Silage qualities in the mountain area – a field survey

In mountain areas of Switzerland, economically and environmentally sound dairy production strongly depends on conserved forages of high quality. Due to the lower proportion of high quality grasses and the greater proportion of forbs in mountain grasslands, the ensilability of the forage may be affected. To investigate the silage quality on dairy farms in mountain areas, 31 samples of ensiled forage were collected and analysed for nutrient content and fermentation parameters. On average, the silages had a dry matter (DM) content of 389 g kg-1 and contained per kg DM 94 g ash, 130 g crude protein, 303 g acid detergent fibre (ADF), 456 g neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and 5.5 MJ net energ y lactation (NEL). They had an average pH of 4.8 with 45 g lactic acid, 9 g acetic acid and also 9 g butyric acid per kg DM. Quality differences of the silages between individual farms were high. The main reasons for reduced quality were the low pre-wilting degree and the high ash content in some samples, as well as a high fibre and a low NEL-content of the forage at ensiling due to progressing sward maturity. The findings indicate the need for an improved farm advisory service.