Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 0223~392 l998-0~-ll
OO50/46438
Use of potassium chloride for the ensilage of green fodder
The present invention relates to the use of potassium chloride in
5 combination with ensiling aids known per se such as sodium pro-
pionate, calcium propionate, sodium formate, free formic acid
and/or propionic acid.
The production of silage has great economic importance in ~n;m~l
10 nutrition. A number of additives are known for improving the fer-
mentation process and for improving the silage quality. Thus, the
currently valid list of ensiling agents tested by the Deutsche
Landwirtschaftliche Gesellschaft (DLG) describes the use of salts
of formic acid and propionic acid, nitrite c~ _~unds, sorbic
15 acid, formaldehyde-generating compounds and sugar-contA;n;ng ma-
terials, e.g. molasses. In addition, the addition of lactic acid
bacteria cultures or enzymes is also described.
In general, it is necessary for the successful production of very
20 good silage that a sufficient amount of lactic acid is produced
as quickly as possible and this is ret~inP~ in the silage during
the entire storage period. Prerequisites for sufficient produc-
tion of lactic acid are the presence of a sufficient amount of
fermentable carbohydrates, anaerobic conditions in the mass of
25 fodder and low temperatures. There are close interactions between
these parameters. If atmospheric oxygen is present, fermentable
carbohydrates can be consumed by plant parts which have not yet
died off and by aerobic microorgAn;Rmq. This process results in a
nutrient loss which inhibits the development of lactic acid bac-
30 teria and at the same time makes possible the growth of orgAni~ -
which damage silage. This process proceeds until the atmospheric
oxygen has been consumed. Under unfavorable conditions, this
leads to the rapid lowering of pH necessary in the fodder to be
ensiled not being achieved. Under these conditions, clostridia
35 can form butyric acid which can reduce the quality of the silage
or even ruin it completely.
Gross, Riebe; "Garfutter" Ulmer-Verlag 1974, p. 155 and
Mc Donald, Henderson, Heron; ~The Biochemistry of Silage", 2nd
40 Edition Chalcombe Publications 1991, p. 213 disclose the use of
sodium chloride as ensiling salt. It is assumed that the increase
in the osmotic pressure promotes fermentation by the lactic acid
bacteria and suppresses the development of clostridia and other
harmful fungi.
CA 0223~392 1998-0~-11
.
0050/46438
Nevertheless the silage suffers a continuA1 weight loss resulting
from sugar and starch respiration by the undesired micro-
org~n; ~m~ .
5 It was found here that potassium chloride suppresses the ~orma-
tion of chlostrida without this knowledge resulting in practical
use for silage. Furthermore, the replacement of sodium chloride
by potassium chloride and the joint use of potassium chloride and
sodium chloride has also been studied (Shockey et al., Journal of
10 Diary tsic] Science (1991), Vol. 74, No. 1, pp. 155-159 and pp.
160-166).
It has now been found, surprisingly, that the use of chloride-
free ensiling aids known per se in combination with effective
15 amounts of potassium chloride for the ensilage of green fodder
makes it possible to achieve very good results in respect of the
storage of the silage.
When the same amounts are employed as hitherto, ie. from 1 to
20 10 kg of the total amount of the ensiling aid per metric ton of
green fodder, the use of potassium chloride leads to signifi-
cantly lower dry weight losses. The cause of this is not known,
since no significant advantage of potassium chloride would have
been able to be expected in the case of a purely osmotic action.
In particular, the present invention provides ensiling aids se-
lected from the group consisting of sodium propionate, calcium
propionate, sodium formate, free formic acid and/or propionic
acid in combination with effective amounts of potassium chloride
30 for the ensilage of green fodder.
Ensiling agents known per se in conjunction with which potassium
chloride can be used are, for example, the ensiling agents named
in the list published by the DLG ~5th edition, date: April 10,
35 1995). Most of these comprise calcium formate as an alternative
to sodium propionate, calcium propionate, sodium formate and/or
formic acid and propionic acid, and some also comprise dicalcium
phosphate, sodium chloride, sodium benzoate, sodium bisulfite,
sodium nitrite, hexamethylene tetramine, (cane) molasses, sorbic
40 acid, salts of inorganic acids (phosphoric acid compounds, sodium
compounds, magnesium compounds) and further mineral materials,
mineral supports, trace elements. Ensiling agents which are pre-
ferably additionally added also include bacterial cultures such
as lactic acid bacteria, enzymes or enzyme complexes, particular-
45 ly when they are adsorbed on/applied to a support. Also suitableare sugar-contAin;ng products which contain fermentable carbohy-
CA 0223~392 1998-05-11
0050/46438
drates, such as, in addition to the molasses mentioned above,
cooked potatoes, coarse-ground cereal~ or dried whey.
The weight ratio of the specified ensiling agents known per se,
5 in particular sodium propionate, calcium propionate, sodium for-
mate, propionic acid and~or formic acid, to potassium chloride is
generally from 90:10 to 30:70, preferably from 60:40 to 40:60.
In general, the ensiling agents are used in an amount of from 1
lO to 10 kg, in particular from 2 to 5 kg, per metric ton of
material to be ensiled. The exact amount depends on the type of
material to be ensiled, in particular on whether it is material
which is easy to ensile, moderately difficult to ensile or diffi-
cult to ensile. More exact values are given in the ab~v~ ~tioned
15 list from the DLG and in the corresponding instructions for the
individual ensiling agents. The amount of potassium chloride used
is generally from 0.2 to 9 kg/metric ton of green fodder, prefer-
ably from 0.5 to 6 kg/metric ton and in particular from 1 to
4 kg/metric ton.
The fermentable fodder to be ensiled which can be employed for
the use according to the present invention is in itself subject
to no particular restrictions. Suitable materials are all types
of fodder which are easy to ensile (slightly wilted grass and
25 other forage plants having a sugar content of more than 3% in the
fresh mass, wilted grass having a dry content of more than 30%,
wilted legumes having a dry content of more than 25%, whole-plant
cereal, moist cereal and moist maize, pressed pulp), fodder which
is moderately difficult to ensile (grass having a dry content of
30 from 20 to 25%, legumes having a dry content of from 25 to 30%
and other forage plants having sugar contents of from 1.5 to 3~
in the fresh mass) or fodder which is difficult to ensile (grass
having a dry content of less than 20% or legumes having a dry
content of less than 20% and having less than 1.5% of sugar in
35 the fresh mass and also grass or legumes which were incorrectly
wilted). The material to be ensiled preferably has a moisture
content of at least 60%, more preferably from 60 to 90% (corre-
sponding to from 40 to 10% of dry material). The ensiling
compositions of the present invention can be homogeneously
40 distributed in the material to be ensiled by, for example, laying
down the material to be ensiled in layers and distributing the
ensiling mixture of the present invention over each layer. In
addition, it is also possible to mix the material to be ensiled
with the ensiling mixture of the present invention prior to
4S introduction into the silo. Most preferred is the automatic
.
CA 0223~392 1998-0~-ll
OOS0/46438
metered addition of the ensiling mixture at the discharge of the
chopper by means of a special metering apparatus.
It i5 advantageous to use the finished mixture according to the
5 present invention c ,~Lising ensiling agents known per se and
potassium chloride. In addition, it is also possible to mix in
the individual constituents separately. This variant is likewise
subject matter of the present invention. The application of the
ensiling mixture is then carried out either ~-nllAlly, by means of
10 an applicator or by means of a metering aparatus which is
preferably arranged at the discharge of a chopper.
The examples illustrate the invention.
15 Examples
Lucerne having a dry content of 19%, contAin;ng 45.1 g of water-
soluble carbohydrates per kg of dry weight and 0.9% of water-
soluble carbohydrates in the moist mass was ensiled in three 2 l
20 experimental silos. The loss in mass in the silo was determined
after 13, 30, 60 and 90 days and after 7 months. The same proce-
dure was repeated using a batch of timothy having a dry content
of 23.7%, cont~;n;ng 95.6 g of water-soluble carbohdyrates per kg
of dry weight and 2.3% of water-soluble carbohydrates in the
25 moist mass. The results for storage for 7 months are shown in
Table 1, for shorter times in Table 2.
In each of the examples, a total amount of the ensiling composi-
tion of 3 kgJmetric ton of green fodder was applied; the weight
30 ratio of sodium formate to potassium chloride was 50:50.
Dry weight losses (in % by weight)
Table 1:
Ex. Lucerne Timothy
1 Control, 16.2 5.8
untreated (Comparison)
40 2 Sodium propionate 7.1 3.0
Sodium formate (ComrArison)
3 RCl 5.8 2.7
Sodium formate
Table 2
Lucerne Timothy
Ex. Days Days
1 Control, 2 2 5.2 8.6 16.2 4.3 4.6 5.8 7.1
untreated
3 KCl/Sodium formate 2.5 3.4 4.0 5.8 2.2 2.3 2.7 3.4 D
Ul ~
Example 4 r
As described in Example 1, lucerne and timothy were ensiled and, after 120 days, the following average
values from 3 batches were determined.
¢
Ex. Lucerne Dry ' , Ammonia pH Ethanol Lactic acid Acetic acid Propionic Butyric acid I ~ ic Valeric acid
corrected g/kg g/kg dry g/kg dryg/kg dryg/kg dry acid g/kg dry acid g/kg dry
weight weight weight weight g/kg dry weight g/kg dry weight
weight weight
1 Control, 175 11.6 5.610 1.8 45 12.5 52 7.5 12.5
untreated O
4 KCI/ 194 2.9 4.711 56 42 5.0 1.5 0 0
Sodium formate ~,
o~ ~
Ex. Timoth~
1 Control 230 1.7 4.112.5 55 30 0 2.5 0 0 O
4 KCI/ 243 1.5 4.04.2 85 19 0 0 0 0
Sodium formate
