Effects of homo-fermentative bacterial inoculants on fermentation characteristics and nutritive value of low dry matter corn silage

Abstract

Summary This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inoculation of homo-fermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on ensiling characteristics and nutritive value of low dry matter corn silage (LDMCS). Corn forage was harvested at milk stage (22.8 ± 0.9% DM), chopped at theoretical length of cut (TLC) 2.5 cm, and stored in eighteen 3.8 L mini silos for each treatment. The following treatments were used, 1) control (uninoculated), 2) ecosyl (treated with ecosyl TM corn silage inoculants containing Lactobacillus plantarum), and 3) biotal (treated with biotal TM corn silage inoculants containing Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Propionibacter freudenreichii). Triplicate silos for each treatment were opened and sampled for chemical analyses after 3, 6, 12, 16, 21 and 90 days of ensiling. Neither ecosyl nor biotal improved fermentation characteristics of LDMCS compared to the control silage. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude protein (CP), water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) contents and lactic acid (LA) concentration were not affected significantly by inoculants (P>0.05). Acetic acid concentration of control silages was higher; however, ethanol concentration was lower than the other silages. Biotal treated silages had the highest ammonia-N (NH3-N) concentrations compared to the control (P<0.05). In vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) of control silage was higher than treated silages (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results showed that homo-fermentative LAB inoculants used in this experiment did not improve the fermentation characteristics and nutritive value of LDMCS.