AIV fodder
Encyclopedia
AIV Fodder is a kind of silage
. The AIV liquid is added to the green fodder
to improve the storage. This is especially important during long winters. The process includes adding a dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid
to newly stored grain
. Increased acidity stops harmful fermentation
and has no adverse effect on the nutritive value of the fodder or the animals it is fed to.
A Finnish
researcher of chemistry and agriculture Artturi Virtanen invented the method and named it after his initials (Artturi Ilmari Virtanen). First commercial AIV fodder products were introduced in 1929 and the method was patented in 1932. In 1945 Virtanen became a Nobel Prize
laureate in chemistry "for his research and inventions in agricultural and nutrition chemistry, especially for his fodder preservation method" (AIV Fodder).
Modern version of the AIV liquid consist of 76% formic acid
, 5.5% ammonium formiate, and water
. The liquid is strongly acidic and eats the skin. Thus care is needed in the handling of the liquid.
In the early days the green fodder was dropped into a hole dug into the ground and the AIV liquid was poured on top of it. Today AIV fodder is created automatically by the harvesting machinery. During the process the liquid is added to the green fodder. 3000 kg of green fodder requires about 5 liters of AIV liquid. The ready AIV fodder may irritate skin but is not dangerous to the animals it is fed to or humans.
Silage
Silage is fermented, high-moisture fodder that can be fed to ruminants or used as a biofuel feedstock for anaerobic digesters. It is fermented and stored in a process called ensiling or silaging, and is usually made from grass crops, including corn , sorghum or other cereals, using the entire...
. The AIV liquid is added to the green fodder
Fodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...
to improve the storage. This is especially important during long winters. The process includes adding a dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
to newly stored grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
. Increased acidity stops harmful fermentation
Fermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
and has no adverse effect on the nutritive value of the fodder or the animals it is fed to.
A Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
researcher of chemistry and agriculture Artturi Virtanen invented the method and named it after his initials (Artturi Ilmari Virtanen). First commercial AIV fodder products were introduced in 1929 and the method was patented in 1932. In 1945 Virtanen became a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
laureate in chemistry "for his research and inventions in agricultural and nutrition chemistry, especially for his fodder preservation method" (AIV Fodder).
Modern version of the AIV liquid consist of 76% formic acid
Formic acid
Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid. Its chemical formula is HCOOH or HCO2H. It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in the venom of bee and ant stings. In fact, its name comes from the Latin word for ant, formica, referring to its early...
, 5.5% ammonium formiate, and water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
. The liquid is strongly acidic and eats the skin. Thus care is needed in the handling of the liquid.
In the early days the green fodder was dropped into a hole dug into the ground and the AIV liquid was poured on top of it. Today AIV fodder is created automatically by the harvesting machinery. During the process the liquid is added to the green fodder. 3000 kg of green fodder requires about 5 liters of AIV liquid. The ready AIV fodder may irritate skin but is not dangerous to the animals it is fed to or humans.