Research - DoubleAction Technology
DoubleAction Technology
It is well known that there are a few inoculants that give animal performance benefits but independent trials have shown that most are not particularly effective at improving the aerobic stability of the silage. Chemicals are a robust option for this but will not give the same animal performance benefits.
It was this fact that prompted our research into producing acid⁄inoculant hybrid additives and the development of DOUBLEACTION Technology. The result is a range of additives that provide the full fermentation and animal performance benefits of MTD⁄1, plus reduced aerobic spoilage from potassium sorbate.
Why sorbate?
For years propionic acid has been used in agriculture as an anti-fungal agent but, while it is known to be effective, it is unpleasant and hazardous to handle and high application rates are required to make up for the high volatile losses, making it expensive to use. The straight acid is also corrosive to machinery. Buffering reduces some of these problems but it is still very expensive.
We were keen to find a safe but effective alternative and chose to examine acid-based preservatives commonly used in the food industry such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate.
Sorbate was considered the more suitable for the following reasons:
- potassium sorbate is the most widely used food preservative in the world and is effective at a much lower concentration than propionic acid and its salts.
- potassium sorbate has better anti-fungal properties than sodium benzoate.
- potassium sorbate is effective at lower concentrations than sodium benzoate.
- potassium sorbate is an approved ruminant feed additive.
The anti-fungal activity of sorbate increases as the pH falls so a rapid MTD⁄1 fermentation is beneficial.
Why is DoubleAction Technology different?
Normally potassium sorbate kills moulds, yeast and bacteria (see the red line in the graph below). ECOSYL Products scientists had to solve this problem before they could develop the bacteria and acid products. To do this they developed novel Double Action technology. All products contain bacteria and potassium sorbate in direct contact.
This development has enabled all the Double Action products to have a minimum two year shelf life (see the green line in the graph below.
The Double Action range includes:
- Double Action ECOSYL – for High Dry Matter grass silage
- Double Action ECOBALE - for big bale silage
- Double Action ECOCORN – for wholecrop and maize silage