Volatile fatty acids in laboratory and field silage

The results of work conducted on the formation of volatile fatty acids in laboratory slurries of minced crop and water mixtures is presented. The absence of formic acid in such slurries has been noted. The occurrence of acids higher than C 6 , under varying conditions of temperature, aeration or anaerobiosis, has not been demonstrated. Straight‐chain volatile acids from C 1 to C 8 have been shown to occur in field silage but only occasionally has the presence of branched‐chain acids been noted. The principal volatile acid present is acetic acid.