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Silage Fermentation Timeline
Silage Fermentation Timeline sets the pH target against dry matter, because one figure does not describe both a wet and a dry crop.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Tools
Silage Fermentation Timeline Guide
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Results
Using Silage Fermentation Timeline Guide to calculate and analyze your data.
How the Silage Fermentation Timeline works
- Enter the crop and dry matter at ensiling, since both determine the target pH.
- Follow the phase timeline from sealing, and avoid opening the clamp during active fermentation.
- Watch for the signs of a failed ferment — a high pH after two weeks, or heating at feed-out, both point at air ingress.
The method
Fermentation converts sugars to lactic acid, dropping pH until the crop is stable and microbial activity stops.
target pH falls with dry matter: wetter crops need a lower pH to be stable
A 25% dry matter grass silage needs around pH 4.0; at 40% dry matter around 4.5 is stable, because there is less free water for spoilage organisms.
FAQ
Why does target pH depend on dry matter?
Because water activity determines how easily spoilage organisms grow. A wet crop needs a lower pH to be stable; a drier one is stable at a higher pH, which is why one target figure does not fit all silage.
What causes a failed ferment?
Air, almost always — poor consolidation, a damaged sheet, or slow filling. Air lets aerobic organisms consume the sugars the lactic bacteria need, and the pH never falls far enough.
Why does silage heat at feed-out?
Aerobic spoilage. Once the face is exposed, yeasts and moulds restart, generating heat and consuming energy. A tight face managed with a shear grab and a fast enough feed rate limits it.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Pen and paper | A classroom platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry matter adjusted targets | ✓ | ✗ | Single figure |
| Phase timeline | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| No sign-up | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nothing uploaded | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Silage Fermentation Timeline sets the pH target against dry matter, because one figure does not describe both a wet and a dry crop.