Air under silage sheet

[tr250]

We put the silage sheet on last night and I think we’ve been getting better at sealing it with side sheets double sheet and covers with gravel bags etc but we have sealed it so we’ll that today it’s blown up and was at the point where it was in danger of moving the bags or popping do other people get this and do you let the any air out it was put on late last night in the cool and it’s got very hot today

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

We put the silage sheet on last night and I think we’ve been getting better at sealing it with side sheets double sheet and covers with gravel bags etc but we have sealed it so we’ll that today it’s blown up and was at the point where it was in danger of moving the bags or popping do other people get this and do you let the any air out it was put on late last night in the cool and it’s got very hot today

Isn't it Nitrous Oxide that will be emitted at this stage?

 

[Fergieman]

Someone posted pictures on here last year of an orange gas coming off the silage pit. Maybe yours is so well sealed it can't get out.

 

[Courier]

It’ll pull itself down soon enough.
All you will do by disturbing it will be to let fresh oxygen in …sounds as though you need many more gravel bags/tyres on . Shouldn’t be more that 2ft gap apart IMHO.
We used to put continuous rows of touching tyres on at 4’ centres.

 

[davidroberts30]

Its carbon dioxide!

 

[ploughman1963]

I get very disappointed if ours doesnt blow up like that as it shows we havent sealed it well enough IMO. Weve never adjusted the sheet afterwards and certainly wouldnt attempt to mess about with it whilst blown up.

 

[tr250]

It’ll pull itself down soon enough.
All you will do by disturbing it will be to let fresh oxygen in …sounds as though you need many more gravel bags/tyres on . Shouldn’t be more that 2ft gap apart IMHO.
We used to put continuous rows of touching tyres on at 4’ centres.

We have a double row round the outside of the pit which is keeping a very good seal but only a row on the cover joins and a scattering of tyres. This system is a bit new to us as we have used normal sheet and bales on our indoor pit and citrus pulp on the outdoor pits but last year couldn’t get the citrus because of covid the factory was shut. We did it the same last year but I don’t think we had as good seal although the silage was very good

 

[Chae1]

I'd stay away from it. Can't imagine the gas is very safe.

 

[som farmer]

that orange gas/colouring, is usually the sign of a good fermentation. We use a clear film sheet, under the top sheet, and net, plus lots of tyres.

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

I'd stay away from it. Can't imagine the gas is very safe.

I beg everyones pardon, nitrous oxide is laughing gas, Nitric Oxide is the brown/orange gas


Silage expert Dave Davies from Silage Solutions says it is not uncommon to see nitrogen dioxide, but it is an issue usually seen in first-cut silage.

He said weather patterns going from one extreme to another means nitrogen is not being used efficiently and can result in excess nitrate in a plant. He explains what causes it, how to prevent it and the risk it poses.

Nitrogen dioxide is extremely dangerous and can kill animals and humans. It is produced from free nitrates (non-protein nitrogen in the crop) and is generally residual fertiliser nitrate.

It is more likely to happen when silage is made well but where you have residual nitrogen in the crop.

Once in the clamp, nitrates react with organic acids and turn into nitrous acid. As the temperature increases, during fermentation, nitrous acid is converted to nitrogen dioxide, which is a brown gas.

Why is it so dangerous?
When nitrogen dioxide, also known as silo gas, reacts with water it produces nitric acid with a pH of 1. If inhaled, it reacts with the water in the lungs and produces nitric acid.

Inhalation can lead to severe irritation, inflammation, and burns to the nose, throat, and lungs. A person can collapse and die within minutes of inhaling silo gas.

Nitrogen dioxide can also be clear in colour and is heavier than oxygen, so it can displace oxygen, making it particularly dangerous as a person will have little warning before they are overcome.

A tell-tale sign nitrogen dioxide is an issue is when the silage appears bleached.

If you see any bleached silage within the first couple of weeks of it being in the clamp do not touch it as it will burn. After this time, it should be fine.

here is the video.

 

[Al R]

Anyone ever done Ag bags? They are that well sealed that they puff up regardless of how many tyres are on the wedge. there is an air inlet on them that has to be left open for a few weeks to let the gas out, you can physically feel the gas coming out for quite a while and it’s got 1 hell of a stink to it, it certainly burns the nostrils!