Four mini‐silos of each variant were placed in the open air, and two were housed and subjected to a test procedure. The maximum storage period of silages was 104 d. The surface temperature of the films was found to be strongly dependent on the type of sheet. The temperatures inside the mini‐silos directly under the film differed significantly, whereas this effect was not recorded in the centre of the mini‐silos. In all, the differences were quantitatively small. Results of the chemical analysis of silages did not reveal any significant influence of film type. This was also the case when restricting the analysis to the uppermost silage layer. These findings are discussed against the background of the relatively small temperature differences and likely effects on gas permeability. On the basis of the results presented, it is concluded that, under the conditions of the experiment, well‐preserved forage of high nutritive value can be produced with silo sheets of differing colour, as well as with those of reduced thickness. Adequate mechanical robustness has to be ensured, if there is a reduction in film thickness.