Abstract
The influence of adding small aggregates (5 g) of farmyard manure (FYM) and/or a bacteria suspension (BS), containing Escherichia coli, and spores of Bacillus cereus and Clostridium tyrobutyricum, to silage was studied in two successive years. Direct cut (approximately 200 g DM kg−1), precision-chopped grass herbage was ensiled in 1·6 l experimental silos. At ensiling the BS was either well distributed in the crop or added directly to 5 g of grass or FYM, which was placed in the centre of the green material when the silos were filled. Silage was further treated with formic acid (4 kg t−1 FM), or an inoculant of lactic acid bacteria (106 cfu g−1 FM), and compared with no additive. Only minor influences on silage quality resulted from the addition of BS, although the number of clostridial spores increased slightly. Silages given additions of small aggregates of FYM were of poor quality. The inferior silage with a high number of clostridial spores (⩾3·9 cfu g−1) and a high concentration of butyric acid (⩾2·8 g kg−1) was found in the immediate vicinity of the addition. Application of silage additives did not improve silage quality. The poor quality of ‘FYM-silages’ could not solely be explained by the high number of organisms, but other factors in the manure and/or crops may contribute to the poor silage fermentation. © 1997 SCI.
Published Version
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