Determining the ensiling characteristics of potato vine silage supplemented with rice bran and corn and evaluating their ruminal fermentation potential in vitro

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe effects of rice bran and corn on ensiling characteristics of potato vines were investigated. Ruminal fermentation of potato vine silage was measured using a rumen simulation technique (Rusitec). Potato vines were treated (fresh weight basis) for ensiling without additives (control), with 15% rice bran and with 15% rice bran plus 3% corn, 5% corn, or 7% corn, respectively. Silage with 5% corn was chosen for a ruminal fermentation trial, based on the results of ensiling quality. Comparison of rumen fermentation between two silage (silage with 5% corn and whole corn silage) diets was conducted using a Rusitec apparatus. Adding rice bran and corn improved the potato vine silage quality (P < .05). Compared with whole corn silage, potato vine silage diet had lower (P < .05) methane production, ruminal pH, acetate, and acetate to propionate ratio and higher (P < .05) total volatile fatty acids, total nitrogen (N), ammonia-N, and microbial-N. These findings indicated that rice bran and corn improved ensiling fermentation characteristics of potato vines, and that additive-treated potato vine silage had no adverse effects on rumen fermentation and could improve the energy and N utilisation and alleviate the methane pollution of the rumen compared with whole corn silage.