Effect of applying molasses or inoculants containing homofermentative or heterofermentative bacteria at two rates on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage

Abstract

This study determined how the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage are affected by treatment with molasses or 2 dual-purpose inoculants applied at or above the recommended rate. Corn forage (DeKalb 69-70) was harvested at 39% dry matter (DM) and ensiled after treatment with no additives (control, CON), molasses (MOL), Buchneri 500 inoculant, or Pioneer 11C33 inoculant. Molasses was applied at 3% of forage DM. Buchneri 500 was applied at the recommended rate of 8 mg/kg fresh forage to supply 1 x 10(5) cfu/g of Pediococcus pentosaceus 12455 and 4 x 10(5) cfu/g of Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 (BB) or at twice the recommended rate (DBB). Pioneer 11C33 inoculant was applied at the recommended rate of 1.1 mg/kg fresh forage to supply 1 x 10(5) cfu/g of a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum, L. buchneri, and Enteroccocus faecium (PN) or at twice the recommended rate (DPN). Each treatment was applied in quadruplicate and the treated forages were ensiled within 20-L mini silos for 135 d at 18 to 35 degrees C. Molasses-treated silages had greater ash and starch concentrations than CON silages and greater lactate and ethanol concentrations than other silages. Like CON silages, MOL silages had high yeast counts (>10(5) cfu/g); consequently, they deteriorated within 30 h as shown by temperature increase. Inoculant-treated silages had lower lactate to acetate ratios than CON or MOL silages largely because they had greater acetate concentrations. Consequently, all inoculant-treated silages had fewer yeasts (<10(5) cfu/g) and were more stable (>30 h) than CON and MOL silages. When applied at recommended rates, PN and BB had similar effects on silage chemical composition, fermentation, fungal counts, and aerobic stability, except for a lower lactate concentration in PN silages. Concentrations of VFA, and NH(3)-N, pH, and extent of aerobic stability were similar for PN, DPN, BB, and DBB silages. However, lactate concentration was greater in DPN than in PN. In conclusion, MOL application increased ethanol and lactate concentration and did not improve aerobic stability. Both dual-purpose inoculants made the fermentation more heterolactic and thereby improved the aerobic stability of corn silage. Doubling the rate of application of either inoculant did not further improve fermentation or aerobic stability.

In vitro gas production, in vivo nutrient digestibilities, and metabolisable energy concentrations for sheep of fresh and conserved pangola grass

“…Decreased NDF values could also be a result of the fermentation process, with hydrolysis of cell walls to provide additional monosaccharides as substrate for lactic acid production (Huisden et al, 2009). The lower values of CP and crude fat in pangola hay compared to fresh pangola were probably caused by the drying process which could result in (mechanical) field losses, especially of leaf-rich material (McDonald et al, 2002).…”

Effect of microbial inoculants on the quality and aerobic stability of bermudagrass round-bale haylage

“…However, such attempts have been unsuccessful in several studies (Higginbotham et al, 1998;Filya et al, 2006;Arriola et al, 2011 a,b) because the acidic conditions in the silo inhibited their growth and ability to compete with lactic acid bacteria (Weinberg et al, 1995). Forages ensiled with obligate heterofermentative Lactobacillus buchneri have typically improved the aerobic stability of forages (Adesogan et al, 2003;Kleinschmit et al, 2005;Huisden et al, 2009;Arriola et al, 2011b). However, application of L. buchneri alone can increase DM losses slightly (Ranjit and Kung, 2000).…”

Improvement of Napier Grass Silage Nutritive Value by Using Inoculant and Crude Enzyme from Trichoderma reesei and Its Effect on in Vitro Rumen Fermentation

“…Napier grass silage containing T. reesei inoculant had higher (P<0.05) acetic acid content than control. Huisden et al (2009) and Bureenok et al (2012) reported that the higher acetic acid concentration in silage was caused by the heterofermentative LAB growth. This result indicated that addition of T. reesei inoculant made the fermentation was dominated by heterofermentative bacteria and resulted in increasing acetic acid.…”