Regimes and parameters of technology of silage processing with carbon dioxide in the Komi Republic

Abstract

Storage of fodders in the Republic of Komi is faced with a variety of climatic and technical problems. The duration of the stall period is 240 days while all fodders for all period must be prepared for two to three weeks in the period when their nutritional value is maximal. Unstable weather conditions in summer increase the duration of the workpiece in the prejustice of the quality of feed. Depreciation and low numbers of tractors in turn leads to disruption of the timing of individual operations. Under these conditions the use of various preservatives is able to minimize the impact of such violations. The use of liquid chemical and biological preservatives in the agriculture of the Komi Republic is limited due to high cost, low efficiency and lack of mechanization means. Results of V.N. Bakanov's researches on silage conservation with carbon dioxide in the 80s of the last century showed the possibility of gas using as a preservative for silage. Laboratory and field studies have been done in Agricultural research institute of Komi Republic on input of carbon dioxide into the silage with different pressing densities; the selection of the optimum dose of preservative was made and technological parameters for its input (expenditure and number of filing zones) were defined. A result of studies confirmed the hypothesis that the efficiency of carbon dioxide within the diffusing haylage mass allowing to inhibit microbiological processes in the feedstock. Researches have shown that carbon dioxide acts most efficiently at silage densities of 290…330 kg/m3 at a dose of 0.40...0.50 x 10-3 m3/kg. Consumption of 0.50…0.60 m3/h provides uniform distribution of the preservative inside the packed silage.

Keywords

• fodder conservation
• silage
• preservatives
• carbon dioxide
• protein
• feed units