Abstract
Two experiments were carried out on a laboratory scale. The first involved a study of the effect of green tea on characteristics of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB). FJLB was treated with 50 g/L of green tea products as follows: new shoot powder (FJLB+N), leaf powder (FJLB+L), commercial powder (FJLB+P), sterilized new shoot powder (FJLB+SN), sterilized leaf powder (FJLB+SL) or sterilized commercial powder (FJLB+SP). FJLB without any additive was also prepared (Untreated FJLB). After incubation, the number of microorganisms in FJLB were studied. Subsequently, these FJLB were applied at 10 ml/kg to chopped rhodesgrass to study their effects on fermentation. Compared with untreated FJLB, the addition of green tea increased (p<0.05) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and also aerobic bacteria counts in FJLB. At 60 d of ensiling, all the FJLB treated silages were well preserved, pH and butyric acid content were lower (p<0.001) and lactic acid was higher (p<0.001) than that of the control. Lactic acid content was significantly higher (p<0.001) with treated FJLB than with untreated FJLB. FJLB treated with sterilized green tea decreased (p<0.001) the pH and the lactic acid content was higher (p<0.001) than that in the unsterilized green tea silages.
Highlights
The microorganisms that grow naturally in forage crops are responsible for silage fermentation and influence silage quality
Silage made from grass grown in subtropical and tropical regions has been characterized as having a lack of lactic acid content and a high concentration of acetic acid, which suggests a deficiency of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (Ohmomo et al, 2002; Yahaya et al, 2004)
The addition of green tea could stimulate the growth of microorganisms in fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB), indicated by higher LAB and aerobic bacteria counts compared with the untreated FJLB
Summary
The microorganisms that grow naturally in forage crops are responsible for silage fermentation and influence silage quality. Silage made from grass grown in subtropical and tropical regions has been characterized as having a lack of lactic acid content and a high concentration of acetic acid, which suggests a deficiency of LAB (Ohmomo et al, 2002; Yahaya et al, 2004) Some of these silages had high concentrations of lactic acid initially, but were unstable and regressed to low-quality silage during prolonged storage. In a previous study the fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) was recommended as a silage additive for improving the fermentative quality of tropical grass silages (Bureenok et al, 2005 a, b). This is sometimes not effective because of the low LAB and low water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content of the grasses.
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