Why does silage not rot, decompose or otherwise spoil in a silo?

Question

Why does silage not rot, decompose or otherwise spoil in a silo?

Answer 1

The absence of air prevents the decomposing organisms such as bacteria from growing in silos.

Answer 2

The process of silage making is based on the fermentation of plant sugars by lactic acid producing bacteria under anaerobic conditions. As the fermenting continues the pH of the silage drops (acidity increases) until it reaches a pH of 4, where all decomposition of the plant materials stops.  As long as air is kept from the silage it i preserved indefinitely.

The same process of silage making is that employed in pickling of food stuffs.

Answer 3

This is what I can find on it...

http://www.uvm.edu/pss/vtcrops/articles/...

Hope it helps..

Answer 4

It ferments like kimchi. The soup that runs out the bottom of the silo can be some pretty high test stuff. I've seen some drunken pigs when they get into the mash. Its pretty funny but can be bad for the animals if they have too much. We always piled it. Nothing would grow where you piled the silage for a couple years.

Answer 5

Lack of oxygen dumb ***. harvestore and other fiberglass silos are called oxygen limiting silos. When you can food in a jar you are sealing out oxygen that is why it doesn't spoil same deal for vacuum sealing