Lactic Acid Conserves Metabolizable Energy during Fermentation of Silages?

Technical article written for American Farm Products For submission to Progressive Dairyman Joanne Knapp, Ph.D. PAS, Fox Hollow Consulting, LLC   There’s a perception in the dairy industry that lactic acid production during silage fermentation diminishes the Metabolizable Energy (ME) content of ensiled forages. Previous research does not support this perception. When lactic acid is formed during ensiling, virtually no …

Does Converting Simple Sugars to Lactic Acid Reduce the Energy Available in Silages?

Technical article written for submission to Feedstuffs Joanne Knapp, Ph.D. PAS, Fox Hollow Consulting, LLC   During silage fermentation, simple sugars are converted mostly to lactic acid. How does this process impact the energy content of the silage for feeding dairy cattle? We’ll review lactate metabolism and then answer this question on a theoretical and a practical basis. Rumen lactic …