When silage is exposed to air, its quality can deteriorate, as valuable, easily digestible nutrients are broken down by yeasts and moulds. There is also a risk of mycotoxins forming. Signs of the growth of these micro-organisms are an increase in the temperature of the silage and typical discolorations (blue-green, red) in the form of mould nests or hot spots.

This particularly affects well-fermented, high-energy silo maize, but silage made of grass and whole cereal plants may also display signs of heating on exposure. Ensiling mistakes such as poor compaction, ensiling forage that has been harvested late, or insufficient turnover increase the risk of such processes. This can be avoided by applying good farming practices and using KOFASIL S.

KOFASIL S contains a specially selected non-GM strain of the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus buchneri. In addition to lactic acid, this also forms a certain amount of acetic acid which inhibits yeasts and moulds, which improves the storage life of silage kept in non-airtight conditions where heating on exposure could occur without the use of inoculant.

KOFASIL S is recommended for protecting the quality of various types of silage used in animal feed.