Ensiling Treatments Research Articles

Mixed ensiling plus nitrate destroy fiber structure of rape straw, increase degradation, and reduce methanogenesis through in vitro ruminal fermentation.

Better utilization of rape straw can provide alternative strategies for sustainable ruminant and food production. The research reported here investigated changes in the carbohydrate composition of rape straw as a result of mixed ensiling with whole-crop corn or inoculated with nitrate, and the consequent effects on ruminal fermentation through in vitro batch culture. The three treatments included: rape straw and corn silage (RSTC), and ensiling treatment of rape straw with whole-crop corn (RSIC) or with calcium nitrate inoculation (RSICN). Ensiling treatment of rape straw and whole-crop corn or plus nitrate enriched lactic acid bacteria and lactate. The treatments broke the fiber surface connections of rape straw, leading to higher neutral detergent soluble (NDS) content and lower fiber content. Ensiling treatments led to greater (P < 0.05) dry matter degradation (DMD), molar proportions of propionate and butyrate, relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes and genus Prevotella, and lower (P < 0.05) methane production in terms of g kg-1 DMD, molar proportions of acetate, and lower acetate to propionate ratio than the RSTC treatment. The RSICN treatment led to the lowest (P < 0.05) hydrogen concentration and methane production among the three treatments. Ensiling treatments of rape straw and whole-crop corn destroy the micro-structure of rape straw, promote substrate degradation by enriching the phylum Bacteroidetes and the genus Prevotella, and decrease methane production by favoring propionate and butyrate production. Nitrate inoculation in the ensiling treatment of rape straw and whole-crop corn further decreases methane production without influencing substrate degradation by providing an additional hydrogen sink. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of ensiling conditions on pyrrolizidine alkaloid degradation in silages mixed with two different Senecio spp.

ABSTRACT Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) producing plants like Senecio jacobaea or Senecio vernalis are undesirable in fields for forage production, since PA are toxic to animals and humans. Previous studies have shown that ensiling can decrease the PA content in forages; however, no direct comparison of diverse PA from different Senecio spp. under various ensiling conditions has been made. Therefore, it was hypothesised that individual PA might react differently to ensiling, and silage inoculation with Lactobacillus will affect PA degradation because of a quick drop in pH, contrastingly to poor silage qualities resulting from contamination with soil. Laboratory scale grass silages were prepared in a multifactorial design with two levels of dry matter contents, four ensiling treatments and two storage durations (10 and 90 d). For each combination, four replicates were prepared individually. Ensiling treatments were (1) 10 ml water per kg fresh matter as control (CON), (2) 10 ml heterofermentative Lactobacillus buchneri strain LN4637 at 3 · 105 cfu/kg fresh matter plus 25 g molasses/kg fresh matter (LBHE), (3) 10 ml homofermentative lactobacilli at 3 · 105 cfu/kg fresh matter plus 25 g molasses/kg fresh matter (LBHO) and (4) 10 g soil/kg fresh matter (SOIL). Treatments affected formation of fermentation acids. Acetic acid was highest with treatment LBHE, and butyric acid was highest with treatment SOIL. All ensiling treatments effectively reduced total PA content by degrading the PA N-oxide (PANO) fraction. In parallel, though, the fraction of the tertiary base forms increased by around one-tenth of the original PANO content. Contents of jaconine and senkirkine were higher after ensiling than before, with regards to the sum of PA and PANO for jaconine, indicating higher stability or new formation through degradation of other PA. Overall, ensiling offers opportunities to decrease the PA-PANO content in feed and therefore lowers the risk of intoxication by Senecio in livestock.

Comparative evaluation of effect of legume type on feed intake among dairy cows fed maize (Zea mays) stover treated with groundnut (Arachis hypogea) and soybean (Glycine max) stover

This study evaluated the use of maize, groundnut and soybean stover in cattle feeding. The study assessed the value of upgrading the quality of crop residues. The study involved evaluation of palatability of maize stover improved using urea (U), chopped groundnut stover (cGS), chopped soybean stover (cSS), mineralized groundnut stover solution (mGS) and mineralized soybean stover solution (mSS). In the feeding trial, twelve (12) crossbred dairy cows in their second parity were used as experimental units. A 22 factorial experiment within a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) was used. Maize stover was chopped before being mixed with urea, chopped legume stover and mineralized legume stover solutions. The effect of supplementation using maize stover upgraded with U, cGS, cSS, mGS and mSS was studied for supplement intake levels. Urea Ensilage Treatment (UET) was used as the novel therapy in the study. Both legume type and processing method had influence on supplement intake of maize stover. Groundnut stover had significantly (p˂0.05) higher (0.99kg/day, se=0.04) effect on supplement intake of maize stover than soybean stover(0.83kg/day, se=0.04). The use of mineralized legume stover solution proved significant (p˂0.05) to the use of chopped legume stover in improving the intake of maize stover. Results have indicated that intake was highest (1.01kg/day, s.e=0.04) for mineralised groundnut stover solution and lowest (0.67kg/day, s.e=0.04) for Urea Ensiling Treatment.

Effect of ensiled total mixed rations containing sake lees on digestion, nitrogen use, and plasma metabolite concentrations in sheep.

Sake lees are a byproduct of Japanese rice wine and used as ruminant feed with high protein and ethanol contents. This study aimed to explore the effects of ensiled total mixed ration (TMR) containing sake lees on rumen fermentation, digestion, nitrogen (N) use, and plasma metabolites in sheep. Four mature wethers were assigned to a 4 × 4 Latin square design with a factorial arrangement of ensiling treatment (non-ensiled or ensiled TMR) and types of sake lees (traditional or liquefied). Although dietary ethanol consumption was higher in sheep fed ensiled TMR, ruminal and plasma concentrations of methanol and ethanol increased after feeding in all dietary treatments, which was accompanied by the increased plasma concentrations of formate. The intake and digestion of dry matter and N were lower in sheep fed ensiled TMR than in those fed non-ensiled TMR. The plasma concentrations of most amino acids decreased in sheep fed ensiled TMR. Although plasma methionine, serine, and glycine concentrations were not altered by diet, homocysteine concentration was the highest in sheep fed ensiled TMR containing traditional sake lees. The negative impacts of ensiling treatment on N digestion and amino acid utilization should be considered for formulating ensiled TMR containing sake lees.

Alfalfa Silage Treated With Sucrose Has an Improved Feed Quality and More Beneficial Bacterial Communities.

Alfalfa silage is one of the main roughages in the production of dairy cow, which can provide nutrition with high quality to improve milk quality and production. Sucrose additions have been widely used to improve the silage quality. In this study, the effects of sucrose on the fermentation quality and bacterial communities of alfalfa silage were investigated here using 0, 0.5, and 1% sucrose ensiling treatments for 15, 30, and 60 days. The ensiling time significantly decreased the crude fiber content and increased the ammonia nitrogen, acetic acid content, and the relative abundance of Enterococcus in the silages. The 1% sucrose-treated silage at 60 days had the lowest neutral detergent fiber acid, acid detergent fiber, and crude fiber content and the highest relative feed value. Moreover, sucrose-treated silage contained less acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid, and had a lower pH than the controls for each duration. Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella, and Enterococcus were the dominant genera in all groups, and the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Lactobacillus was higher in the 1% sucrose-treated group than in the control. These results suggested that sucrose supplementation could improve alfalfa silage quality and increase its beneficial bacterial content.

Effect of additives on fermentation characteristics, nutrient values and &lt;i&gt;in vitro&lt;/i&gt; fermentation profile of &lt;i&gt;Neolamarckia cadamba&lt;/i&gt; leaf silage

This study was designed to investigate the effects of additives on the ensiling characteristics of Neolamarckia cadamba leaf (NCL) silage. The NCL were allocated to six ensiling treatments, namely control (C-S), uncompacted (UC-S) (negative control), with the addition of sodium sulphite (S-S), with propionate (P-S), with citric acid plus sodium acetate (CA-S), and with glucose (G-S). Fermentation parameters, chemical compositions and in vitro fermentation profile of the silages were investigated after 60 days’ storage. Compared with the control, the application of additives improved dry matter recovery (DMR), while UC-S had a poorer DMR. All the silages increased in pH value and acetate content, except for P-S. Lactate concentration was higher in S-S and G-S, and lower in UC-S, P-S, and CA-S. P-S, CA-S, and G-S had increased water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations. Soluble crude protein was higher in UC-S and CA-S. All the treated silage had greater gas production at slower rates, except for S-S. The fermentation of S-S, P-S and CA-S resulted in higher content of short-chain fatty acids and microbial crude protein relative to UC-S. S-S (38.82%) and CA-S (37.89%) had higher organic matter digestibility relative to the control (36.43%). S-S (42.80%) and P-S (43.99%) had higher crude protein digestibility, which was lower in UC-S (30.73%) when compared with the control (37.74%). There was no difference in the predicted available energy of these silages. The low ammonium nitrogen ratio and the high proportion of true protein inferred that protein was well preserved in these silages, even the uncompacted silage. These results suggest that sulphite and organic acids, such as propionate and citrate, could be an option to improve the feed quality of NCL silage, and its great protein conservation deserves more attention. Keywords: feed quality, in vitro technique, Neolamarckia cadamba , ruminant nutrition, silage processing

Synergetic effect of combined ensiling of freshly harvested and excessively wilted maize stover for efficient biogas production

This study investigated the synergetic effects of ensiling freshly harvested maize stover (FHM) and excessively wilted maize stover (EWM) on biogas production. FHM and EWM were mixed in various proportions to obtain dry matter (DM) contents of 30%, 35% and 40%. For reference, FHM alone was ensiled and stored in open-air. Successful storage performance was obtained by the ensiling treatments, and the organic matter loss of 1.1–2.2% was far lower than in open-air storage (63.1%). An initial water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) of 5% DM is adequate for the combined ensiling of maize stover with the highest WSC degradation rate of 81.2%. Combined ensiling enhanced the activity of Weissella, a genus of heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, under relatively high pH conditions. Therefore, the combined ensiling can preserve FHM and enhance the digestibility of EWM (theoretical specific methane yield increased 16.5%), which would be a promising storage strategy for efficient biogas production.

Nutritional comparison between dried and ensiled indigofera, papaya and moringa leaves

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate chemical composition, in vitro fermentation and digestibility of dried and ensiled indigofera, papaya and moringa leaves. The leaves were subjected to artificial drying in an oven at 60oC for 24 h and ensiling treatment for 30 d under room temperature. Dried and ensiled samples were determined for chemical composition, silage fermentation characteristics and in vitro rumen fermentation and digestibility. The experimental design was a factorial design 3 × 2 in which the first factor was different leaves (indigofera, papaya and moringa) and the second factor was conservation treatments (drying and ensiling). Determination of chemical composition was performed in duplicate whereas in vitro evaluation was conducted in three replicates. Results showed that ensiling treatment decreased CP contents of indigofera and moringa but not papaya leaves. Ensiling also decreased NDF and NDICP contents of all experimental leaves in comparison to drying treatment. The pH of all silages was high and they were characterized with high ammonia concentrations. Ensiled indigofera tended to have lower IVDMD and IVOMD as compared to dried indigofera (P&lt;0.1). It can be concluded that ensiling of high protein forages leads to considerable extent of proteolysis.

IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ENSILING AND /OR EXOGENOUS FIBROLYTIC ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION OF DATE PRESS CAKE

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ensiling and /or exogenous fibrolytic enzyme supplementation date press cake using in vitro batch culture technique . Untreated date press cake (DPC) and ensiled DPC with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (ZAD1 and ZAD2) and with or without adding urea compared to corn grains were in vitro evaluated using batch culture technique. DM, NDF and ADF degradation and total gas production as well as fermentation parameters of the incubated samples were determined after 24 h of fermentation. Total VFAs, proportions are not affected (P > 0.05) by any of the treatments. However, value of ammonia concentration was higher (P 0.05) with the ensiling treatments. There were no significant differences in the values of DMD and OMD between the different treatments. But, the values of NDFD and ADFD were increased (P 0.05) between the corn grain and the DPC without any treatments. While, values of metabolizable protein (MP) and efficiency of microbial biomass production (EMP) were increased (p<0.05) with DPC compared to corn grains . There was no significant difference in the rumen activity when using date press cake (DPC) or corn grains. Moreover, the ensiling process did not cause a clear improvement in rumen fermentation.

Effects of ensiling treatment for tuber crop forages and grain source on carbohydrate digestion, nitrogen utilization, and urea metabolism in sheep

This study investigated the effects of formic acid (FA) treatment for ensiling cassava foliage (CF) and sweet potato vine (SPV) with corn or barley grains on ruminal and total tract nutrient digestion, nitrogen (N) utilization, and urea metabolism in sheep. Four wethers fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulae were assigned to a 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with ensiling treatment and grain source as the main effects. Sheep were fed four mixed diets containing the untreated CF and SPV silages with rolled barley or steam- flaked corn, or the FA-treated silages with rolled barley or steam-flaked corn. All experimental diets were formulated to contain 600 g forage (CF silage:SPV silage:oat hay, 150:150:300) and 400 g concentrate per kg dry matter (DM). The diets (120 g crude protein/kg DM; 10.6 and 11.2 MJ metabolizable energy/kg DM for the barley- and corn-based diets, respectively) were provided at 22 g/kg of body weight on a DM basis. The dietary treatments did not affect DM intake, but the total tract DM digestibility was higher for the corn-based diets than for the barley-based diets. The ruminal digestion of non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) was higher (P < 0.01) for the corn-based diets than for the barley-based diets, and tended to be higher (P = 0.08) for the FA-treated silage diets than for the untreated silage diets, which reflected higher NFC content in the FA-treated CF silage than in the untreated silage. The ruminal digestion of neutral detergent fiber was lower (P < 0.05) for the corn-based diets than for the barley-based diets, but was not affected by the ensiling treatment. Ruminal pH and total volatile fatty acid concentration did not differ among the diets, but the ruminal ammonia-N concentration was lower (P < 0.01) for the FA-treated silage diets than for the untreated silage diets. The intake and total digestion of N were higher (P < 0.01) for the corn-based diets than for the barley-based diets, but net ruminal N loss and ruminal microbial N synthesis were similar among the treatments. The urea-N production, determined by constant intravenous infusion of [15N2]urea, was lower (P < 0.05) for the barley-based diets than for the corn-based diets. In conclusion, the use of FA-treated tuber crop silages may increase ruminal NFC digestion and reduce the ruminal ammonia-N concentration. However, the changes in carbohydrate digestion from the FA-treated silages and grain sources had little effect on ruminal microbial N synthesis or ruminal N digestion in sheep.

Enhancement of α‐tocopherol by ensiling in barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum)

AbstractExperiments were conducted to document the enhancement of tocopherol (Toc), the main source of vitamin E in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants, by ensiling. The Toc content of four genotypes of barley and wheat was significantly enhanced by ensiling in plastic bags, and enhancement rates were 109–337% in barley and 331–503% in wheat. The overall enhancement was driven by the α‐form isomer. A significant interaction of ensiling treatment by genotype was not found in the Toc content in either species, indicating that the enhancement of Toc by ensiling was consistent irrespective of genotypes in both crops. Significant Toc enhancement by ensiling was exclusively found in leaves. The enhancement of Toc was also confirmed in round bale silages in both crops, which is prevalent as preservation methods of forages in many countries worldwide. Tocopherol enhancement was speculated to be likely because of the free phytol derived from chlorophyll breakdown, which was released from chlorophyll in leaves during ensiling to be used in the biosynthesis of Toc.

Effect of different methods for conserving rice grain on insitu ruminal degradation and invivo nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation in steers.

We investigated the effects of different rice conservation techniques on insitu ruminal degradation and invivo nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation in steers. Raw rice grain was dried before crushing (DRY), ensiled after crushing (ENS-A), or ensiled before crushing (ENS-B). Six ruminally cannulated steers were used in a replicated 3×3 Latin square design with three dietary treatments: diets containing DRY, ENS-A, or ENS-B at 36% of the dietary dry matter. The insitu rapidly degradable fraction and effective ruminal degradability were higher for ensiled rice than for DRY, and higher for ENS-A than for ENS-B. The ruminal pH was lower and the lactic acid and total volatile acid concentrations were higher for the steers fed ensiled rice than those fed the DRY diet, but a treatment effect was not observed in the comparison between ENS-A and ENS-B. The whole-tract digestibility of crude protein and ether extract was improved when the rice grain was ensiled, but there were no differences in nutrient digestibility between ensiling methods. These results show that ensiling treatment can be a strategy to improve the nutrient value of rice grain, but the ensiling method has little impact on invivo digestion.

Avaliação nutritiva da silagem de cártamo, produção de biomassa, grãos e óleo

Objetivou-se avaliar o valor nutritivo da biomassa de cártamo (Carthamus tinctorium L) submetida à ensilagem em três tratamentos. Foi realizado um ensaio de digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes com ovinos e determinada a composição química e a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (MS) na biomassa e nas silagens obtidas. Também foram quantificadas as produções de MS, grãos e óleo por hectare da cultura do cártamo, sendo a produção de MS de 12,4±4,9 t/ha; grãos de 2,9±1,5 t/ha e a de óleo bruto de 0,7 ±0,2 t/ha. Os tratamentos aplicados à biomassa para ensilagem foram: CiN = cártamo ensilado in natura; CE= cártamo emurchecido (duas horas de exposição ao sol); CPC= cártamo + 5% polpa cítrica. A composição química das silagens nos tratamentos CiN, CE e CPC foi 10,80; 11,15 e 10,07% de proteína bruta (PB), 55,22; 55,40 e 52,20% de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e 55,60; 53,45 e 57,87% de digestibilidade in vitro da MS, respectivamente. O ensaio foi feito em delineamento em blocos completos casualizados, utilizando-se o peso dos animais como blocos. A digestibilidade aparente da MS das silagens foi 55,96; 55,54 e 57,94%, e de nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT) de 57,62; 57,49; 57,87%, respectivamente para os tratamentos CiN, CE e CPC. Os resultados indicam que o cártamo conservado como silagem pode ser utilizado na dieta de ruminantes como alternativa a volumosos de qualidade, entretanto os tratamentos utilizados para a ensilagem da biomassa não apresentaram diferenças que justifiquem sua aplicação no que diz respeito às avaliações fisico-químicas, consumo e digestibilidade dos nutrientes das silagens.

Advanced green biorefining: effects of ensiling treatments on lactic acid production, microbial activity and supplementary methane formation of grass and rye

For a more eco-friendly production of energy and chemicals (e.g. lactic acid), green biorefineries are implementing an environmentally conscious technique of using green biomass. To increase the amount of lactic acid in grass and rye silage, different ensiling treatments were conducted. Additionally, after separating the organic juice, the specific methane yield of the remaining solid residue of the ensiled material was determined. The amount of lactic acid was increased by 168.8 % (149.7 ± 20.9 g kg−1 dry matter (DM)) through applying homofermentative lactic acid bacteria together with carbonated lime to the raw material grass. For rye, while having a stable silage, the highest increase in lactic acid was achieved by chopping the raw material to a theoretical length of cut of 1 mm. As a result, an increase of 46.3 % (57.5 ± 0.6 g kg−1 DM) was attained. Taxonomic profiling by 16S amplicon sequencing revealed that the homofermentative species Lactobacillus plantarum was the most dominant species on both substrates with highest lactic acid production rate, though its growth on rye led to unstable silage conditions with butyric acid producing Clostridia. The specific methane yields of the corresponding solid residues were determined to be 335.7 ± 7.2 lN kg−1 organic dry matter (ODM) for grass and at 235.0 ± 2.6 lN kg−1 ODM for rye.

Effect of ensiling treatment on secondary compounds and amino acid profile of tropical forage legumes, and implications for their pig feeding potential

Smallholders in the tropics depend on local protein supplements to balance pig diets. Thus, various tropical forage legumes are a potential feeding option. Ensiling allows converting forages into a ready-to-feed-out choice, but the lactic acid fermentation may influence various (anti)nutritional components. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of sucrose (SU) and a tropical Lactobacillus plantarum strain (LAB) as ensiling treatments (control, SU, LAB, LAB + SU) on the potential nutrient availability of 10 forage legume species. Ensiling commonly reduced antinutritional compounds such as tannins (by 49-84%) and trypsin inhibitory activity (by 74-78%), as well as oxalic acid (by 51-100%). An improved potential absorbability of protein and minerals for pigs is thus inferred. There was no major loss in total amino acids. In general, the species effect was stronger than the treatment effect. A clear effect of the treatments SU, LAB and LAB + SU over all 10 forage species was only observed for oxalic acid, single amino acids and trypsin inhibitory activity. Ensiling is a viable option to enhance nutrient utilization of tropical forages for pigs. Species-specific treatment of forage legumes is recommended.

Soybean milk residue ensiled with peanut hulls: fermentation acids, cell wall composition, and silage utilization by mixed ruminal microorganisms

Preservation of soybean milk residue (SMR) by ensiling with peanut hulls (PEH) and subsequent utilization of silage by mixed ruminal microorganisms were investigated. Treatments were combinations of SMR with PEH at the following ratios: 100:0, 78:22, 71:29, and 60:40 (fresh weight basis). After eight weeks of ensiling, silage lactic acid, crude protein, ether extract, and non-fiber carbohydrates were highest when SMR was ensiled alone and reduced as amounts of SMR decreased. Similar trends were observed for silage in vitro dry matter digestibility, and gas and volatile fatty acid production by ruminal microorganisms. Conversely, silage pH, dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose, and lignin increased accordingly. The ensiling treatment appeared to alter silage cell wall composition. In particular, silage treated with PEH at the low level (78:22) resulted in reduced fiber contents and lignification. The silage (SMR:PEH = 78:22) had enhanced efficiency of both silage fermentation and in vitro ruminal fermentation pattern.

Enterobacteria associated with grass and silages

Enterobacteria were isolated from grass and silages and identified by the API 20E system. The effects of various ensiling treatments on their numbers and types were determined. The enterobacteria appear to follow a pattern of succession. Erwinia herbicola and Rahnella aquitilis dominated on fresh grass but after ensiling were rapidly superseded by Hafnia alvei, and finally Escherichia coli. Serratia fonticola may appear early on if the pH falls very rapidly.

QUALITY OF TIMOTHY, BROMEGRASS AND ORCHARDGRASS SILAGES AS INFLUENCED BY N FERTILIZATION, HARVEST AND ENSILING TREATMENT

The effects of two rates of nitrogen fertilization on the quality of silages, made of primary growth and aftermath of timothy (Phleum pratense L.), bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) were determined. Wilted and unwilted forage and unwilted forage that was treated with formic acid or formic acid plus formaldehyde were included. All grasses, and especially those fertilized with 132 kg N/ha, were low in water-soluble carbohydrates. The addition of formic acid resulted in good quality silages with low pH’s, ammonium-N and fermentation acid contents. Formaldehyde further reduced ammonium-N in the silages. Silages from wilted and unwilted forages without preservatives had higher pH’s, ammonium-N and fermentation acid contents than those with preservatives, but most of these silages were considered to be satisfactory quality. The quality of silages was influenced less by the rates of N or harvest dates than by the ensiling treatments.