Aerobic Stability Research Articles

Perilla frutescens as potential antimicrobial modifier to against forage oat silage spoilage.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Perilla frutescens, alone or in combination with Lactobacillus plantarum a214 or citric acid, on forage oat silage quality, bacterial and fungal microbiological profile during ensiling and aerobic exposure. With the exception of Perilla frutescens, all additives could improve silage quality of forage oat based on lower ammonia-nitrogen content and higher residual of water soluble carbohydrates during anaerobic fermentation compared to control silage, especially in Perilla frutescens combined with citric acid (CAPF). Lactobacillus was the dominant bacteria in all silages, while CAPF group increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus lindneri and Lactobacillus brevis compared to control silage. The application of Perilla frutescens suppressed the relative abundance of yeasts such as Pichia fermentans and Wickerhamomyces anomalus in response to aerobic exposure, especially in CAPF treatment, leading to high acetic acids and lower dry matter loss, as well as good aerobic stability. Therefore, Perilla frutescens, alone or in combination with citric acid, has potential to improve aerobic stability of forage oat silage by shifting bacterial and fungal community composition, and can be used as new additive to prepare high-quality silage for animal production.

Effect of Formic Acid and Inoculants on Microbial Community and Fermentation Profile of Wilted or Un-Wilted Italian Ryegrass Silages during Ensiling and Aerobic Exposure

Wilted (around 35% DM) or un-wilted (around 35% DM) Italian ryegrass treated with three additives (formic acid, FA; Lactobacillus plantarum, LP; Lactobacillus buchneri, LB) was utilized to evaluate the effects of the dry matter (DM) contents on the microbial community and fermentation characteristics, which was ensiled for 60 days in a laboratory-scale silo, followed by 3 days of aerobic exposure. Significantly lower pH and higher lactic acid (LA) contents were observed in the LP-treated group ensiled at both DM contents (differences were significant when p < 0.05). The contents of LA, acetic acid (AA), numbers of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) in the FA-treated group were significantly lower than those in other treatments (p < 0.05). L. buchneri was the dominant bacteria after 60 days fermentation, while Enterobacteria became prevalent after 3 days of aerobic exposure. L. buchneri was found in the LB-treated group with higher acetic acid. Although the best fermentation quality was observed in the LP-treated silages, the aerobic stability was lowest compared to other groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that the DM content of Italian ryegrass affected its epiphytic microbial community and the effectiveness of the different type of additives. Formic acid was more suitable for un-wilted Italian ryegrass silage, L. plantarum had a better effect in wilted Italian ryegrass silage, and L. buchneri prolonged the aerobic stability of Italian ryegrass. DM content and purpose of ensiling should be the key factors for choosing different types of additives for Italian ryegrass silage.

Analysis of the effect of additives on the fermentation quality of whole-plant corn silage based on machine learning

Recently, many related researchers have discovered that a certain amount of propionic acid can be added to the silage mixture of barley straw and wheat rye, and the content of more than 4% can effectively improve the fermentation quality and effectiveness of the silage mixture. Studies have shown that the yield of whole corn crops is affected by many factors, and the addition of cellulase and other additives can effectively increase its yield. Temperature and precipitation are the main factors affecting the total amount of microorganisms and their different types. Some microorganisms, such as mold, are harmful microorganisms in silage, which can cause the aerobic deterioration of the whole corn silage. In addition, temperature and humidity will also significantly affect the fermentation of silage, and have a greater impact on the aerobic stability of some microorganisms. A large number of research materials have also proved this point. If the study area is suitable for the growth and reproduction of molds, the problem of aerobic corruption will become more prominent. How to reduce aerobic corruption has become an important issue facing the industry.In order to better control the fermentation quality of silage, the concept of machine learning was introduced in this paper. By building relevant models, the influences of additives on the fermentation quality of corn silage were analyzed, so as to improve the quality of silage and provide some help to solve the problems in the industry.

Fermentation profile and nutritional value of millet grain silages rehydrated with whey and/or molasses

This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation profile and nutritional value of millet grain silages rehydrated with whey and/or molasses. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four treatments and six replications, with a control treatment (water rehydration), whey rehydration, water rehydration plus molasses (2.5%), and whey plus molasses (2.5%). Lower values of dry matter content (DM = 66.37; 1.55%) were found for the control silage, but within the recommended range. The contents of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, lignin and hemicellulose were not influenced by the use of additives. There was no difference (p>0.05) for aerobic stability and ammonia-N (6.04%) between treatments. For pH, lower values were observed for silages with molasses. There was a higher concentration (p <0.05) of lactic acid in silages with whey, and a higher concentration of butyric acid in silages added exclusively with molasses. The use of whey improved dry matter recovery compared to control silages. Higher dry matter degradability was observed with 8% rate of passage in silages added with molasses and/or whey in relation to the control.

Lentilactobacillus buchneri Preactivation Affects the Mitigation of Methane Emission in Corn Silage Treated with or without Urea

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different forms of Lentilactobacillus buchneri on the in vitro methane production, fermentation characteristics, nutritional quality, and aerobic stability of corn silage treated with or without urea. The following treatments were applied prior to ensiling: (1) no urea treatment and LB; (2) no urea treatment+freeze dried LB; (3) no urea treatment+preactivated LB; (4) with urea treatment+no LB; (5) with urea treatment+freeze dried LB; (6) with urea treatment+preactivated. LB was applied at a rate of 3 × 108 cfu/kg on a fresh basis, while urea was applied at a rate of 1% on the basis of dry matter. Data measured at different time points were analyzed according to a completely randomized design, with a 2 × 3 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments, while the others were analyzed with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Preactivated LB was more effective than freeze-dried LB in reducing silage pH, ammonia nitrogen, cell-wall components, yeast count, and carbon dioxide production, as well as increasing lactic acid and residual water-soluble carbohydrate and aerobic stability (p < 0.0001). A significant reduction in the methane ratio was observed after 24 h and 48 h incubation with preactivated forms of LB (p < 0.001). The results indicated that preactivated LB combined with urea improved fermentation characteristics, nutritional quality, and aerobic stability and reduced the methane ratio of corn silages.

Effects of a prothioconazole- and tebuconazole-based fungicide on the yield, silage characteristics, and fungal mycobiota of corn harvested and conserved as whole-crop and high-moisture ear silages.

To analyze the effect of a prothioconazole- and tebuconazole-based fungicide on the yield and silage characteristics of whole-crop corn (WCC) and high-moisture ear corn (HMC) silages and on the fungal community dynamics from the harvest to aerobic exposure. Corn were untreated (NT) or treated (T) with a prothioconazole- and tebuconazole-based fungicide and harvested as WCC and HMC. Silages were conserved for 60 and 160 d and subjected to an aerobic stability test. The fungicide increased the yield per hectare however, it did not affect the main nutritional characteristics of WCC or HMC. The main chemical, fermentative and microbial characteristics, dry matter (DM) losses and aerobic stability were mainly affected by the conservation time, regardless of the treatment. Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, and Penicillium genera were identified as dominant before ensiling, but Aspergillus and Penicillium became dominant after silo opening and aerobic exposure. Yeast population during ensiling and aerobic deterioration resulted in a simplification, with Pichia and Kazachstania genera being dominant. The application of fungicide improved the DM, starch, and net energy for lactation (NEL) yield per hectare but had no consistent effect on the microbial and fermentative silage quality and aerobic stability.

Testing the aerobic stability of silage-based mixed rations using a multiple indicator approach

Total Mixed Rations (TMR) including silages are commonly fed to cattle in many parts of the world, but they tend to deteriorate on exposure to air, especially in the warm season. The aim of the study was to develop an easy to implement protocol in order to compare the aerobic stability of different feed mixtures for lactating dairy cattle and to test the potential of TMR stabilizing products to delay spoilage. The experimental conditions were standardized to 25 °C ambient, and the sample dry matter was adjusted to 400 g kg-1 to challenge shelf life. Temperature rise in an insulated vessel, which is frequently used when testing silages, was shown to be one promising indicator of spoilage activity. Furthermore, determination of pH, scores for visual occurrence of yeasts and moulds and condensation from 0–4 were successfully applied at the end of the 72 h period. A dosage of 4.5 l propionic acid t-1 proved suitable as a positive control when compared to 1.5 and 3.0 l t-1. The commercial products tested at the recommended dose had a similar efficacy. The stabilizing effect depended principally on the original hygienic condition of the ration. Visual evaluation plus the recording of pH, in addition to continuous temperature measurement facilitated this appraisal. Early signs of spoilage, in particular, can only be assessed by visual appraisal. Thus, an evaluation of a combination of indicators of aerobic stability is recommended.

Untreated or ammoniated cotton gin trash in the ensiling of elephant grass reduces silage quality

This study examined the inclusion of untreated or urea-ammoniated CGT on the chemical composition, pH, gas, and effluent losses, dry matter recovery (DMR), and aerobic stability of elephantgrass silage. The experiment was laid out in a randomized design with a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement represented by three levels of inclusion of CGT during ensiling (0, 5, or 10%) and three levels of ammoniation of CGT with urea before ensiling (0, 4 or 8% for 28 days), using four replications. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and Tukey's test, considering a 5% significance level. The pH and DM, NDIN, ADIN, NDF and ADF contents of the silages increased (p < 0.05) with the inclusion of CGT, regardless of ammoniation. The lowest (p < 0.05) effluent loss was achieved using 10% of CGT ammoniated with 8% urea. In contrast, the elephantgrass silage exhibited the lowest (p < 0.05) gas loss and the greatest (p < 0.05) DMR. The inclusion of CGT compromised the aerobic stability of the silage. Therefore, the inclusion of CGT – either untreated or ammoniated – in the ensiling of elephantgrass is not recommended.

The interaction between temperature and citric acid treatment in the anaerobic fermentation of Chinese cabbage waste

Temperature is a crucial environmental factor for recycling Chinese cabbage waste. Herein, we evaluated the impacts of temperatures (15, 25 and 35 °C) on the effects of citric acid treatment (1.11% dry matter) on the anaerobic fermentation of Chinese cabbage waste. The results indicated that citric acid treatment improved the acetic acid concentration, reduced the ammonia nitrogen levels, upregulated lipid metabolism, and increased the Lactobacillus and Pediococcus abundances but reduced the Weissella, Naumovozyma, Monascus and Alternaria abundances during the anaerobic period. After aerobic exposure, citric acid treatment during the anaerobic period at 15 and 35 °C improved aerobic stability, reduced organic acid degradation, inhibited ammonia nitrogen formation, upregulated replication and repair pathways, enhanced the competition among fungi, and increased the Acetobacter, Naumovozyma and Kazachstania abundances but reduced the Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Trichosporon abundances; citric acid treatment during the anaerobic period at 25 °C enhanced aerobic deterioration, resulted in a 77.12% (p < 0.05) increase in the pH value and a 167.71% (p < 0.05) increase in the ammonia nitrogen content, upregulated amino acid metabolism, enhanced commensalism or mutualism between bacteria and fungi, and enriched Zygosaccharomyces and Bacillus. Collectively, citric acid treatment at 15 and 35 °C improved short-chain fatty acid production, improved aerobic stability and reduced alkaline pollutant generation during Chinese cabbage waste fermentation, whereas at 25 °C, it exacerbated aerobic deterioration, which was associated with variations in dominant microbes, microbiome topologies and functional pathways.

Effects of bacterial inoculants on the microbial community, mycotoxin contamination, and aerobic stability of corn silage infected in the field by toxigenic fungi

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of inoculants on the microbial community and mycotoxins contamination of corn silage during aerobic exposure. Whole-crop corn infected with or without mycotoxigenic fungi were ensiled with Lentilactobacillus buchneri (LB, 1.0 × 106 cfu/g fresh weight (FW)), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP, 1.0 × 106 cfu/g FW), or LBLP at 1.0 × 106 cfu/g FW each. The concentration of acetic acid (AcA) (P < 0.05) in LB and LBLP silages was higher than in control (C) and LP of non-fungal infection (NFI) silages. The fungal infection resulted in a larger increase of zearalenone (ZEN, P = 0.01), fumonisin B1 (FUB1, P = 0.02), and fumonisin B2 (FUB2, P = 0.02). The relative abundance (RA) of Issatchenkia in NFI was higher (P < 0.001) than FI silages, whereas the RA of Kazachstania (P < 0.001), Zygosaccharomyces (P = 0.047), and Candida (P = 0.025) in NFI were lower than these of FI silages. The aerobic stability was improved by the application of LB and LBLP as compared with the C of NFI silages. The LB and LBLP had the potential to improve aerobic stability and alleviate mycotoxins contamination of non-fungal infected corn silages.Graphical

Effects of Re-ensilage with Bacterial Inoculant and Organic Acid Addition on Aerobic Stability and In Vitro Gas Production Parameters of Corn Silage

Bu çalışmada, mısır silajının, inokulant ve organik asit ilave edilerek farklı sürelerde yeniden silolanmasının silaj kalitesi ve aerobik stabilite açısından değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmanın bitkisel materyalini II. ürün mısır silajı oluşturmuştur. Fermantasyon döneminin 150. gününde açılan mısır silajı 3 muamele grubuna bölünmüştür. Muamele grupları 1- Kontrol, 2- Lactobacillus buchneri (LB) 3- Organik Asit (OA)’ten oluşturulmuştur. Yeniden silolama süresinin etkisini ortaya koyabilmek amacı ile her bir muamele grubu kendi içerisinde alt muamele gruplarına ayrılarak oksijene maruz kaldığı sürenin 6., 12. ve 24. saatinde yeniden silolanarak fermantasyona tabi tutulmuştur. Yeniden silolamanın 60. günü açılan silajlarda kimyasal ve mikrobiyolojik analizler yapılmıştır. Ayrıca, silajların in vitro gaz üretim değerleri saptanmıştır. Silolama döneminde (60. gün) açılan tüm silajlara 7 gün süre ile aerobik stabilite testi uygulanmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları, mısır silajlarının katkı maddesi ilave etmeden yeniden silolanabileceğini, ancak yeniden silolamada organik asit kullanımının aerobik stabiliteyi geliştirdiği yönündedir. Yemlerin in vitro gaz değerlerinden elde edilen verilere göre, inkübasyon süresinin 24. saatinden 96. saatine kadar silolama süresinin 6. saatinde LB ve OA silajların metan üretimi, kontrol grubuna göre yüksek bulunmuştur (P&amp;lt;0.05).

Mixed Ration Silage Containing Tanzania Grass and Babassu By-Products for Dairy Cows

The use of mixed ration silage (MRS) provides animals with a diet formulation that meets their nutritional requirements. This study aimed to evaluate the fermentative profile, losses, chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility of mixed ration silages, including babassu by-products as a feed alternative for dairy cows. A completely randomized design was used, with four treatments and five replications, which were composed of TGS: Tanzania grass silage; MRSS: Tanzania grass silage with corn and soybean meal; MRSF: Tanzania grass silage with corn, soybean meal and babassu flour; and MRSC: Tanzania grass silage with corn, soybean meal and babassu cake. There was a significant difference between MRS and TGS (p &lt; 0.05) in the variables’ pH, gas (GL) and effluent losses (EL), dry matter recovery (DMR), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN). There was no statistical difference in buffer capacity (BC), acid detergent lignin, hemicellulose, ether extract (EE) and aerobic stability. However, for the variables’ ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC) content, lower values were observed in the MRS (p &lt; 0.001). The babassu by-products, cake and flour, can replace corn by up to 50% of the total ration silage with Tanzania grass, meeting the nutritional requirements of dairy cows.

Effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactiplantibacillus brevis on fermentation, aerobic stability, and the bacterial community of paper mulberry silage.

The present study investigated the dynamic profiles of fermentation quality, aerobic stability, and the bacterial community of paper mulberry silage inoculants without (Control) or with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP), Lactiplantibacillus brevis (LB), or their combination (LPLB), which was screened from naturally fermented paper mulberry. The results showed that the inoculated treatments had significantly reduced neutral detergent fiber, water-soluble carbohydrates, and ammoniacal nitrogen contents compared with the control after 60 days of ensiling (the decreased proportion of LP, LB, and LPLB treatments ranged from 7.33%-11.23%, 9.60%-21.44%, and 21.53%-29.23%, respectively, p < 0.05). The pH value of the LP and LB treatments was significantly lower than that of the control after 60 days of ensiling (4.42 and 4.56 vs. 4.71, p < 0.05). The LP treatment promoted lactic acid accumulation and LAB number compared with the control (66.59% vs. 54.12% and 8.71 log10 CFU/g vs. 8.52 log10 CFU/g, respectively, p < 0.05), and the LB and LPLB treatments inhibited the growth of yeast and mold after 14 days of fermentation. After 5 days of aerobic exposure, both the LB and LPLB treatments increased the aerobic stability time and acetic acid content (from 29 to 75 h and 16.14%-48.72%, respectively, p < 0.05), inhibited the growth of yeast and mold, and did not detect butyric acid. Additionally, the bacteria community of each treatment was dominated by Aerococcus on day 3 of ensilage (accounting for 54.36%-69.31%), while the inoculated treatments reduced the abundance of Aerococcus on day 60 (from 59.73% to 85.16%, p < 0.05), and Lactobacillus became the dominant genus (accounting for 54.57%-70.89%). Inoculation of L. plantarum effectively maintained the acidic environment at the end of the fermentation system by maintaining the abundance of Lactobacillus, maximizing the preservation of dry matter and protein, and reducing protein corruption. Inoculation of L. brevis alone or in combination with L. plantarum significantly inhibited the growth of mold and improved the aerobic stability of paper mulberry silage.

Improving the quality of Napier grass silage with pyroligneous acid: Fermentation, aerobic stability, and microbial communities.

The presence of undesirable microorganisms in silage always leads to poor fermentation quality and low aerobic stability. Pyroligneous acid (PA), a by-product of biochar production, is known to have strong antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. To investigate the effects of PA on fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability, and microbial communities, Napier grass was ensiled with or without 1 and 2% PA for 30 days and then aerobically stored for 5 days. The results showed that PA application decreased (P < 0.01) the pH value, ammonia nitrogen content, and number of undesirable microorganisms (coliform bacteria, yeasts, and molds) after 30 days of ensiling and 5 days of exposure to air. The temperature of the PA-treated group was stable during the 5-day aerobic test, which did not exceed room temperature more than 2°C. The addition of PA also enhanced the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and reduced that of Klebsiella and Kosakonia. The relative abundance of Candida was higher in PA-treated silage than in untreated silage. The addition of PA decreased the relative abundance of Kodamaea and increased that of Monascus after 5 days of exposure to air. The abundances of Cladosporium and Neurospora were relatively high in 2% PA-treated NG, while these genera were note observed in the control group. These results suggested that the addition of PA could improve fermentation characteristics and aerobic stability, and alter microbial communities of silage.

Antifungal and carboxylesterase-producing bacteria applied into corn silage still affected the fermented total mixed ration.

This study investigated the effects of corn silage as a source of microbial inoculant containing antifungal and carboxylesterase-producing bacteria on fermentation, aerobic stability, and nutrient digestibility of fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) with different energy levels. Corn silage was used as a bacterial source by ensiling for 72 d with an inoculant mixture of Lactobacillus brevis 5M2 and L. buchneri 6M1 at a 1:1 ratio. The corn silage without or with inoculant (CON vs MIX) was mixed with the other ingredients to formulate for low and high energy diets (LOW vs HIGH) for Hanwoo steers. All diets were ensiled into 20 L mini silo (5 kg) for 40 d in quadruplicate. The MIX diets had lower (p<0.05) acid detergent fiber with higher (p<0.05) in vitro digestibilities of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber compared to the CON diets. In terms of fermentation characteristics, the MIX diets had higher (p<0.05) acetate than the CON diets. The MIX diets had extended (p<0.05) lactic acid bacteria growth at 4 to 7 d of aerobic exposure and showed lower (p<0.05) yeast growth at 7 d of aerobic exposure than the CON diets. In terms of rumen fermentation, the MIX diets had higher (p<0.05) total fermentable fraction and total volatile fatty acid, with lower (p<0.05) pH than those of CON diets. The interaction (p = 0.036) between inoculant and diet level was only found in the immediately fermentable fraction, which inoculant was only effective on LOW diets. Application of corn silage with inoculant on FTMR presented an antifungal effect by inhibiting yeast at aerobic exposure and a carboxylesterase effect by improving nutrient digestibility. It also indicated that fermented feedstuffs could be used as microbial source for FTMR. Generally, the interaction between inoculant and diet level had less effect on this FTMR study.

Microbial Communities and Metabolites of Whole Crop Corn Silage Inoculated with Lentilactobacillus plantarum and Lentilactobacillus buchneri

To investigate the effects of different types of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on aerobic stability, microbial community and metabolites of whole crop corn silage ensiled with Lentilactobacillus plantarum (LP) and Lentilactobacillus buchneri (LB) or not (CK), the fermentation parameters, aerobic stability, microbial community and metabolite differential components of whole crop corn silage were analyzed after ensiling for 8 months. The results showed that the pH of the whole treatment was lower than 4.2, which indicates good fermentation quality. Compared with the LP group, the LB group significantly improved the aerobic stability of whole crop corn silage (p &lt; 0.05). The addition of LB and LP both increased the number of LAB and the relative abundance of Lentilactobacillus. Metabolite analysis results showed that 28 metabolites were significantly different between the LP and CK groups (p &lt; 0.01), 15 metabolites were significantly different between the LB and CK groups (p &lt; 0.01), and 17 metabolites were significantly different between the LP and LB groups (p &lt; 0.01). The antioxidant metabolites 9-oxo-10(E), 12(E)-octadecadienoic acid and 9(Z),11(E),13(E)-octadecatrienoic acid ethyl ester in the LB group were significantly higher than those in the lp group (p &lt; 0.01). Therefore, compared with LP, obligate heterofermentative LB is more beneficial to maintain the stability of whole crop corn silage after cellar opening.

Positive effects of magnetic Fe3O4@polyaniline on aerobic granular sludge: Aerobic granulation, granule stability and pollutants removal performance

The magnetic material has been determined to have a positive effect on sludge granulation and wastewater treatment performance. In this study, the effect of magnetic Fe3O4@polyaniline (Fe3O4@PANI) on aerobic granulation, granule stability, and pollutants removal performance was evaluated by adding it into a sequencing batch reactor to cultivate aerobic granular sludge (AGS). The results indicated that the composite combined the advantages of PANI and Fe3O4 to promote the formation of AGS during the granulation period. The Fe3O4@PANI stimulated the granules to secrete extracellular polymeric substances with a higher proteins/polysaccharides ratio, thus enhancing the stability of the AGS. In addition, microbial community analysis revealed that the great performance of the AGS on denitrification and phosphorus removal could be attributed to the enrichment of denitrifying bacteria, phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO), and denitrifying PAO by Fe3O4@PANI. Thus, Fe3O4@PANI has been demonstrated to have a positive effect on the formation and stability of AGS.

Lemongrass essential oil reduces whole-plant sorghum silage gas losses and does not affect silage in vitro degradation

Abstract Lemongrass essential oil (LEO) has been evaluated as a silage additive to improve silage fermentation and reduce fermentative losses. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of LEO on whole-plant sorghum silage (WPSS) fermentation profile, fermentation losses, chemical composition, dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in vitro degradation and aerobic stability. Five cultivars and fifty experimental silos were used to evaluate the following LEO levels: 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 ml kg−1 DM of WPSS. The material was compacted (650 kg m−2) and the silos were sealed, weighed and stored at room temperature for 167 days. The addition of LEO linearly decreased butyric acid content and the ratio between lactic and acetic acids. Intermediate levels of LEO increased NH3-N and reduced lactic and acetic acids content. LEO linearly decreased silage gas losses. However, LEO did not affect total silage losses and DM recovery. Intermediate levels of LEO addition decreased organic matter and crude protein in the WPSS. The addition of LEO did not affect other chemical composition parameters, DM and NDF in vitro degradation, and pH and temperature of the silage after aerobic exposure. Thus, LEO supply in WPSS reduces gas losses, butyric acid concentration, and the ratio between lactic and acetic acids. However, LEO does not improve the chemical composition, in vitro degradation, and aerobic stability of WPSS.

Microbial community and fermentation characteristic of whole-crop wheat silage treated by lactic acid bacteria and Artemisia argyi during ensiling and aerobic exposure.

Whole-crop wheat silage (WCWS) is an excellent feed material for ruminants. However, microbial fermentation during silage production consumes valuable nutrients, decreasing the quality of silage. The main objective of this study was to assess how the addition of increasing amounts of Artemisia argyi (AA) affected fermentation quality, microbial composition, and mycotoxin production in whole-crop wheat at dough stage (WCWD) silage during ensiling to aerobic exposure compared with Lactiplantibacillus buchneri (LB). The addition of 20% AA, resulted in a lower pH and higher lactic acid content, was found in silage treated with 20% AA, and an obvious increase in the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was detected in silages treated with LB and 20% AA, respectively. Meanwhile, inoculation with 20% AA decreased the abundance of harmful microorganisms, including Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, and Aspergillus. It also reduced the contents of mycotoxins, Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and deoxynivalenol (DON) during ensiling and aerobic exposure. These results confirmed that WCWD treated with 20% AA could improve the fermentation quality and enhance the aerobic stability of silage.

The Chemical Composition, Fermentation End-Product of Silage, and Aerobic Stability of Cassava Pulp Fermented with Lactobacillus casei TH14 and Additives.

This study evaluated the effects of cassava pulp fermented with Lactobacillus casei TH14, urea, and molasses on its chemical composition, the fermentation end-product of silage, and aerobic stability. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with a randomized complete block design was employed. The first factor: level of L. casei TH14 [L; 0 and 105 cfu/kg fresh matter (FM)], the second factor: level of molasses (M; 0 and 4% DM), the third factor: level of urea (U; 0 and 4% DM), and the number of days of fermentation (7, 14, and 21 days) were evaluated using a statistical block. There were interactions among CSP fermented with different additives on DM content (p &lt; 0.05). The control group (CON) and CSP fermented with L, L×M, and L×U had lower DM contents than U, U×M, and L×U×M. The crude protein of CSP was increased by interaction of L×U and U×M additives (p &lt; 0.05 and p &lt; 0.01, respectively). Interaction effects between L and U and NDF content were detected (p &lt; 0.05). The L×U combination resulted in a significantly lower NDF than the other groups. The interaction between L×U×M had no effect on the change in the CSP fermentation process (p &gt; 0.05). The combination of U×M caused a poorer pH than other groups (p &lt; 0.01). The ammonia-N content was higher than others, when CSP was fermented with L×U (p &lt; 0.01) or U×M (p &lt; 0.05), respectively. The lactic acid levels in fermented CSP were higher (p &lt; 0.01) than in other groups through the L. casei. The interaction between L×U×M had an influence on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (p &lt; 0.01) and aerobic bacteria (p &lt; 0.01). The highest LAB population (p &lt; 0.01) at 106 cfu/g FM was found in CSP fermented with L. casei and molasses. In conclusion, the current study shows that CSP treated with L×U×M resulted in good preservation by recovering DM, a low number of aerobic bacteria, and greater LAB than other treatments, with the exception of the L×U×M addition. A 21-day fermentation period is advised because it produces products with greater levels of crude protein, lactic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid.