What sort of silage additives do I need to use in the clamp?

Grass harvested in the multi-cut system will be higher protein and lower sugar than a standard cut because of the changes during grass growth. This means the silage fermentation will be potentially more challenging and so an inoculant that contains just homofermentative species of bacteria such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum or Pediococcus should be used.

Additives with heterofermentative species such as Lactobacillus buchneri, L. kefiri and L. brevis are less efficient silage fermenters and require more sugar to stabilise the pH. Even in combination with homofermentative bacteria, they will prove less efficient.

In addition, it will be young and leafy material so the levels of aerobic spoilage yeasts will be lower and the crop will consolidate more easily, making control of aerobic spoilage at feed-out easier.

Also, higher protein crops are inherently more aerobically stable. The correct silage additives are very beneficial but they must be used in combination with best ensiling and feed-out practice.