The relationship of silage temperature with the microbiological status of the face of corn silage bunkers
Open accessAbstract
A method is proposed to quantify aerobic deterioration of corn silage forage quality as related to the temperature of silage mass in the bunker. Aerobic deterioration, apart from causing nutritional value losses, affects the hygienic quality of silages through the accumulation of pathogenic organisms and their toxins. A survey was carried out in northern Italy that involved a detailed examination of silage bunker from each of 54 dairy farms. Samples from the core, the peripheral areas within 1m from the silo walls, and the molded spots, when present, were collected. The sample and silage temperatures across the working face were measured at depths of 200 mm at 11 locations and at 7 elevations. The temperature of the central zone of the silo was defined as the reference temperature (T(ref40)). The difference between the temperature of the silage sample and the T(ref40) was used as a heating index associated with aerobic deterioration (dT(ref40)). The working face area with visible molds was measured. The samples were analyzed for DM content; pH; water activity; nitrates; lactic, acetic, and butyric acids; and microbiological count of yeasts, molds, and clostridia spores. The core samples always showed a pH below 4.0 and a dT(ref40) below 2 degrees C, whereas the silages from the peripheral areas were split into 2 groups, one that had a pH lower than 4 and a dT(ref40) lower than 3.5 degrees C (53%) and one that had a pH higher than 4 and a dT(ref40) higher than 5 degrees C (47%). Most of the silages from the peripheral areas (94%) and all the silages from the moldy spots that have a dT(ref40) above 5 degrees C had a pH higher than 4.5. Furthermore, a positive dT(ref40) higher than 5 degrees C corresponds to a higher yeast count than 5 log cfu/g in most of the silages from the peripheral areas (93% of samples) and in almost all the silages from the molded spots. The evaluation of the extension of the visible molded areas combined with temperature measurement at 200 mm behind the feed-out face could offer a good indication of the health status of silage during consumption. Furthermore, this method could be useful to detect early stages of the aerobic deterioration process and to improve silage management.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
With on-farm silages, most microbial deterioration is invisible initially and may only be detected by a temperature rise in the forage.
“Unfortunately, with on-farm silages, most microbial deterioration is invisible initially and may only be detected by a temperature rise in the forage (Muck and Holmes, 2000; Borreani and Tabacco, 2010).”
From Silage review: Factors affecting dry matter and quality losses in silages (2018) · cites this paper as Borreani and Tabacco, 2010
The Discussion (page not provided) says temperature measurements can help identify an invisible altered mass of silage and detect aerobic deterioration in its early stages. It does not establish that most microbial deterioration is initially invisible or that a temperature rise is the only way to detect it; it also discusses pH changes and visible mold. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAerobic deterioration involves, to different extents, up to 20% of the total stored DM of farm silages, both in temperate and warm climates.
“This deterioration process involves, to different extents, up to 20% of the total stored DM of farm silages, both in temperate (Vissers et al., 2007; Borreani and Tabacco, 2010; Schmidt and Kung, 2010) and warm climates (Huisden et al., 2009; Kang et al.,”
From Silage review: Factors affecting dry matter and quality losses in silages (2018) · cites this paper as Borreani and Tabacco, 2010
The Introduction says aerobic deterioration causes high dry-matter loss, and the paper surveys farm silage bunkers in northern Italy (Abstract). It does not establish that deterioration affects up to 20% of total stored dry matter; the warm-climate portion is attributed to other citations. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAerobic deterioration of silages during the feed-out phase is a significant problem for farm profitability and feed quality worldwide.
“Aerobic deterioration of silages during the feed-out phase is a significant problem for farm profitability and feed quality worldwide (Berger and Bolsen, 2006; Borreani and Tabacco, 2010).”
From Silage review: Factors affecting dry matter and quality losses in silages (2018) · cites this paper as Borreani and Tabacco, 2010
The Introduction (page unavailable) says deterioration when a silo is opened for feeding causes dry-matter and nutritional losses and harms silage quality. The Discussion (page unavailable) also refers to the economic value of lost dry matter. The paper does not establish that this is a significant problem worldwide; it discusses corn silage in Europe and North America and surveys farms in northern Italy. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredChanges during the feed-out phase are equally as important as those in the closed silo from the viewpoint of preserving nutrients and maintaining good hygienic quality of the silage.
“It is now recognized that the changes during the feed-out phase are equally as important as those in the closed silo from the viewpoint of preserving nutrients and maintaining good hygienic quality of the silage (Borreani and Tabacco, 2010; Driehuis, 2013; Wilkinson and Davies, 2013).”
From Silage review: Factors affecting dry matter and quality losses in silages (2018) · cites this paper as Borreani and Tabacco, 2010
Borreani and Tabacco (2010) found the 200 mm temperature at a specific location minus the temperature at 400 mm in the middle of the bunker was positively correlated with pH, yeast, and mold counts.
“The 200 mm temperature at a specific location minus the temperature at 400 mm in the middle of the bunker was positively correlated with pH, yeast, and mold counts.”
From Silage review: Factors affecting dry matter and quality losses in silages (2018) · cites this paper as Borreani and Tabacco (2010)
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
No citation lists for this paper
No citation lists for this paper yet — checked again daily.
References 30 · Cited by 149
Research works printed but not linked: 7
- Borreani, G., and E. Tabacco. 2009. Temperature measurements of large scale silo face to assess aerobic deterioration of corn silage on farm. Pages 175-187 in Proc. International Symposium on Forage Quality and Conservation, Sao Pedro, SP, Brazil. FEALQ, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
- Honig, H., and M. K. Woolford. 1980. Changes in silage on exposure to air. Pages 76-87 in Proc. Occasional Symp. EGF Forage Conservation in the 80's. Brit. Grassl. Soc., Hurley, UK.
- Ivanek, R., Y. Gröhn, and M. Wiedmann. 2006. Listeria monocytogenes in multiple habitats and host populations: Review of available data for mathematical modeling. Foodborne Pathog. Dis. 3:319-336.
- Lindgren, S., G. Pahlow, and E. Oldenburg. 2002. Influence of microbes and their metabolites on feed and food quality. Pages 503-511 in Proc. 19th Gen. Meet. EGF, La Rochelle, France. Brit. Grassl. Soc., Reading, UK.
- McDonald, P., and R. Whittenbury. 1973. The ensilage process. Pages 33-60 in Chemistry and Biochemistry of Herbage. Vol. 3. G. W. Butler and R. W. Bailey, ed. Academic Press, NY.
- Muck, R. E., and R. L. Huhnke. 1995. Oxygen infiltration from horizontal silo unloading practices. Trans. ASAE 95:23-31.
- Pahlow, G., and R. E. Muck. 2009. Managing for improved aerobic stability. Pages 77-90 in Proc. 15th Int. Silage Conf., Madison, WI. University of Wisconsin, Madison.
- Authors
- Borreani, G., & Tabacco, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Turin (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Borreani, G.
- Venue
- Journal of Dairy Science
- Publisher
- American Dairy Science Association
- Published
- 2010-06
- Volume
- 93
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 2620-2629
- ISSN
- 0022-0302 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1988322995
- Cited by
- 149
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 11.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Dairy Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion)
- INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Regione Piemonte, Assessorato Qualità
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Mycotoxins in Agriculture and Food
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization
- Keywords
- corn silage, silage temperature, aerobic deterioration, silage pH, yeast count, molds, silage quality, dairy farms, silage management
- MeSH terms
- Bacteria, Zea mays, Dairying, Nutritive Value, Silage, Temperature, Time Factors, Yeasts
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
