A big benefit to using silostop bale wrap is the reduced yeast and mold count, and the benefits are more dramatic on forage stored for an extended period. So I tested bales that had been wrapped for 150 days to see the difference in spore numbers.
Yeast and molds grow in the presence of oxygen, so reducing oxygen in the bale significantly decreased forage infected. Molds and yeasts have multiple negative effects beyond just reducing overall feed quality, such as abortions, digestive upsets, reduced feeds intakes, and decreased animal performance. Molds produce mycotoxins which have similar effects on livestock. Increased production of fungal spores leads to respiratory distress including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. By not having oxygen present in the bale also considerably reduces the risk of listeria that is also very harmful to sheep, lambs, and cattle.
The mold counts in the white wrapped balage was 10,000 cfu/gm and the mold counts in the silostop bales were less than 1,000 cfu/gm.