Efficacy testing of silage additives—Methodology and existing schemes

Abstract

AbstractIn the period between 1979 and 1996 several national silage additive approval schemes appeared in Europe. Today only two approval schemes are still in use, the European Union (EU) authorization of additive components (compulsory) and the German DLG approval scheme of complete additives (voluntary). The EU authorization focuses on safety and environmental properties. Since EU authorization is compulsory for all additives and most additives are composed of more than one single active component, it offers no immediate help to advisors or farmers to help selecting a suitable additive. The DLG approval scheme has a more consumer‐oriented approach and can test complete additives under a rather large variety of conditions. Approved additives get the privilege to carry a DLG Quality Mark. Comparative trials from 1995 between the German and the French approval schemes were described as well as trials from 2010 to evaluate a DLG test protocol for testing additives in round bales. The DLG test scheme has to take into account that there are different aims of action, which cannot be covered by one additive. There are therefore six aims of action, directly related to the ensiling process.