Cuprem's Microbial Inoculants

Our Hay Inoculants and How They Work

Microbios Hay Inoculant W/S helps control the four stages of fermentation that hay and haylage go through. The four stages are aerobic, anaerobic, storage and feeding. The aerobic stage is the 1st and requires microorganisms that live and use oxygen. The anaerobic stage is the 2nd, and requires non-oxygen microorganisms that produce lactic, acetic and butyric acid. The most desirable is lactic acid. The storage stage is 3rd, and can last from a few weeks to several years. Microbial activity is minimal during the storage phase. The feeding stage is 4th. This is a period of great concern. Four to 6 inches of the hay or haylage needs to be removed from the entire feeding face each day in order to minimize losses to aerobic deterioration. Micro-encapsulated microorganisms have two advantages. It helps during storage and enhances product performance when used.

The pH changes from a high of 7.0 to a low of 3.5 during the 1st 72 hours. At the same time, temperature will rise to 104 F within 24 hours, and needs to be back down to 87 F by 72 hours. Herein lies the challenge to everyone who manufactures a microbial inoculant.

To have enough of the right types of microorganisms so as the pH, temperature, and oxygen changes take place, each type lives in large enough numbers to fulfill its purpose in preserving the hay or haylage.

One must always practice sound procedure as if no inoculant is going to be used. Then when a microbial inoculant is used, you can expect less shrinkage and less mold. This will run on an average of $8.00 return for $1.00 spent. The exact amount will depend on the price paid for the inoculant and the dollar value of the product inoculated.

Each package inoculates 50 tons of haylage or 25 tons of hay.