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Paraformaldehyde as a silage additive

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. F. Wilson  and
B. J. Wilkins
R. F. Wilson
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berks SLG 5LR
B. J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berks SLG 5LR
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Summary

In three experiments, ryegrass and lucerne were ensiled for 100 days in test-tube silos containing about 100 g of crop either without additive or after the addition of paraformaldehyde or formalin to provide 0·1–0.4% of the fresh crop weight as formaldehyde (HCHO). When applied as prills containing 82% HCHO, paraformaldehyde was as effective as formalin in restricting fermentation and preventing extensive protein breakdown at comparable HCHO application rates. The lower solubility of paraformaldehyde containing 98 % HCHO as powder or prills made these forms less effective than formalin in restricting fermentation. Paraformaldehydecontaining 98% HCHO was, however, effective even at the lowest rate of application, in preventing clostridial-type fermentations when these were present in silages made from untreated crops.This was in contrast to formalin which promoted such fermentation at low rates of application.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 91 , Issue 1 , August 1978 , pp. 23 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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