Fermentation quality and nutritive value of green soybean stover silage

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine the effect of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) on fermentation quality and nutritive value of green soybean stover silage. Green soybean stover was cut and packed in drum silos without or with 5% (volume/weight) FJLB. Four sheep were fed a basal diet of 40% reed canarygrass hay and 60% commercial concentrate (dry matter basis) and assigned to two treatments: green soybean stover silage preserved without FJLB or with FJLB. Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber contents of green soybean stover silage (dry matter basis) were 16.4% and 45.2% for the silage without FJLB, and 15.8% and 47.1% for the silage with FJLB, respectively. Lactic acid content of the fresh green soybean stover silage was 1.41% for the silage without FJLB and 1.63% for the silage with FJLB. The butyric acid content of the fresh green soybean stover silage with FJLB was substantially lower than that of the silage without FJLB. There was no effect of FJLB added for silage making on the nutrient content, nitrogen retention or ruminal fermentation of the diets. It was estimated that total digestible nutrients content and digestible crude protein content of green soybean stover silage were 64.2% and 11.2% of dry matter, respectively.