It helps to ask the right questions before buying silage additives
for example Pediococcus or Enterococcus, are added to start the fermentation. Trial results are specific to the strains being tested.
Additives are for different issues; identify the priorities, for example, fermentation will be the issue with lower DM crops, especially legumes such as lucerne and clover, while aerobic stability will be a potential risk with high DM grass and maize. If you don’t have particular issues with either of these, concentrate on an additive proven in scientific trials to increase animal performance, such as Ecosyl. Some additives can deal with several issues.
Check out the trial evidence; would you choose a bull without a thorough check of his proof ? That’s equally important with a silage additive. Ask for findings from trials conducted at independent research institutes. To be confident an additive will work, it must be backed by evidence it performs consistently from a large number of trials, not just one or two. If an additive can only offer testimonials, then forget it. Only proper trials, with an untreated control, can tell you if an additive has made a difference. This is especially important for animal performance claims.
Ease of management; is it easy to use and available in a suitable form, for example low volume application?
Cost; important but it’s not the up-front figure that matters, it’s the payback.
Product quality; regardless of how good the bacteria potentially are, unless they can be supplied to the end user as a robust commercial product, you will not see those benefits. Buy from a reputable company. Bacteria are living organisms and very sensitive to their environment.
The way they are manufactured has a big impact on how well they survive storage and how fit they are when you come to use them.
Before you invest, spend some time finding out a bit more about the products available and don’t be swayed by glossy literature. Taking that time out will pay you dividends in the long run.