Are brightly coloured moulds in silage dangerous?
Not necessarily. It is the mycotoxins sometimes produced by a range of coloured moulds which can cause problems, including the white to grey coloured moulds, but many mouldy silages (and hays) are eaten by stock with no noticeable animal health effects. However, intakes may be depressed and sometimes the consumed mould may have produced products which may cause problems. The safest management option is to avoid feeding mouldy silage to any stock at all; and at the very least not pregnant animals and never to sheep or horses.
