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Whole-crop field bean (FB), field pea (FP) and common vetch (CV) [155, 213 and 238 g dry matter (DM) kg−1] were ensiled in 1·5 L laboratory silos with whole-crop wheat as mixtures of 0, 0·25, 0·50, 0·75 and 1·00 of fresh weight (FW). Silages were ensiled (i) without additive, and (ii) with formic acid (FA) (4 L t−1) or (iii) an inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum, 106 colony-forming units g−1 FW) as additives. The concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrates in herbage of whole-crop FB, FP, CV and wheat were 93, 157, 67 and 114 g kg−1 DM and the buffering capacities were 588, 710, 755 and 429 mEq kg−1 DM respectively. Field bean and FP silages were mainly well preserved with low pH values and moderate fermentation losses, except for FB-only silage without additive which had a high butyric acid concentration. Common vetch silages had higher pH values and were less well fermented compared to the silages of the other legumes. For all legumes, FA reduced ammonia-N concentrations more effectively compared to other additive treatments. In conclusion, in FB and FP silages the use of FA or an inoculant, as additives, ensured good preservation up to a proportion of legume in the herbage of 0·75. With all legume silages, and with those containing CV, only FA, as an additive, adequately restricted protein breakdown.