Table 5

Influence of Mechanical Dewatering On Density and pH of Silage


 Silage from original Silage from press-cake
 Percentage Dry Matter Percentage Dry Matter
Crop Material Moisture Per cu./ft. pH Moisture Per cu. ft. pH
 Pounds 1/

Chinese Cabbage 6.1 2.29* 77.3 12.92 3.9

Turnip tops 93.9 3.63 4.4 74.0 18.07 4.1

Celery tops 91.8 3.58 4.6 64.3 22.94 4.2

Green oats 85.7 6.29 3.9 67.7 16.31 3.9

Sweetcorn stover 80.6 8.87 3.8 73.8 15.51 3.8

Pangolagrass 82.1 8.12 4.3 72.6 15.41 3.9

Paragrass 81.2 5.82 4.8 75.9 9.94 4.2

Caribgrass 80.6 7.01 4.8 73.3 13.58 4.0

St. Augustinegrass 78.1 8.38 5.0 74.6 11.90 4.3

Note 1/ A pH of 4.2 or below is desirable.
* Silage spoiled.


 Press-liquor

 The process of mechanical dewatering drives out a relatively small amount
 of dry matter in the press liquor. The favorable economics associated with the
 press-cake will in most cases offset the losses in the liquor.

 The press-liquors from many different crop materials are more or less homo-
 geneous, but by any of several methods of treatment may be divided into a semi-
 clear liquid and a sludge which may then be separated readily. British investi-
 gators use the words 'grass-cheese' to describe the small quantity of solids
 that can be removed from the liquor. Grass-cheese is high in desirable feed
 properties and very low in fiber. The clear liquid contains appreciable amounts
 of minerals, which could be returned to the land as a fertilizer.

 Chemical Changes in Press-cake

 Chemical changes indicating nutrition values in forage materials that have
 been mechanically dewatered may best be illustrated by Tables 6 and 7. The data
 are for four of the most commonly used and recommended pasture grasses of the
 Everglades: St. Augustine, Pangola, Carib and Para, all growing under the same
 environmental and cultural conditions.