A Machine Learning-Based Assessment of Maize Silage Dry Matter Losses by Net-Bags Buried in Farm Bunker Silos

Severino Segato, Giorgio Marchesini, Luisa Magrin, Barbara Contiero, Igino Andrighetto and Lorenzo Serva
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Severino Segato: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Giorgio Marchesini: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Luisa Magrin: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Barbara Contiero: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Igino Andrighetto: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Lorenzo Serva: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-10

Abstract: Estimating the dry matter losses (DML) of whole-plant maize (WPM) silage is a priority for sustainable dairy and beef farming. The study aimed to assess this loss of nutrients by using net-bags ( n = 36) filled with freshly chopped WPM forage and buried in bunker silos of 12 Italian dairy farms for an ensiling period of 275 days on average. The proximate composition of harvested WPM was submitted to mixed and polynomial regression models and a machine learning classification tree to estimate its ability to predict the WPM silage losses. Dry matter (DM), silage density, and porosity were also assessed. The WPM harvested at over 345 (g kg −1 ) and a DM density of less than 180 (kg of DM m −3 ) was related to DML values of over 7%. According to the results of the classification tree algorithm, the WPM harvested (g kg −1 DM) at aNDF higher than 373 and water-soluble carbohydrates lower than 104 preserves for the DML of maize silage. It is likely that the combination of these chemical variables determines the optimal maturity stage of WPM at harvest, allowing a biomass density and a fermentative pattern that limits the DML, especially during the ensiling period.

Keywords: maize silage; porosity; density; dry matter loss; bunker silo; machine learning; classification tree analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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