Silage:

• It is the green material produced by controlled fermentation of green fodder crop retaining high moisture content and maintaining anaerobic conditions, allowing lactobacilli or other similar species to proliferate and produce lactic acid.
• It restricts the growth of spore forming anaerobes and clostridia which produces amines, ammonia and CO₂.

Suitable crops for silage making:

• The forage should contain adequate amount of fermentable carbohydrates; sugar content should be 3% at the time of cutting.
• Maize is considered best crop for silage making.
• Digestibility of crops should be at least 65. For high quality silage, D-value at cutting must be 67-70.
• Crop for silage making should be harvested at flowering stage as they contain maximum amount of nutrients at that time.

Silo:

• The specialized device or containers used to prepare silage are called silo.
• It may be trench silo, tower type, silo pit may be cylindrical or rectangular.
• Based on materials used in construction, they may be divided into brick silo, cement silo, stainless steel silo, Kachcha silo.