AIV | Animal Nutrition

What is AIV?

AIV silage additives were pioneered by Nobel laureate Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (hence AIV) to restrict silage fermentation. The AIV product line offers a versatile solution for all on-farm ensiling needs, including grass, legumes, high-moisture grains and corn, corn cobs, whole crop grains, and maize silage. It also stabilizes total mixed ration (TMR) and direct-cut fresh forage.

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Reliable performance

AIV efficiently drops pH and restricts fermentation during ensiling. This preserves sugars and reduces protein breakdown. Controlling harmful microbes improves aerobic stability of silage. AIV products are reliable in challenging conditions and with various crops.

Profitable farming

AIV silage provides rumen microbes plenty of energy and protein. This maximizes conversion of fibrous matter into milk and meat. Restricting silage fermentation maximizes cattle feed intake, increasing milk yield, milk fat and protein content. The result is minimal loss and more profitability.

Easy to use

AIV products are buffered, ready-to-use liquids for convenient application. A distinctive brown caramel color is incorporated into AIV for easy consumption monitoring and enhanced user safety.

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Forage silages

Leafy grass and forage legumes are highly nutritious for ruminants but challenging to ensile in moist conditions. AIV was developed to provide year-round access to these valuable feeds without compromising their quality for cattle.

AIV immediately lowers pH, a crucial step in successful ensiling. This inhibits harmful microbes, protein breakdown and clostridial fermentation. By restricting fermentation, AIV preserves forage sugars. These serve as energy for rumen microorganisms. This leads to higher feed intake, which increases milk yield and enhances milk protein and fat content.

To minimize losses from field to feed bunk, it’s essential to prevent silage heating during feed-out. AIV combats yeasts during ensiling, improving aerobic stability of the silage. The diverse effects of AIV protect silage nutrients both during the anaerobic ensiling phase and the feed-out phase.

A butterfly lands on a sprig of clover in a field.

Crimped grains, corn and pulses

In many areas where natural drying is inefficient, ensiling moist grains is a cost-effective option. Grains are crimped and treated with additives before being compacted into airtight silos. This method can also be applied to corn, peas and beans. It allows for earlier harvesting, reduced weather-related risks, minimal field losses and lower risk of field-borne mycotoxins. The nutritional value of crimped grain is at least as good as dried grain, with some studies showing even better cattle growth results.

The AIV portfolio includes multipurpose products that are well-suited for crimping all grains, pulses and corn. The combination of several organic acids offers synergism and improved efficacy against bacteria, yeasts and molds. The effective pH drop achieved by formic acid helps protect protein and prevents heating during the early stages of ensiling. The combination of formic acid with propionic acid and potassium sorbate ensures good aerobic stability during feed-out.

Whole-crop silages

Maize silage is a common whole crop silage, but small grains, legumes and species mixtures can also be harvested as whole crop and ensiled airtight. The challenges related to ensiling vary significantly depending on the plant species, maturity and dry-matter content. The versatile AIV portfolio addresses these challenges by preventing protein breakdown, clostridial or excessive fermentation, and aerobic spoilage and heating during feed-out.

Reducing losses during ensiling and feed-out improves sustainability and farm economics. Additionally, AIV-treated silage with excellent fermentation quality promotes high feed intake and optimal animal performance.

Total mixed ration (TMR)

The AIV portfolio includes multipurpose products suitable for various on-farm applications. This allows farms storing only one or two silage additives to meet all ensiling and preservation needs. These multipurpose products can be used for crimped grains and whole crops, and they can stabilize TMR. AIV products that contain formic acid and propionic acid offer efficacy against all types of spoilage microbes, including bacteria, yeasts and molds. This broad efficacy is crucial for preventing TMR heating. It targets various spoilage microbes originating from different TMR components.

Monitor feed intake, refusals, feed smell, appearance and temperature daily. Any negative changes in these variables signal the need to start adding AIV or Eastman Stabilizer to the TMR. This prevents spoilage and maintains good feed intake and animal performance. The application level can be adjusted based on the observed effects.

Straw

Harvesting dry straw can be challenging due to variable weather. Commercial alternatives to on-farm straw are expensive, leading farmers to harvest in poor conditions. This results in moldy and dusty straw that poses health risks to animals and humans.

Ensiling moist straw is an option to prevent mold. Treating moist straw with AIV prevents harmful microbes and is most effective when combined with airtight ensiling for a couple of months. Slightly acidic ensiled straw is hygienic and dust free, making it a safe fiber supplement for feeding. Ensiling can be done in wrapped, round bales or clamp silos. When using clamp silos, proper compaction is necessary. Typically, AIV-treated grass is added on top of the silo to ensure better compaction. The grass silage can be fed to cattle, while the straw beneath can be used separately.

Certain statements may not be applicable in all geographical regions. Product labeling and associated claims may differ based on government requirements.

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