An investigation into the effect of cultures of lactic acid bacteria on fermentation in silage

Abstract

AbstractForage‐harvested crops of perennial ryegrass (200 g DM kg−1) and red clover (163 g DM kg−1) were inoculated with cultures of Streptococcus durans str. 1024, Lactobacillus acidophilus sir. 2356 and Lactobacillus plantarum str. 6, and 1:1 mixtures of the Streptococcus and each of the lactobacilli, at rates of 106 and 106 (g fresh weight)−1 and ensiled in laboratory silos for up to 128 d. The possible influence of these bacteria on fermentation was examined in relation to formic acid at rates of application of 0 and 2.3 g(kg fresh weight)−1, None of the cultures or culture mixtures, either at the low or high rate of application, had any notable influence on microbial development, the rate of acidification or promotion of the homolactic fermentation; they tended to exacerbate loss of insoluble nitrogen and deamination. All silages were well‐preserved with no butyric acid being detected, in spite of pH increase during storage. Only formic acid had any consistent and desirable effect on preservation.