Re‐ensiling and inoculant application with Lactobacillus plantarum and Propionibacterium acidipropionici on sorghum silages

Re‐ensiling of previously ensiled forage has been a common practice in Brazil, and the use of inoculants may provide a means of reducing dry‐matter (DM) loss. This study aimed to determine the effect of re‐ensiling and the use of microbial inoculants on the quality of sorghum silage. Treatments were presence/absence of an inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum and Propionibacterium acidipropionici) in the silage, and the re‐ensiling, or not, of the material after 24 h of exposure to air, and these were tested in a factorial 2 × 2 design. Losses due to gas, effluent and total DM were assessed, as were the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition, aerobic stability, and aerobic counts of microorganisms. Effluent loss was higher in re‐ensiled silage, and these silages had lower lactic acid content and higher levels of acetic and propionic acids. The in vitro DM digestibility was lower in the re‐ensiled sorghum silages. The re‐ensiled silage had higher aerobic stability. The inoculant only increased the acetic acid content of the silage. The re‐ensiling of sorghum silage increased effluent loss by 71·2%, and reduced DM digestibility by 5·35%. The use of inoculant did not influence the quality of sorghum silage.     

Efficacy of adding chemical and microbial additives to silage on beef cattle performance: Systematic review and meta-analysis

The effects of different additives on farm-scale silage quality and beef cattle performance are inconsistent. This study aimed to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of chemical and microbial additives to silage on beef cattle performance. Systematic searches were performed using databases and scientific journals, and 42 articles were selected. Data for all variables were grouped into subgroups according to the additive type. For dry matter intake and average daily gain, the data were also grouped by forage type due to greater comparison numbers. The treatment mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (p < 0.05) were analysed using a random-effects model. The use of homo- and heterofermentative microbial inoculant mixtures and chemical additives (Ch) increased the average daily gain of beef cattle fed maize/sorghum silage. Homofermentative microbial inoculant (Ho), Ch, and a mixture of microbial inoculant and chemical additives also increased the average daily gain of beef cattle fed temperate grasses. Only Ch increased dry matter intake. Ch increased feed efficiency, and Ch and Ho increased carcass weight. The evaluated additives improved the silage fermentation process mainly via pH and ammonia nitrogen reduction. Overall, this meta-analysis demonstrated that silage additives improved the ensiling process and beef cattle performance, with better results with Ch use. Due to the aerobic stability and microbiological profile analyses being carried out more in laboratory-scale silos, more studies are needed to determine these silage parameters after opening the silo at the farm scale.     

Effects of applying a bacterial inoculant to silage immediately before feeding on silage intake, digestibility, degradability and rumen volatile fatty acid concentrations in growing beef cattle

In an experiment, involving twelve male cattle (initially 235 kg live weight), the effects of applying lactic acid bacteria [Lactobacillus plantarum; 10⁹ colony-forming units (g fresh silage)^?1] to grass silage, immediately prior to that silage being fed, on dry-matter (DM) intake of the silage, degradability of nitrogen (N) and fibre in the rumen, total tract digestibility and composition of rumen fluid in the animals were examined. A grass silage, which had been made from the primary growth of a predominantly perennial ryegrass sward, was offered as the sole diet. The inoculant was applied to the silage at the rate of 2 g of freeze-dried powder reconstituted in 12 ml of water (kg fresh silage)^?1 immediately prior to that silage being fed and an equivalent amount of water was applied to the silage in the control treatment. The two diets were compared in a change-over design. The silage was well preserved, having a pH and concentrations of ammonia N and butyrate of 3.72, 74 g (kg total N)^?1 and 0.11 g (kg DM)^?1 respectively. Application of the inoculant significantly increased true protein, acid-insoluble N and water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations (P < 0.001) in the diet. Silage DM intake was not significantly increased (P= 0.072) by this of inoculant treatment, which had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on rumen degradability or total tract digestibility of DM, N, neutral detergent fibre or modified acid detergent fibre. Rumen pH, ammonia concentration or the molar proportions of volatile fatty acids were not altered (P>0.05) by inoculant treatment. It is concluded that application of the inoculant to the silage prior to silage being fed did not significantly affect silage DM intake, total tract digestibility, or degradability or fermentation in the rumen of cattle offered grass silage as the sole diet. It is also concluded that the results of this experiment provide no evidence that the mode of action of L plantarum, applied as an additive to grass at ensiling in previous studies, is through ‘direct’ effects in the rumen.     

The effect of heat-treatment and gamma radiation on the composition of unwilted and wilted lucerne silages

Three unwilted and three wilted silages were prepared from lucerne. Unwilted and wilted material was ensiled either without treatment (UWC and WC), after gamma irradiation (UWI and WI), or following heat-treatment and inoculation with Lactobacillus plantarum (UWH and WH). Gamma radiation was from a cobalt 60 source. The UWH material was heat-treated using steam, and WH material was treated with dry heat. At ensiling, irradiated material was considered to be sterile, and heat-treated material had lost 80% of its original protease activity. Fifteen 1-litre silos were prepared for each treatment (90 in total), and three from each treatment were opened after 1, 4, 14, 70 or 200 d ensiling. In irradiated silages, there was no accumulation of organic acids, but water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration was almost double (116 g kg^-1dry matter) that at ensiling. This indicated extensive liberation of WSC from more complex carbohydrates during ensiling. The extent of silage fermentation in heated silages was similar to control silages. The WH silage had a higher proportion of the organic acids as lactic acid relative to the other treatments, possibly as a result of inoculation with L. plantarum. Proteolysis was unaffected by irradiation. However, heat-treatment markedly reduced the extent of proteolysis, particularly in the first four days post-ensiling. Deamination appeared to be related to the type of microbial fermentation rather than to the extent of proteolysis.     

Effect of chitosan on the preservation quality of sugarcane silage

We aimed to evaluate the effects of chitosan and microbial inoculant addition to sugarcane silage fermentation, gas and effluent losses, chemical composition, in situ dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) degradation and aerobic stability. A completely randomized design with four treatments (n = 40) was performed. It was arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme with chitosan [0 and 6 g/kg of sugarcane DM—1.66 g/kg of natural matter (NM)] and microbial inoculant (0 and 8 mg/kg on NM). Each g of inoculant contained 3.9 × 10¹⁰ UFC/g of Pediococcus acidilactici and 3.75 × 10¹⁰ UFC/g of Propionibacterium acidicipropionici. The addition of microbial inoculant increased lactic acid concentration in silos treated with chitosan. Furthermore, chitosan increased pH and tended to increase acetic acid of silage. In contrast, the inoculant decreased pH and acetic acid, besides increasing ethanol concentration. As chitosan addition increased DM recovery, inoculant addition decreased it. Chitosan decreased NDF and acid detergent fibre (ADF) level and increased DM degradation, while inoculant decreased DM content, DM and NDF degradation. In addition, chitosan improved the aerobic stability only in non‐inoculated silos. Thus, chitosan has a positive effect on silage fermentation, reducing fermentative losses, and improving silage chemical composition and degradation. Conversely, the addition of microbial inoculant negatively affected silage DM recovery, chemical composition, and its association with chitosan decreased the aerobic stability when compared to the exclusive use of chitosan.     

A meta‐analysis examining lactic acid bacteria inoculants for maize silage: Effects on fermentation,aerobic stability,nutritive value and livestock production

A database containing 140 articles published in journals (731 treatment means evaluated) was used to examine the effect of different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on fermentation, chemical composition and aerobic stability of maize (corn) silage. Compared with the control, dry matter (DM) loss increased by 8% and 50% (p < .01) due to inoculation of maize silage with either homolactic LAB (^hoLAB) or heterolactic LAB (^heLAB). In vitro DM digestibility of maize silage increased only with ^hoLAB inoculation (+2.22%; p < .01). The ^heLAB inoculation increased (p < .01) the aerobic stability of maize silage by 71.3 hr. To investigate the effect of silage inoculation on livestock production, a second database comprising 35 articles [99 treatment means evaluated based on results from 648 cattle (429 beef cattle and 219 dairy cows) and 298 sheep] was used. Inoculation of maize silage with either ^hoLAB or ^heLAB did not affect milk yield (p > .05), but their combination (^mixLAB) depressed milk yield (–2.5 kg/day; p < .01). Inoculation with ^hoLAB increased DM intake in sheep (+0.15 kg/day; p = .02), but decreased it in beef cattle (–0.26 kg/day; p = .01) without affecting average daily gain for both sheep and beef cattle (p ≥ .06). In conclusion, fermentative loss increased regardless of the bacterial inoculant used, while aerobic stability increased mainly by using ^heLAB. Benefits from ^hoLAB inoculation on animal performance were noted only for feed intake in sheep, while productive performances of dairy cows and beef cattle were not improved.     

An evaluation of effluent from grass silage as a feed for beef cattle offered silage-based diets

Four experiments were carried out to evaluate effluent from grass silage as a feed for beef cattle. Castrated male cattle (steers) with mean initial live weights of 380,460 and 400 kg in Experiments 1–3 were offered effluent, in addition to a diet of grass silage given ad libitum and supplemented with cereal-based concentrates. The cattle readily consumed effluent in preference to fresh water, the mean intake over the three experiments being 12·71 per head daily containing 0·77 kg dry matter (DM). Supplementation with effluent did not affect silage DM intake and increased total DM intake by 10%. Digestible energy concentrations of 13·1 and 16·6 MJ kg-^-1 DM and organic matter, respectively, were determined for effluent in Experiment 4. There were no problems of ill health in any of the 69 cattle which were offered effluent. It is concluded that fresh or well-preserved stored effluent from grass silage is readily consumed by beef cattle, is of high nutritive value and could enable savings to be made in total feed costs.     

Effect of commercial inoculant and formic acid± formalin silage additives on silage fermentation and intake and on liveweight change of young cattle

Data from six experiments conducted at two Agricultural Development and Advisory Service Experimental Husbandry Farms during 1980–83 were used to compare low dry matter (DM, 160 g kg^-1), low water soluble carbohydrate (WSC, 15 g kg^-1), non-additive treated silage with silage treated with commercial inoculants or formic acid with or without added formalin (formic acid ± formalin). Formic acid ± formalin significantly decreased silage pH and ammonia-N and significantly increased silage residual WSC compared with inoculant or untreated silage. Formic acid ± formalin significantly increased oven DM and significantly reduced DM loss during ensiling compared with untreated silage. Formic acid ± formalin treatment significantly increased both silage DM and total DM intake compared with untreated silage. Daily liveweight gains of cattle offered formic acid ± formalin were significantly higher than those given inoculant or untreated silage.
It is suggested from the results that formic acid ± formalin additives can be used successfully to prevent a clostridial fermentation developing when crops contain 15 g WSC kg^-1.     

Fermentation characteristics and aerobic stability of grass silage inoculated with Lactobacillus buchneri, with or without homofermentative lactic acid bacteria

Aerobic spoilage by yeasts and moulds is a major cause of reduced nutritional value of silage and increases the risk of potential pathogenic microorganisms. Recent studies have shown that inoculation with Lactobacillus buchneri inhibits yeast growth and reduces the susceptibility to aerobic spoilage of various ensiled forages. The aim of this study was to determine whether these effects are retained when L. buchneri is added in combination with homofermentative lactic acid bacteria. In three experiments, silages were produced from perennial ryegrass [240–421 g kg⁻¹ dry matter (DM)] inoculated with L. buchneri or L. buchneri plus a mixture of Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus plantarum (inoculant PL). Uninoculated silage and silage inoculated with PL alone served as controls. Silages were examined for pH and DM loss in the course of ensilage and chemical and microbiological composition and aerobic stability after 3–4 months. L. buchneri plus PL and PL alone increased the initial rate of pH decline. L. buchneri alone and L. buchneri plus PL enhanced aerobic stability and, in general, reduced yeast and mould counts. In addition, these inoculants increased the final pH and DM loss and the concentrations of acetic acid and 1,2-propanediol (or propionic acid and 1-propanol instead of 1,2-propanediol), and decreased the concentration of lactic acid. The effects of L. buchneri on fermentation products increased with decreasing DM content. In silages of less than 270 g kg⁻¹ DM, L. buchneri increased the ammonia-N concentration. It is suggested that this was associated with the relatively high final pH resulting from the high metabolic activity of L. buchneri in these silages.     

The effect upon fermentation and nutritive value of silages produced after treatment by three different inoculants of lactic acid bacteria applied alone or in combination

Silages were made from the first cut of a predominantly perennial ryegrass sward. The silages were either untreated (W) or treated with formic acid (31 t⁻¹, F) or with 10⁶ lactic acid bacteria (LAB) g⁻¹ grass of each of three strains alone (A. Lactobacillus plantarum MTD1; B, Pediococcus species 6A2; C, L. plantarum 6A6) or in combination (AB. AC) to give seven treatments. The silage fermentation in 10-kg silos was followed chemically and microbiologically and the nutritive value of selected treatments evaluated using 2-t silos.
The control silage (W) fermented well. Addition of formic acid restricted fermentation and produced a silage with a high ethanol concentration. After day 4, all inoculated silages had lower pH values and higher lactic acid concentrations and a higher ratio of lactic acid to acetic acid than the control silage. Chemically there was little difference between the inoculated silages in terms of final composition. Microbiologically the LAB applied in treatments B and C dominated the LAB populations in those silages when applied alone; however, they were suppressed when applied in combination with inoculant A.
When fed to sheep, the intake of the formic acid-treated silage was significantly ( P < 0·01) lower than that of the other silages and the intake of silage treated with inoculant A significantly ( P < 0·001) higher than that of silages treated with inoculants B and C. The apparent organic matter ( P < 0·001) and nitrogen ( P < 0·01) digestibilities of the formic acid-treated silage were also significantly lower than those of the other silages.     

A note on ensiling safflower forage

Abstract The ensiling characteristics of safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius ) wilted to 290 and 411 g dry matter (DM) kg⁻¹ fresh material were studied in 1·5 l glass jars. The experiment included a control and the application of Lactobacillus plantarum at 3·3 × 10⁵ colony-forming units (cfu) per g of crop. After 60 days of ensiling, the pH of safflower silages was 4·6 and 4·0 in the control and inoculated silages respectively, with corresponding values for lactic acid, the major fermentation product, of 20 and 45 g kg⁻¹ DM. The silages from the anaerobic jars were stable upon aerobic exposure. It is concluded the safflower silage has potential as an alternative fodder in semiarid regions.     

The digestion of grass silages produced using inoculants of lactic acid bacteria

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of two inoculants of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on grass silages. The evaluation was made in terms of silage composition, rumen fermentation, digestion and animal production. Over a 2-year period two lots of silage were prepared in two 100-tonne capacity clamps. In each case an untreated silage and an inoculant-treated silage were prepared simultaneously from an identical herbage source using independent sets of silage-making equipment. The inoculant used in the first year was Pioneer Brand 1188 (Pioneer Hi-Bred UK), and in the second year a slightly different inoculant from the same source (Pioneer Hi-Bred) was used. The two inoculants were essentially similar in composition, comprising a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum and Streptococcus faecalis ; the strains included in the second inoculant were selected for their capacity to tolerate higher temperatures. The fermentation of the inoculant-treated silages appeared to be dominated by homofermentative LAB compared with the untreated silages. The use of either inoculant was associated with a change in the rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) pattern, with a significantly greater molar proportion of propionate and a corresponding reduction in both acetate and butyrate. There was a trend indicating an enhanced efficiency of microbial protein synthesis within the rumen of the heifers for the inoculant-treated silages, although this was only significant when concentrate was offered with the silage in one experiment. The inoculant-treated silages had significantly greater intake characteristics than did the untreated silages, though this was not reflected in a statistically significant improvement in average daily liveweight gain in either year.     

The effect of harvest date and inoculation on the yield, fermentation characteristics and feeding value of forage pea and field bean silages

Two experiments describe the ensiling potential of whole‐crop forage peas (Pisum sativum) and field beans (Vicia faba). In Experiment 1, forage peas (cv. Magnus) and field beans (cv. Mayo) were harvested at 10, 12 and 14 weeks after sowing, and ensiled in 10 kg mini‐silos either untreated or treated with an inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum). In terms of yield and ensiling potential, the optimum growth stage for harvesting forage peas occurred at 12 weeks of growth. In contrast, delaying the harvest of field beans until 14 weeks gave the highest yields of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP). Changes in crop maturity had little effect on the chemical composition of the fresh forages, but between‐harvest date differences were observed in the DM, ammonia‐N, CP, water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSC), acid‐detergent fibre (ADF), neutral‐detergent fibre (NDF), lactic acid and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations and pH of the corresponding silages. Fermentation was improved by applying an inoculant. In Experiment 2, forage peas and field beans were harvested at 14 weeks after sowing and ensiled as round‐bale silage, either untreated or treated with an inoculant. The yields of the crops were similar, and the only difference in the chemical composition of the wilted forages was a higher CP concentration in the field beans. However, after the ensiling process was complete, the forage pea silages were found to have significantly higher DM, WSC, starch and butyric acid concentrations compared with the field bean silages, and lower ammonia‐N, CP, ADF, acetic acid and lactic acid concentrations. Inoculation was found to increase the lactic acid concentration and reduce the pH and ammonia‐N and acetic acid concentrations of the silages. Each of the silages produced in Experiment 2 was offered to six Suffolk crossbred wether lambs, aged 10 months. Voluntary DM intakes were similar on all treatments, despite the apparent digestibility of the forage pea silages being significantly higher than that of the field bean silages. Nitrogen retention was higher for lambs offered forage pea silage. Application of an inoculant was found to have a negative effect on the amount of N retained, indicating the necessity for more detailed investigations into proteolytic activity within these crops during the fermentation process.     

Determination of microbial protein in perennial ryegrass silage

The microbial matter fraction was determined in perennial ryegrass silages of different dry-matter (DM) contents, ensiled with or without Lactobacillus plantarum . ¹⁵N-Leucine and the bacterial cell wall constituent diaminopimelic acid (DAPA) were used as markers for microbial-N. Perennial ryegrass crops with DM contents of 202, 280 or 366 g kg⁻¹ fresh weight were ensiled in laboratory-scale silos and stored for 3 to 4 months. At different times after ensiling, silages were analysed and microbial fractions were isolated. Microbial-N concentration determined with ¹⁵N-leucine reached a maximum during the first week of ensilage. It remained unchanged thereafter, except in silage with a DM content of 280 g kg⁻¹ in which it decreased ( P  < 0·01) by 32% during storage. After 3 to 4 months ensilage, microbial-N concentration varied from ≈0·3 to ≈1·7 g kg⁻¹ DM. A negative relationship was observed between microbial-N concentration and silage DM content. Inoculation resulted in an approximately twofold increase ( P  < 0·001) in microbial-N concentration. Microbial-N concentrations determined with DAPA were 1·14–2·07 times higher than those determined with ¹⁵N-leucine. However, 19–35% of the DAPA in silage occurred in a soluble form, indicating that this fraction of DAPA was not associated with intact bacteria.     

The effects of lactic acid bacteria on the fermentation,aerobic stability and nutritive value of maize silage

Maize was harvested at one‐third milk line (297 g kg^?1 DM) stage. All inoculants were applied at 1 × 10⁶ cfu g^?1 of fresh forage. After treatment, the chopped forages were ensiled in 1·5‐L anaerobic jars. Three jars per treatment were sampled on days 2, 4, 7, 12 and 90 after ensiling, for chemical and microbiological analysis. Homofermentative LAB‐inoculated silages had lower pH and higher lactate:acetate ratio (except for Lactobacillus plantarum/Pediococcus cerevisiae and L. plantarum/Propionibacterium acidipropionici) than the control and both heterofermentative LAB‐inoculated silages. Both L. buchneri inhibited yeast growth and CO₂ production during exposure of silage to air. The L. plantarum/P. cerevisiae, L. plantarum (Ecosyl) and L. plantarum/Enterococcus faecium‐inoculated silages had higher dry‐matter digestibility than the control and L. buchneri‐inoculated silages. Inoculants did not affect digestibility of neutral detergent fibre, except for L. buchneri (Biotal), organic matter nor ME content of silages. The LAB silage inoculants generally had a positive effect on maize silage characteristics in terms of lower pH and shifting fermentation toward lactate with homofermentative LAB or toward acetate with L. buchneri. The use of L. buchneri can improve the aerobic stability of maize silages by the inhibition of yeast activity.     

The chemical composition and nutritive value of grass silages prepared with no additive or with the application of additives containing either Lactobacillus plantarum or formic acid

A mixture of perennial and hybrid ryegrasses(234 g DM kg^-1) was forage harvested and ensiled after a 24-h wilt in good ensiling conditions in 2-t capacity silos with no additive application (control) or with the application of either Lactobacillus plantarum , 4 × 10⁶ (g fresh weight of grass)^-1, or of 31 formic acid t^-1. Sufficient 2-kg capacity laboratory silos were also filled with grass to monitor the changes in chemical composition of the ensiled grass with time. In laboratory silos, inoculation with L. plantarum resulted in a more rapid fall in silage pH ( p < 0.001) and a more rapid production of lactic acid ( P < 0.001) than in the control silage. At the end of the storage period (laboratory silos, 80 d; 2-t silos, 200-300 d), the inoculated silos had lower pH ( p ammonia-N (g kg N¹) and acetic acid contents ( p < 0.01) and higher water soluble carbohydrate (WSC), lactic acid (P<00.1) and ethanol ( p < 0.05) contents than the control silage. The formic acid-treated silage had significantly lower contents of ammonia-N (g kg N^-1, p < 0.05), acetic and tactic acids (p<0.01) and higher contents of WSC and ethanol ( p < 0.01) than the control silage. When fed to wether sheep, the digestibilities of DM, organic matter and gross energy were not altered by additive treatment. The digestibility of modified acid-detergent fibre was lower for both the inoculated ( P < 0.01) and formic acid-treated silages ( p < 0.05). However, N retention was improved ( p < 0.05) by both additive treatments. Silage intake was improved ( p < 0.01) by additive treatment from 53.4 (control) to 58.0 (inoculated) and 60.4 (formic acid) g DM (kg live weight^0.75)^-1d^-1.     

Effects of an indigenous and a commercial Lactobacillus buchneri strain on quality of sugar cane silage

The aim was to evaluate the effects of adding a novel Lactobacillus buchneri strain and a commercial inoculant on the fermentation and aerobic stability of sugar cane silages (Saccharum spp.). In the first experiment samples were collected from sugar cane silage at 5, 20, 40 and 80 d after ensilage in experimental silos and microorganisms belonging to the Lactobacillus genus were isolated and identified, with a wild strain of L. buchneri, UFLA SIL 72, being selected as an inoculant. In the second experiment sugar cane was inoculated with either the novel bacteria or a commercial inoculant at the moment of ensiling and compared with a control silage prepared without an inoculant. Experimental silos were opened at 0, 3, 10, 30, 60 and 90 d of ensilage and their chemical composition measured. The silages opened after 90 d were also assessed for aerobic stability. The addition of L. buchneri resulted in a higher concentration of acetic acid and reduced populations of yeasts in silage compared to the other silage treatments, and a lower ethanol concentration in the silage. The novel L. buchneri isolate and the commercial inoculant also improved aerobic stability of the sugar cane silages. It was concluded that the addition of the novel inoculants L. buchneri UFLA SIL 72 to sugar cane silage can be recommended.     

Effects of Lactobacillus buchneri isolated from tropical maize silage on fermentation and aerobic stability of maize and sugarcane silages

This study was aimed to perform a screening of Lactobacillus buchneri strains from maize silage and use them as inoculant in maize and sugarcane silages. In all, 151 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from whole‐plant maize silage, and their identification was based on the sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. In total, 15 strains were categorized to the L. buchneri group and eight of these were selected based on growth rate and fermentation pattern. The selected strains were evaluated on fermentation and aerobic stability of maize and sugarcane silages. For maize, the inoculated silages had lower pH and higher LAB population, but lower acetic acid concentration in comparison with the untreated control silage. For sugarcane silage, the strains 56.1, 56.4 and 40788 resulted in highest dry‐matter (DM) content and lowest DM losses. However, only the strain 40788 showed lowest counts of yeasts and moulds. Sugarcane silages inoculated with the strains 56.9, 56.26 and the untreated control silage showed highest concentrations of lactic acid and ethanol, besides the great DM losses. Even so, for both crops, the aerobic stability was not affected by inoculation. After air exposure, all silages increased temperature and had high population of yeast and moulds. Nevertheless, the strains 56.1 and 56.4 are promising for use as a silage inoculant.     

A comparison of unwilted and wilted grass silages offered to beef cattle without and with monensin sodium

A randomized block experiment was conducted to compare unwilted and wilted grass silages and the effects of the feed additive monensin sodium on the silage intake and performance of finishing beef cattle. Two regrowths from a predominantly perennial ryegrass (cv. S24) sward were ensiled either without wilting or after field wilting for 3 d (dry matter (DM) concentrations 161 and 266 g kg⁻¹ respectively). Both silages were treated with formic acid (2·6 and 30 litre t⁻¹ respectively) and were well preserved. The silages were offered ad libitum to forty-eight Charolais-cross cattle (thirty-two steers and sixteen heifers, mean initial live weight 351 kg) for 145 d. All animals received 2·2 kg concentrates per head daily and half of those on each silage treatment received in addition 200 mg monensin sodium per head daily. Silage DM intake was 5.04, 504. 5·48, 5·63 ± 0.134 kg d^−l; fasted liveweight gain was 0·69, 0·77. 0·64 and 0·73 ± 0.033 kg d^−l and carcass gain was 0·47, 0·50, 0·40 and 0·45 ± 0·020 kg d⁻¹ for the unwilted silage without and with monensin and the wilted silage without and with monensin respectively. It is concluded that wilting grass of low DM concentration for 3 d prior to ensiling reduced the performance of finishing beef cattle below that obtained from well-preserved unwilted silage in spite of a higher DM intake being achieved with the wilted silage. The inclusion of monensin sodium in a silage-based diet increased performance without significantly affecting feed intake.     

Fermentation and nutritive value of Zea mays and lucerne forage ensiled with added rolled barley

The effect of adding rolled barley on the ensiling characteristics and nutritive value of lucerne and corn ( Zea mays ) forage was studied using 19-1 plastic mini-silos. Other factors evaluated with lucerne were the effect of wilting and added lactic acid bacteria. Rolled barley was added at rates of 0, 50, 100 and 150gkg⁻¹ (wet weight) to lucerne or corn forage. Lucerne was ensiled at 170–330 g kg⁻¹ dry matter (DM) and lactic acid bacteria were applied at 10⁵g⁻¹ wet forage. Addition of rolled barley consistently improved the fermentation of lucerne by lowering the pH and decreasing the concentration of acetate and ammonia nitrogen. Wilting of lucerne had variable effects on fermentation in two experiments. The addition of lactic acid bacteria improved fermentation by decreasing the concentrations of acetate and ammonia nitrogen, improved the nutritive value by increasing the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and was associated with decreased amounts of lactic acid. Corn was ensiled at 250 g kg⁻¹ DM, and added rolled barley had little effect on the fermentation of corn silage. The digestibility of all silages determined in vitro was improved by the addition of rolled barley.