The aim of the study was to determine the effect of 10 sources of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on dry matter digestibility (DM-D) and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDF-D), in various combinations with starch, in vitro. The soluble starch represented a concentrate feed, whereas silage represented feeding only roughage. The DM-D and NDF-D were determined after 24 and 48 h of incubation to represent effective (24 h) and potential (48 h) digestibility. Addition of LAB was both by direct application of the inoculants to rumen fluid (directly fed microbials) and by the use of preinoculated silages. For each feed combination, tubes without added LAB served as controls. The results indicate that, overall, some LAB inoculants applied at ensiling or added directly to the rumen fluid had the potential to increase the DM-D and NDF-D. The major significant inoculant effect on NDF-D was obtained after 24 h of incubation, whereas the effect after 48 h was mainly nonsignificant. The effective inoculants seemed to minimize the inhibitory effect of the starch on NDF-D within 24 h, perhaps by competition with lactate-producing rumen microorganisms.

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In many arid and semi-arid regions, the demand for drinking water and other domestic uses is constantly growing due to demographic growth and increasing standard of living. Therefore, less freshwater is available for agricultural irrigation and new water sources are needed. Treated wastewater (TWW) already serves as an important water source in Israel since more than 40 years and its usage will further be extended. Related to its high loads with nutrients, salts and organic materials its use as irrigation water can have major effects on the soil physical, chemical and biological properties, in the worst case leading to soil degradation. Additional organic matter reaches the soil with the effluent water and soil microbial activity is stimulated. Soil organic carbon (SOC) seems to accumulate in the topsoil and tends to decrease after long-term irrigation with secondary TWW in the subsoil. The amount of dissolved organic carbon increased and the aromaticity of the organic compounds in the soil percolates decreased over the irrigation period. Priming effects, occurring after stimulation of microbial activity by the addition of easily degradable substances, could be found in the soils and were stronger for subsoil (1 m depth).

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