Silo-King® Hay is the newest variety of Agri-King’s internationally-renowned forage treatment product.
Silo-King® Hay provides farms with a synergistic product with ingredients specifically formulated to complement each other in the protection and preservation of all types of hay.
Other products on the market focus specifically on certain facets of hay production. Silo-King® Hay, however, is designed to help improve multiple areas in baling and storing high-quality hay, including minimizing heating, neutralizing plant and microbial respiration, predigesting plant fiber, and reducing spoilage.
As a result, the “big picture” approach with this particular hay helps farms get better returns on their hay.
“No other treatment does more for hay quality. All other products just prevent mold.” — Kansas hay producer
So, what sets Silo-King® Hay apart from the rest? Here’s a breakdown of the key elements.
A key element to Silo-King® Hay is the inclusion of antioxidants. The goal with antioxidants is to neutralize free radicals (i.e. oxidizing agents) and deter plant and microbial respiration. With both of these elements in check, there is less heating during the “sweat” or “curing” phases of the hay, which leads to better nutritional content.
Though all varieties of Silo-King® feature antioxidants, this product is formulated with higher rates to work better in hay. This typically features greater levels of dry matter.
Silo-King® Hay contains an exclusive combination of enzymes that focus on two areas: speeding up the curing process and breaking down plant fibers. A faster curing process means less energy lost due to respiration and more energy and nutrition retained in the hay.
Plus, less time spent in this phase means better storage stability. This provides less opportunity for molds and yeasts to thrive.
Meanwhile, the pre-digestion of fibers allows moisture to escape and makes for more pliable fibers, resulting in softer hay that is more digestible. More digestible hay means more nutrients from the plant are available to livestock, leading to more available energy.
The multiple strains of bacteria in Silo-King® Hay help produce lactic acid. Why is lactic acid important to hay and other forages? Greater lactic acid content is typically a sign of greater energy content within forages. Additionally, lactic acid helps reduce pH quicker and helps move the curing process along.
The ingredients all contribute to helping reduce spoilage within the hay. Reducing spoilage makes the hay more appealing to livestock and helps retain the natural sugars present within the hay.
For more information on Silo-King® Hay and how it can help improve your hay’s overall quality, contact your local Agri-King area manager.