The Effects of a New Plastic Film on the Microbial and Fermentation Quality of Italian Ryegrass Bale Silages

Problems associated with big bale silage include the high permeability of plastic wrapping films to O2, their low resistance to damage and the large amount of plastic that must be used to limit aerobic deterioration during conservation. Low permeability film, used in the packaging of food and recently proposed for bunker silos (Degano, 1999), could reduce fungal development in bale silage. The aim of this work was to compare the microbial and fermentation quality of big-baled silage, wrapped with commercially available plastic film and a new stretch film with low O2 permeability, over different conservation periods

The Effects of the Growth Stage and Inoculant on Fermentation and Aerobic Stability of Whole-Plant Grain Sorghum Silage

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is well adapted to environments with limited rainfall and low soil fertility. Today, on dry land, improved grain sorghum hybrids may be a valid alternative to maize silage and they may give DM yields and digestible energy that are comparable to maize, but at lower production costs (Legarto, 2000). Harvesting crops for silage at an early stage of maturity (low DM content) may result in silage with a higher acid content and low nutritional quality, while harvesting crops at a later stage of maturity may make the forage more difficult to chop and pack. Furthermore, drier silage could be more aerobically unstable during the feed-out phase. The aim of this work was to determine the optimum stage of development for silage purposes and to evaluate the effect of maturity and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculant on the fermentation, nutritional quality and aerobic stability of whole-plant silage produced by grain sorghum grown without irrigation in the Po valley, NW Italy

Forage and grain legume silages as a valuable source of proteins for dairy cows

In order to improve the supply of home-grown proteins in dairy farms, legume silage management is considered. The factors that affects fermentative quality and protein degradation during ensiling of tannin containing (sulla, sainfoin) and non tannin-containing (lucerne, field pea) legumes are discussed. The main considered factors are: wilting management, DM content, stage of growth and use of additives (lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculants and chestnut tannin)

Ice discharge of eastern Dome C drainage area, Antarctica, determined from airborne radar survey and satellite image analysis

Eastern Dome C, southern Talos Dome and northern Taylor Dome are drained by the Priestley, Reeves, David, Mawson and Mackay outlet glaciers, which flow into the Scott Coast on the west side of the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Airborne radar surveys were conducted on these glaciers to determine ice thickness and bed morphology along transverse and longitudinal profiles of the grounded and floating segments. A new analysis of a Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite image using a tracking technique was used to measure ice velocity at grounding lines and along ice tongues. The integration of radar and satellite data helped to locate grounding lines and to calculate the ice discharge. Changes in ice fluxes of floating glaciers were used to determine basal melting and freezing rates. The ice discharge calculated is less than half that required for a zero net surface mass balance according to the inputs given by the accumulation estimates widely adopted at present. The basal melting rates of meteoric ice represent 50% of the net ablation rate

Effects of the Stage of Growth and Inoculation on Proteolysis in Field Pea Silage

Ensiling legumes is a good way of providing home-grown protein in dairy farms but severe protein degradation can occur when conserving legumes. Peas (Pisum sativum L.) are legumes with a high crude protein and starch content, that provide a high forage yield in a short growing period. Very little information is available on the protein value of field pea silage. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of stage of maturity and inoculant application on proteolysis in field pea silage in the Po Valley, NW Italy

Determination of the surface and bed topography at Dome C, East Antarctica

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