J Dairy Sci. 2026 Sep 17:S0022-0302(26)03281-9. doi: 10.3168/jds.2026-28972. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Silage remains a fundamental component of ruminant nutrition globally. Although substantial advances have been made in silage fermentation, preservation, and nutritive value over recent decades, future developments are expected to further transform silage production, storage, and feeding systems. This review highlights emerging innovations likely to shape silage systems by 2050, with emphasis on precision technologies, alternative forage resources, novel additives, and sustainable management practices. Expanding the use of tropical grasses and legumes, cool-season forages, agro-industrial byproducts, and other non-conventional silage crops will require forage/byproduct -specific ensiling guidelines and targeted additive application types and strategies to improve fermentation, aerobic stability, protein preservation, and food safety. Precision monitoring tools, including hand-held, satellite and drone-mounted near-infrared and hyperspectral sensors will provide early warnings about pests and diseases, toxins etc. In the field, real-time assessment of the best time to harvest, forage yield, moisture, and nutritive value information will be generated to optimize harvest and storage decisions. Future storage systems incorporating vacuum-assisted compaction to optimize packing density, wireless sensor networks, and thermal imaging will enable continuous monitoring of silo conditions, microbial dynamics, antinutrients, toxins, and spoilage risk. Novel inoculants, enzymes, bacteriocins, tannins, and other biologically derived additives will further improve nutrient preservation and feed safety. In parallel, innovations in silage-based feeding systems, precision nutritional characterization, and automated feeding management are expected to improve feed efficiency, animal performance, and health, as well as to ensure food safety. Achieving these goals will require interdisciplinary collaboration among agronomists, microbiologists, animal scientists, engineers, and data scientists to develop scalable, resilient, and sustainable silage technologies for future livestock production systems.
PMID:42754027 | DOI:10.3168/jds.2026-28972