Heat Damage in Alfalfa Silage

Differences in maturity of the stand, the weather, and harvesting, storing practices, and facilities affect the successful preservation of alfalfa silage. Silage fermentation is basically a destructive process, for nutrients are lost through chemical changes. The feeding value of alfalfa silage will always be less than that of the original forage, and the ensiling practices that are used will determine the extent of those losses. Losses from fresh forage to the ensiled feed arise from one or more of the following: field, oxidation, fermentation, and effluent. Aeration and the heating that results are among the most important causes