Technological innovations in silage production and utilization

Inovações tecnológicas na produção e uso da silagem

Abstracts

Technology innovation is the process through which new technologies are developed. Silage research addresses the various agronomical, biochemical, microbiological, nutritional and engineering aspects of the process. Forage harvesters, additives (inoculants), and plastic films for sealing are important recent developments. The corn silage is the major source of energy in rations, but recently the use of other ensiled crops, such as sugarcane and legumes, has been increased. Two newer ensiling techniques are the pressed bag and the wrapped bale. Polyethylene film has been the most common method used to protect silage near the surface, but new plastic films are available or in the process of development. A co-extruded polyethylene-polyamide film and new polyvinyl alcohol film also have been used to seal corn silage. Various types of additives have been developed in order to improve the ensiling process. Lactobacillus buchneri, that is an obligate heterolactic acid bacterium, might improve the aerobic stability of silages and have been more effective in corn silage than in other silages. Energy production from silage has also attracted much interest in recent years, as perennial grasses that have been stored as biomass to produce biofuels in the United States, and silage as feedstock for biogas in Europe.

bioenergy; ensiling; film cover; inoculant; management practices; silo

Inovação tecnológica é o processo que representa o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias e o aperfeiçoamento das já existentes. A pesquisa referente à silagem envolve vários aspectos agronômicos, bioquímicos, microbiológicos, nutricionais e a engenharia do processo. Colhedoras de forragem, inoculantes e filmes plásticos para a vedação do silo são importantes e recentes desenvolvimentos. A silagem de milho é a principal fonte de energia em rações, mas, atualmente, o uso de outras forrageiras, tais como cana-de-açúcar e leguminosas tem sido incrementado. Duas técnicas de ensilagem são consideradas inovadoras: estocagem em silos tubulares horizontais e silos/fardos revestidos por filme plásticos. Quanto à vedação de silos trincheira ou superfície, o filme de polietileno tem sido o método mais comumente utilizado para proteger a silagem próxima da superficie, porém novos filmes já estão disponíveis ou em processo de desenvolvimento. O filme coextruzado de polietileno/poliamida e o novo filme de polivinil álcool são, recorrentemente, utilizados para cobrir a silagem. Diversos tipos de aditivos são desenvolvidos, na atualidade, com o intuito de melhorar o processo de ensilagem. Lactobacilus buchneri, uma bactéria heterolática obrigatória, pode melhorar a estabilidade aeróbia de silagens e, nos tempos vigentes, é mais efetiva na preservação da silagem de milho do que em outras. A produção de energia a partir de silagem tem despertado o interesse nos últimos anos. Como fruto desse crescente interesse gramíneas perenes tem sido estocadas como biomassa para produzir biocombustíveis nos Estados Unidos, e silagem tem sido utilizada como matéria prima para produção de biogás na Europa.

bioenergia; ensilagem; inoculante; lona; práticas de manejo; silo

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  28 Mar 2013
• Date of issue
  Sept 2012

History

• Received
  10 Nov 2011
• Accepted
  10 May 2012