Trials were conducted in Madera County to test the effect of covering and sealing bunker silos filled with either corn or oat silages. Lower temperatures within the silage mass and a considerable increase in preserved silage resulted from covering and sealing the silos with 6 mil black polyethylene.

Steven Berry, Staff Research Associate, U.C. Davis, compiled and plotted the silage temperature data. Robert A. Parsons, Extension Agricultural Engineer, U.C. Davis, installed the thermocouples used in monitoring silage temperatures.