Sept. 2 ,1918 Acidity of Silage Made from Various Crops 
407 
acid in good silage. There is a possibility that alfalfa, lacking sufficient 
carbohydrate, first develops lactic acid, which is in turn reduced to 
propionic acid and by further reductions to butyric acid by microor¬ 
ganisms. Such reactions have been shown by Fitz ( 8 ) to be possible 
by certain organisms. However, no study has been made of the acids 
of alfalfa silage developed during the first few days after siloing, which 
is necessary to determine this point. The suggestion, therefore, is only 
tentative. It is also possible that some butyric acid develops at the 
expense of the proteins. Therefore poor silage may actually contain 
as much acid as a silage of good quality, but may, nevertheless, be unfit 
for feeding purposes. 
alpalea and wheat-straw silage 
The alfalfa and wheat straw combinations did not make good silage. 
The silage had a very disagreeable odor and was not fit for feeding pur¬ 
poses. A glance at Table III shows that the acid fermentation differed 
from the fermentation that takes place in good silage. 
Table IV. —Summary of volatile and nonvolatile acids in silage made from forage crops 
iQ small silos 
[Results are given on 100 gm. of silage, dry basis] 
Silage. 
Acetic 
acid. 
Propionic 
acid. 
Butyric 
and 
volatile 
acids. 
Total 
volatile 
acids. 
Lactic 
add. 
Total 
addity. 
Alfalfa. 
Gw. 
3.76 
Gw. 
O. 469 
Gm. 
Gm. 
4* 229 
Gm. 
0. 000 
Gm. 
4.229 
Alfalfa. 
Wheat straw. 
..25 percent.. 
} 375 
• 983 
2. r72 
4-53 
. OOO 
4-53 
Alfalfa. 
Wheat straw. 
..50 percent.. 
} i- 99 * 
. 180 
1. 198 
3-37 
. OOO 
3 - 37 
Clover. 
2. 70 
. 168 
2. 868 
2. 580 
5-448 
Clover. 
Wheat straw. 
} 2-45 
, 179 
2. 629 
2. 870 
5-499 
..25 percent.. 
Clover. 
Wheat straw. 
| 2. 028 
. 188 
2. 216 
2. 781 
4-997 
..50 percent.. 
Peas... 
I -897 
• 137 
2. 034 
6. 02 
8.054 
Peas. 
Oats. 
| 2. 836 
.205 
3.041 
4.72 
7 - 761 
Peas. 
Oats. 
..75 percent.. 
| 2. X48 
• 154 
2. 302 
5* ox 
7.312 
Peas. 
Oats. 
.. 50 per cent.. 
} I -969 
. 184 
2 .153 
4.602 
6-755 
Oats. 
.881 
. 046 
A5<7 
4-07 
4-997 
. 9^7 
