Determination of dry matter and volatiles in silage

Abstract

An apparatus designed to collect the volatile constituents produced during the drying of foods has been used to investigate the losses of volatiles from silages dried at 100°. In 28 silages examined the mean volatility of acetic acid was 87‐9% and of butyric acid 89‐4%. In all samples, lactic acid was found to be volatile, the percentage volatility ranging from 1–4 to 16–4. Appreciable losses of nitrogen occurred during the drying of silages with high pH values.