Agros Corn is a specially formulated inoculant designed to improve the feeding quality of maize and wholecrop silage and minimise the loss of valuable nutrients by reducing the risk of aerobic spoilage. Its key ingredient is Alliin, a natural mould inhibitor found in garlic, and a lactobacillus bacterium strain.
Special features
Double protection
The combination of Alliin with lactobacillus gives your forage double protection, during storage and feed out, from spoilage yeasts that can significantly degrade nutrient value. Alliin offers immediate protection at ensiling, while acid produced by the lactobacillus bacteria over a period of weeks builds gradually to high levels which offer high levels of protection at feed out.
Maize silage
Fermentation of maize silage is similar to that for grass, with fermentation producing lactic acid, resulting in reduced pH, which preserves the crop and prevents the growth of spoilage organisms.
Maize has a high dry matter which, together with maize cobs’ high starch content, helps ensure rapid fermentation, removing the need for the addition of lactic acid bacteria inoculants. High dry matter and high starch increases the risk of spoilage, so the use of an additive to prevent the growth and colonisation of yeasts and moulds during ensiling and feed out is essential.
Agros Corn has been proven to inhibit these yeasts and moulds, increasing the silage’s aerobic stability, and reducing the risk of heating at the clamp face.
Trials have compared 30% dry matter silage treated with Agros Corn against untreated. Access to air encourages yeasts to multiply: Agros Corn increases the time taken to reach ‘at risk’ levels, thereby greatly extending the time available to feed the forage before the onset of nutrient losses.
Wholecrop cereals
The popularity of ensiling wholecrop cereals has increased over recent years, as they offer a good alternative to traditional forages. Cereal wholecrops can be high yielding and benefit from a wide harvest window allowing for wholecrop to be harvested with varying dry matters. Due to this wide range in dry matters the extent of fermentation will vary. These crops are at risk from aerobic spoilage and heating in the clamps.
It is therefore recommended that when using an inoculant, a brand incorporating an aerobic spoilage inhibitor such as Agros Corn is applied.
Fermented wholecrop
The use of Agros Corn has been proven to dramatically improve aerobic stability. Applied at 2 litres per tonne fresh weight, the graph above compares 40% DM wholecrop treated with Agros Corn against untreated. After 48 hours exposure to air, spoilage yeasts on the untreated sample are 7,000 times more concentrated, increasing the risk of nutrient losses in the clamp due to aerobic spoilage.
High DM wholecrop
Due to high grain maturity, wholecrop of this dry matter should be harvested using a primary processing mill to ensure maximum digestion when forage is fed. The high DM will limit fermentation, but aerobic spoilage can still occur, causing heating and nutrient loss. Treatment with four litres per tonne of Agros Corn at harvest ensures better aerobic stability when exposed to air.
Packaging and application rates
Agros Corn for liquid application is packed in boxes containing two sachets, sufficient to treat 50 tonnes of forage when mixed with water and applied at two litres per tonne.
The application rate of Agros Corn is higher for high DM wholecrop: 4 litres per tonne, so a two sachet packet will be enough for 25 tonnes of high DM wholecrop.
Agros Corn is Organic Farmers and Growers approved.
If you would like more information on any aspect of the Agros range of silage inoculants, please phone free on 0800 919808.