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The preservation of crimped wheat grains by three bacterial inoculants or a chemical additive was compared. Crimped wheat grain [56.8 g dry matter (DM)/kg] was conserved in 1.75-kg plastic bag, mini-silos without treatment, with 4L/tonne of Crimpstore (CS; an additive containing a mixture of ammonium formate, propionate, ethyl benzoate, and benzoate, SAS Kelvin Cave, Ltd., UK) or 1 x 10(5) cfu/g of each of three inoculant additives containing Lactobacillus fermentum (A), Leuconostoc mesenteroides (B), and Lactobacillus buchneri (C). Six replicates were conserved per treatment. Ensiling DM losses, chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, and aerobic stability were measured in the silages after 68 d of ensiling. All the silages were well fermented and remained stable for 84 h after aeration. Subsequently, the rate of deterioration was slowest in crimped grains treated with CS treatment, followed by those treated with inoculant C, while those treated with inoculant A deteriorated most rapidly. Residual water-soluble carbohydrate concentration was higher in crimped grains treated with CS than those treated with the inoculants. Ammonia nitrogen concentrations were lowest in CS-treated crimped grains, followed by inoculants C and A. DM losses were greater in CS-treated crimped grains than in crimped grains treated with inoculants A and C. In vivo digestibility was also measured in Texel-cross lambs fed a grass silage basal diet supplemented with the additive-treated crimped grains or a conventional, lamb finisher concentrate. Dry matter intake and digestibility were unaffected by treatment. In conclusion, bacterial inoculants containing L. buchneri are promising preservatives for crimped wheat grains.

-A novel Lolium perenne variety bred for an elevated concentration of water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) Ba11353 (high WSC; HWSC), which when grazed exhibited higher liveweight gains in lambs compared with a control (AberElan), was analysed in vitro to determine its relative nutritive value. The effect of sample preparation was also investigated: frozen and thawed (FT) vs. freeze-dried and ground (FDG). The nutritive value of the grasses was determined by in vitro measurements of gas production, which allowed assessment of both the rate and extent of fermentation of the grasses. Five FT and FDG samples of the two grasses (HWSC and control; n = 20) were suspended in an anaerobic medium, inoculated with rumen digesta and incubated at 39 o C for 120 h, with readings of gas pressure and volume made at regular intervals. At the end of the experimental period samples of liquid phase were taken to determine ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations. The WSC concentration of the HWSC was greater than the control (P = 0.03) whereas fibre concentrations were higher in the control (P = 0.002 and P = 0.01 for acid and neutral detergent fibres, respectively). The gas produced from the HWSC forages (both FT and FDG) had lower half-lives (the time at which half the total gas pool was produced), lag-times (P < 0.001) and a greater predicted asymptote gas yield (P = 0.003) when compared to the corresponding control forage. For both grass varieties, the FDG treatment significantly reduced gas production half-life and lag-time and increased the gas yield and degradability compared to the FT treatment. Liquid phase ammonia-N concentrations were lower with HWSC (P = 0.04) compared to control. The FDG treatment of the grass led to a further reduction in ammonia-N concentration compared to the FT samples (P < 0.001). Total VFA production was greater (P < 0.001) for both HWSC treatments compared to the control, but no significant differences were noted between FT and FDG treatments. The glucogenic/lipogenic acid ratios (propionate/(acetate + butyrate)) were greater with HWSC (P < 0.001). The FDG treatment further increased this ratio compared to the FT treatment (P = 0.002). This study helped to determine the nutritive value of high WSC grass through an evaluation of its fermentation properties when incubated in vitro with inoculated anaerobic media; it also provided evidence of how preparation of the samples can influence the results.water soluble carbohydrate / gas production / nutritive value / grass / fermentation rate Résumé -Détermination in vitro de la valeur nutritive de Lolium perenne sélectionnée pour sa concentration élevée en glucides hydrosolubles et effet de la préparation de l'échantillon: lyophilisé et broyé vs. congelé et décongelé. Une nouvelle variété de Lolium perenne, sélectionnée pour sa concentration élevée en glucides hydrosolubles (Ba11353, HWSC) et qui permet des gains de poids vifs plus importants chez les agneaux lorsqu'elle est comparée à un témoin (AberElan), a été étudiée in vit...