|
Wisconsin | Listeria is not produced by mold. It is a common bacteria. It is found in soil, but the soil in the silage isn't the main problem, because the listeria won't grow especially fast in dirt, it needs food, so it will be growing in the rich silage that is rotting next to the dirt. If you had a hard packed, or freshly excavated clay and filled that with silage, you could probably have plenty of dirt in the silage and not have a problem, it's the area where the silage is exposed to enough air to rot enough that the listeria can grow. Usually near the top where the silage is sitting against the dirt.
This is assuming the silage is mostly good throughout, a little mold won't hurt cattle, it would have to be somewhat gross for listeria to be a problem, is my understanding. I'm used to dairy silage though, and mostly in upright silos, so I might be out of touch with beef. I have read that dirt mixed into the silage at harvest is a risk for listeria. Cats are even worse, botulism! | |
|
Listeria
