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U.S. Dairy Forage Research CenterUSDA, Agricultural Research Service
Silage Density and Dry Matter Silage Density and Dry Matter Loss of Bag and Bunker SilosLoss of Bag and Bunker Silos
Idaho Alfalfa and Forage Conference 25 February 2004Neal P. Martin, Richard E. Muck, and Brian J. Holmes
Research Lab, Madison, WI Research Farm, Prairie du Sac, WI
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Silage Density and Dry Matter Loss of Bag and Bunker Silos
• Introduction• Silo bag study• Bunker research and educatio
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Leading Alfalfa Hay Production States, 1,000 tons, 2003
• Top 10 States–58 % of U. S.–60 % of Acre–4 states NC–6 states West–5 Lead Dairy
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
CA NE SD IA ID MN WI KS MT MI
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Percent of Total 2003 Alfalfa Percent of Total 2003 Alfalfa Production Production -- Haylage Haylage
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
VT NY WI PA MI MN WV WA
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Why Density and Losses?
Important to:• Determine true cost of storage• Estimate feed inventory• Determine critical management practices
However, little but sales literature is available
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Objectives
Monitor filling and emptying of pressed bag silos to:
• Measure densities and losses• Determine factors affecting each
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Methods
• 3 research farms in area (Arlington, Prairie du Sac, West Madison) have used baggers for several years
• 3 machines: 9 ft. Kelly-Ryan, 8 ft. Ag Bag, 9 ft. Ag Bag (rental)
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Kelly-Ryan
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8 Foot Ag Bag
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Filling
• All loads:– Weighed– Marked on bag and length measured– Sampled for moisture– Composited samples across loads for particle
size, CP, NDF, ash
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Emptying
• All silage weighed (both good and spoiled)
• A sample per filling load: moisture and various quality characteristics
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Number of Bags Losses Analyzed/Made
ResearchBagger Station Hay Corn8’ Ag Bag Prairie du Sac 2/5 5/6
9’ Ag Bag Arlington 0/4 3/3
9’ Kelly Ryan Arlington 4/8 4/8
9’ Kelly Ryan W. Madison 3/7 3/6Total 9/24 15/23
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Average Hay Crop DM Densities
ResearchBagger Station lbs/ft3 kg/m3
8’ Ag Bag Prairie du Sac 13.1 210
9’ Ag Bag Arlington 13.5 2179’ Kelly Ryan 14.2 227
9’ Kelly Ryan W. Madison 11.6 186
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Dry Matter Densities in Hay Crop Silages
1011121314151617
30 40 50 60
Dry Matter Content, %
160
180
200
220
240
260
Arl-KRArl-AgBagPDS-00PDS-01WM
Average slope=0.19 lbs DM/ft3 / % DM
lbs/ft3 kg/m3
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Dry Matter Densities in Corn Silages - 2000
10
12
14
16
18
20
25 30 35 40 45
Dry Matter Content, %
160180200220240260280300
Arl-AB-ProcArl-KR-ProcArl-KR-UnprocPDS-AB-ProcPDS-AB-UnprocWM-KR-Unproc
Average slope=0.33 lbs DM/ft3 / % DM
lbs/ft3 kg/m3
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Dry Matter Densities in Corn Silages - 2000, 2001
10
12
14
16
18
20
25 30 35 40 45
Dry Matter Content, %
160180200220240260280300
Arl-AB-ProcArl-KR-ProcArl-KR-UnprocPDS-AB-ProcPDS-AB-UnprocWM-KR-Unproc
Average slope=??AB & KR may have different slopes
lbs/ft3 kg/m3
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Average Corn DM DensitiesBagger Station Processed lbs/ft3 kg/m3
8’ Ag Bag PDS Yes 13.3 214No 15.4 246
9’ Ag Bag Arl Yes 11.0 1769’ K R Yes 12.2 1969’ K R No 10.4 167
9’ K R WM No 11.1 178
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Average DM Densities (lb/ft3)Bagger Station Processed Hay Corn
8’ Ag Bag PDS Yes 13.3No 13.1 15.4
9’ Ag Bag Arl No/Yes 13.5 11.09’ K R Yes 12.29’ K R No 14.1 10.4
9’ K R WM No 11.6 11.1
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Density Variation on the Face
94%
37%
100%
71%
83%
42%
72%
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Density Variation on the Face
94%
37%
100%
71%
83%
42%
72%
72%
107%
106%
73%
67%
64%
98%
66%
60%
71%
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Density Variation on the Face
94%
37%
100%
71%
83%
42%
72%
83%
84%
149%
66%
106%
80%
104%
21%
71%
62%
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Losses
• Invisible & Uncollected = Filling + Removal + Gaseous + Seepage (Not Collected) = Total DM in - Total DM removed
• Spoilage = Silage not fed (moldy)
• Total Loss = Invisible & Uncollected + Spoilage
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Range of Losses (% DM)24 Bags
Loss
Loss Loss Average w/o
Type Range Average Worst 6*
Inv. & Uncol. -0.3 to 22.8 9.5 8.7
Spoilage 0.0 to 25.4 6.9 2.7
Total -0.3 to 39.9 16.4 11.4
* 25% loss or more
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Issues With The Worst Six Bags
% Loss (% Loss) % DM Fed (in./day) Comments
39.9 17.2 40.4 27 June 29 Bag burst
38.2 25.4 42.3 30 March 23 ?
30.6 21.9 43.7 12 March Bird damage
27.1 19.3 35.7 3 July 28 ?
26.9 16.6 48.8 1 May 8 Similar bag
25.9 15.7 48.7 20 Aug 53 ?
RemovalRateTotal Spoiled
Total = 11%
When
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Spoilage Losses vs. DM Content
05
1015202530
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Dry Matter Content, %
DM
Los
s, %
HayCorn
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Spoilage Losses vs. Porosity
05
1015202530
0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Porosity, %
DM
Los
s, %
HayCorn
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Spoilage Losses vs. Emptying Mid-Point Date
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Oct-00 Feb-01 Jul-01 Dec-01
DM
Los
s, %
HayCorn
Ruptured Bag
Bird Damage
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Invisible & Uncollected Loss vs DM Content
-23
81318
23
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Dry Matter Content, %
DM
Los
s, %
HayCornHigh Spoilage
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Invisible & Uncollected Loss vs Feed Out Rate
-23
81318
23
0 20 40 60
Feed Out Rate, in/d
DM
Los
s, %
HayCornHigh Spoilage
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Invisible & Uncollected Loss vsEmptying Mid-Point Date
-2
3
8
13
18
23
Oct-00 Feb-01 Jul-01 Dec-01
DM
Los
s, %
HayCornHigh Spoilage
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Total Losses vs. Emptying Mid-Point Date
-505
10152025303540
Oct-00 Feb-01 Jul-01 Dec-01
DM
Los
s, %
HayCorn
Ruptured Bag
Bird Damage
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Summary
• Density in hay crop silage: 12.5 lbs DM/ft3
• Density in corn silage: higher with one bagger, lower in other relative to hay crop
• DM density lower the wetter the hay crop; less certain relationship in corn
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Summary• Average total losses were 16.4%, but 11.4%
without 6 bags with major losses (>25%)
• Spoilage in dry (>40% DM), porous silages
• More problems with spoilage in summer
• Evidence that good management necessary for low losses
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Management of Bunker Silos
Progressive Wedge
Height over Length
Length over Height
• Harvest– maturity, moisture,
chop length, rapid chop
• Filling– fill rapidly, pack
tight, cover completely and quickly
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Management of Bunker Silos
• Harvest• Filling• Packing
– Spread in thin layers– Average tractor
weight– Silage height– Packing time/wet ton
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Management of Bunker SilosDry matter loss as influenced by silage density.
Density (lbs DM/ft3) DM Loss, 180 days (%)10 20.214 16.815 15.916 15.118 13.422 10.0
SOURCE: Ruppel, K. A. 1992. MS thesis Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
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Management of Bunker Silos• Harvest• Filling• Packing
– Spread in thin layers– Average tractor
weight– Silage height– Packing time/wet ton
• Interaction of fill & pack
http://www.http://www.uwexuwex..eduedu//cesces/crops//crops/uwforageuwforage/storage./storage.htmhtm
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Silo Management• High packing density needed
– Density & dry matter content porosity
– Porosity set rate of air movement into silo
– Higher the density, greater silo capacity
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Silo ManagementCharacteristic Hay crop silage (87 silos)
Average Range SD*
Dry matter (%) 42 24-67 9.50
Wet density (lbs/ft3) 37 13-61 10.90
Dry density (lbs/ft3) 14.8 6.6-27.1 3.80
Avg. particle size(in) 0.46 0.27-1.23 0.15*SD=standard deviation
SOURCE: Holmes and Muck, 1999.
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Silo ManagementCharacteristic Corn silage (81 silos)
Average Range SD*
Dry matter (%) 34 25-46 4.80
Wet density (lbs/ft3) 43 23-60 8.30
Dry density (lbs/ft3) 14.5 7.8-23.6 2.90
Avg. particle size(in) 0.43 0.28-.68 0.08*SD=standard deviation
SOURCE: Holmes and Muck, 1999.
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Dry Matter Density VariationDMD (lbs/ft3) = (8.5 + PF x 0.0155) x (0.818 + 0.0136 x D)
Where average depth (D) and packing factor (PF) are calculated as:
D = avg. silage depth (ft) = height at wall + height at center) /2
PF = (W/L) x N X DM/C
W = Proportioned average tractor weight (lbs) for all tractors
L = Layer thickness (inches) of the spread but unpacked
N = Number of tractor-packing equivalents, where N = 1 one
DM = Dry matter content (decimal)
C = Crop delivery rate (T AF/hr) to the silo
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Forage Harvester Average Capacity
Capacity (T AF/hr)
Forage harvester type Hay Corn
Pull, 250 HP 60 110
Self-propelled, 450 HP 100 180
SOURCE: Shinners, 2001
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Improving Silage Density*Variables changed DMD(lbs/ft3)
No change 12.3
+20,000-lb tractor 50% time 12.7
+20,000-lb tractor 100% time 13.1
+5,000 weight to 30,000-lb tractor 13.0
+5,000 weight to both tractors 100% time 14.1
Reduce layer thickness 6 to 4-inches 14.5
Both tractors 100% time & reduce layer to 4 15.6
+5,000 lb to 30,000-lb & reduce layer to 4 15.5
+5,000 lb to tractors 100% time & reduce 17.1*Forage delivery rate increased from 50 to 100 T AF/hr*Forage delivery rate increased from 50 to 100 T AF/hr