Wayne Sanders (MSc student)
Wayne Sanders achieved his BSc Agric Animal Sciences from the University of Pretoria. His passion for animals has guided him to further pursue a Masters in Pasture Science. An animal’s health is continuing concern; however, top-quality feeds yield superior performances.
Silage is the material produced by the sequential fermentation of a crop of high moisture content in anaerobic conditions. Silage is advantageous to haymaking as a crop conservation technique due to its independence of weather conditions and stage of maturity before forage material can be harvested. Analysis of specific silage fermentation characteristics such as pH and ammonia help us to understand the mechanism that may take place under certain environmental conditions and how we can improve our preservation efficiency. Microorganisms are an extremely vital part of the ensiling process having a major influence in multiple phases on the final fodder product quality, subsequently mycotoxins test will determine any potential by-product risks. Vacuum sealing small samples of a variety of grass and legume species will help determine which species retain the most nutritional value and will highlight the importance of achieving a high air-tight silo.