Fermentation Quality Of Silage Research Articles

Effect of epiphytic microflora after aerobic enrichment and reconstitution on fermentation quality and microbial community of corn stalk silage and Pennisetum sinese silage.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of enrichment and reconstitution of the forage epiphytic microflora on the fermentation quality, chemical composition, and bacterial community composition of corn stalk and Pennisetum sinese silages. The forage juice of fresh corn stalk and P. sinese were collected, diluted by gradient (10-1 to 10-5), and aerobically incubated to enrich and reconstitute the epiphytic microflora. Fresh corn stalk and P. sinese were ensiled for 3, 15, and 45 days after inoculation with either the original (D0) pre-incubated juices, or 10-1 (D1), 10-3 (D3), or 10-5 (D5) diluted and pre-incubated juices. The lowest pH was found in the D3 treatment of the corn stalk silage. In P. sinese silage, the hemicellulose content of D3 and D5 treatments was 9.50 and 11.81% lower than that of D0 treatment (P < 0.05). In corn stalk silage, the neutral detergent fiber content was significantly lower in the D3 treatment than in the other treatments (P < 0.05). Both corn stalk and P. sinese silages exhibited a high abundance of Enterobacter during ensiling, resulting in high levels of acetic acid. Although the dilution and enrichment of the epiphytic microflora did not lead to full lactic acid fermentation, these pre-treatments were found to alter the microbial metabolites and chemical composition of the silage. These results provide a new perspective on the production of pre-fermented silage inoculant.

Fermentation quality, bacterial community, and predicted functional profiles in silage prepared with alfalfa, perennial ryegrass and their mixture in the karst region.

There is little information regarding the dynamics of fermentation products and the bacterial community in silage prepared with alfalfa (MS), perennial ryegrass (LP), and their mixture in the karst region. In this study, we explored the effects of combining MS with LP in different ratios (100% MS, 70% MS + 30% LP, 50% MS + 50% LP, 30% MS + 70% LP and 100% LP; fresh matter basis) on silage chemical composition, fermentation quality, bacterial communities and predicted functions during the ensiling process. Each treatment was prepared in triplicate and stored at room temperature (22-25°C) for 7, 15, and 45 days. The dry matter (DM) and water-soluble carbohydrate content of the silages increased as the LP proportion in the mixed silage increased; at 45 days, the 70% MS + 30% LP, 50% MS + 50% LP and 30% MS + 70% LP silages contained higher (p < 0.05) CP content than the 100% MS and 100% LP silages. The 30% MS + 70% LP and 100% LP silages exhibited lower (p < 0.05) pH and higher (p < 0.05) LA content than the other silages; at 45 days, none of the silages contained PA or BA. As fermentation proceeded, the abundance of harmful (Enterobacteriaceae and Sphingomonas) and beneficial (Lentilactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, Secundilactobacillus, and Levilactobacillus) microorganisms decreased and increased, respectively, as the LP proportion in the mixed silage increased. The predicted functional distribution of microbial communities and metabolic pathways revealed that the 30% MS + 70% LP and 100% LP silages had a stronger capacity for fermentation and a weaker capacity for nitrate reduction than the other silages. Moreover, as the fermentation proceeded, the 30% MS + 70% LP and 100% LP treatments enhanced the functions of "Metabolism," "Genetic information processing" and "Organismal systems" at level 1, the functions of "Amino acid metabolism" and "Nucleotide metabolism" at level 2, and the functions of "Metabolic pathways," "Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites," "Biosynthesis of antibiotics" and "Purine metabolism" at level 3. Thus, adding LP could improve the fermentation quality of MS silage by changing the composition and metabolic function of microbes; furthermore, ensiling 30% alfalfa with 70% ryegrass can produce high-quality silage in the karst region.

Effects of additives on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of silage prepared from fresh-cut whole-plant quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa willd.)

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different additives on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of silage prepared from fresh-cut whole-plant quinoa (WPQ). Fresh-cut WPQ without wilting process was directly ensiled with one of the following additives: (i) untreated (control); (ii) fibrolytic enzyme (E); (iii) molasses (M); (iv) LAB inoculant (L); (v) a combination of fibrolytic enzyme and LAB inoculant (EL); and (vi) a combination of molasses and LAB inoculant (ML). The fermentation quality and bacterial community after 60 days of ensiling were analysed. The results showed that control silage was dominated by enterobacteria (>50%), with high pH value (5.25), acetic acid (77.9 g/kg DM) and NH3–N production (261 g/kg TN). Adding E, EL and ML shifted the fermentation pattern towards increased intensity of lactic acid production, as indicated by increased lactic acid content (>62.4 g/kg DM), lactic/acetic acid ratio (>1.12) and relative abundance of Lactobacillus (>62.0%), and decreased pH value (<4.73), contents of acetic acid (<60.7 g/kg DM) and NH3-N (<179 g/kg TN) and the relative abundance of enterobacteria. The results suggested that treatments of E, EL and ML could be the feasible solutions for improving the fermentation quality and protein preservation of silage prepared from fresh-cut WPQ. The results of this study could be beneficial for producing high-quality WPQ silage in aeras where wilting is hard to conduct before ensiling. HIGHLIGHTS WPQ silage was prone to acetic acid-type fermentation dominated by enterobacteria. Adding E, EL and ML improved the lactic acid fermentation and protein preservation of fresh-cut WPQ silage. This study provided feasible solutions for producing high-quality WPQ silage under adverse climate conditions.

Effects of developmental stage and store time on the microbial community and fermentation quality of sweet sorghum silage

This study investigated the effects of developmental stage and store time on the chemical composition, microbial community, co-occurrence networks and fermentation characteristics of sweet sorghum silage. Sweet sorghum harvested at two developmental stages (heading stage, S1; hard dough stage, S2) was treated as follows: (I) natural fermentation of S1 (NS1); (II) natural fermentation of S2 (NS2) and ensiled for 1, 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 days. After 60 days of ensiling, NS2 silage had higher lactic acid concentration and the ratio of lactic to acetic acid, and lower pH value and acetic acid concentration than NS1 silage. Meanwhile, NS2 silage also had higher ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) content than NS1 silage, but the NH3-N content of both treatments was lower than 100 g/kg TN. Leuconostoc and Lactococcus were respectively dominant in both 7-day NS1 and NS2 silages, while Lactobacillus was the most abundant genus in 30-day NS1 and NS2 silages. The developmental stage altered the bacterial co-occurrence networks of fresh and ensiled sweet sorghum. Spearman’s correlation heatmap showed that the higher lactic acid content and ratio of lactic to acetic acid in NS2 silage could be associated with the higher water-soluble carbohydrate content in S2 material, the higher abundance of Lactococcus in the initial phase of ensiling and the higher abundance of Lactobacillus in the late phase of ensiling. These results concluded that the sweet sorghum harvested at the hard dough stage is preferred for silage production over the sweet sorghum harvested at the heading stage. HIGHLIGHTS Microbial succession pattern was studied on fresh and ensiled samples. Growth stage affected the chemical and microbial parameters of sweet sorghum. Epiphytic microbiota was correlated with the chemical composition of forage. Metagenomic sequencing showed Lactobacillus was dominated in all silages. Growth stage accelerated the fermentation of sweet sorghum silage.

Dry matter recovery, ensiling characteristics and aerobic stability of oat silage treated with microbial inoculants at different temperatures

ABSTRACT To evaluate the effects of temperature and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculants on oat silage in Loess Plateau of China, oat was harvested at dough stage, inoculated without (Control) or with LAB inoculants Synlac I (SLI, Lactobacillus plantarum and Pedioccocus acidilactici) and a selected strain HT1 (L. rhamnosus) and ensiled at 25°C (T25), 35°C (T35) and 45°C (T45). The fermentation quality was measured after 60 d of ensiling and the aerobic exposure was conducted at 30°C for 9 d. The results showed that control silage (stored at 25°C) had better fermentation quality than that ensiled at 35°C or 45°C. High temperature of 45°C resulted in sharp decreases in LAB counts and lactic acid concentration and increases in pH and NH3-N concentration in the control group. Inoculation improved the fermentation quality, and HT1 was more effective than SLI at 35°C and 45°C, while SLI showed better performance at 25°C. All silages displayed mild fluctuation for all treatments at the first 3 d of aerobic exposure, and significant differences were observed among treatments after that. Both control and inoculated silages stored at 25°C showed a sharp pH increase, while HT1 treated silages stored at 35°C and 45°C maintained stable pH and better fermentation quality during the aerobic exposure. In conclusion, SLI was suitable for oat silage fermentation at normal atmospheric temperature (25°C), while HT1 was more effective in improving DM recovery, fermentation quality and aerobic stability of oat silage at high temperature during summer in the Loess Plateau of China.

Effect of exogenous microorganisms on the fermentation quality, nitrate degradation and bacterial community of sorghum-sudangrass silage

This study aims to investigate the effects of adding Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), Lactobacillus brevis (LBR) and Bacillus subtilis (BS) on the fermentation quality, nitrate degradation and bacterial community of sorghum-sudangrass silage. The results showed that the addition of LB significantly increased the pH and acetic acid content (p < 0.05), but high-quality silage was obtained. The addition of LBR and BS improved the fermentation quality of sorghum-sudangrass silage. The use of additives reduced the nitrate content in sorghum-sudangrass silage. The LB group increased the release of N2O at 3-7 days of ensiling (p < 0.05), and LBR and BS increased the release of N2O at 1-40 days of ensiling (p < 0.05). On the first day of ensiling, all silages were dominated by Weisslla, over 3 days of ensiling all silages were dominated by Lactobacillus. Acinetobacter, Serratia, Aquabacterium, and unclassified_f_enterobacteriaceae showed significant negative correlations with nitrate degradation during sorghum-sudangrass ensiling (p < 0.05). The BS and LBR groups increased the metabolic abundance of denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction, and assimilatory nitrate reduction (p < 0.05). Overall, the additive ensures the fermentation quality of sorghum-sudangrass silage and promotes the degradation of nitrate by altering the bacterial community.

Effect of different organic acid additives on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) silage.

To investigate the effects of different organic acid additives and their concentrations on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of paper mulberry silage, paper mulberry was left untreated (control) or was treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), propionic acid (PA) or citric acid (CA), the amount of each additive was 2 g.kg-1 FM, 5 g.kg-1 FM and g.kg-1 FM. All groups were ensiled for 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 days. Compared to the control, adding EDTA reduced protein breakdown, preserved more water-soluble carbohydrates of the silages (WSCs, 24.74 g.kg-1 DM), and high concentrations of EDTA inhibited the activity of undesirable microorganisms. Adding PA increased the abundance of Lactiplantibacillus and decreased the abundance of Enterococcus, and it caused a rapid decrease in the pH of the silage at an early stage (from 6.50 to 5.31) while altering the microbiota, and low concentrations of PA resulted in high LA (66.22 g.kg-1 DM) concentration and low PA (9.92 g.kg-1 DM) concentration at 60 days of ensiling. Different concentrations of additives altered the microbial community of paper mulberry to different degrees. High concentrations of PA and CA can increase the abundance of Lactiplantibacillus. High concentrations of CA resulted in a rapid decrease in silage pH at an early stage and higher WSC concentration. These results suggest that EDTA, PA and CA can be used as additives to improve the quality of paper mulberry silage.

Effect of lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and their mixture on the chemical composition, fermentation quality, and bacterial community of cellulase-treated Pennisetum sinese silage.

The present study investigated the effects of Lentilactobacillus buchneri, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and a mixture of the two on the cellulose degradation and microbial community of cellulase-treated Pennisetum sinese (CTPS) during biological pretreatment. The CTPS was stored without additives (CK) or with L. buchneri (L), yeast (Y, S. cerevisiae), and their mixture (LY) under anaerobic conditions for 60 days. All inoculants enhanced the anaerobic fermentation of CTPS. In relative to L, inoculations with Y and LY decreased the cellulose level of fermented-CTPS by 8.90 ~ 17.13%. Inoculation with L inhibited the growth of Weissella cibaria during anaerobic storage. However, inoculations with LY increased the relative abundance of the homofermentative bacterium Lactiplantibacillus plantarum by 6.04%. Therefore, inoculating S. cerevisiae reduced the adverse effects of L. buchneri-stimulated fermentation on cellulose degradation by altering the bacterial community during anaerobic storage of P. sinese. This work provides a new insight for the subsequent anaerobic digestion of P. sinese.

Effects of antibacterial peptide-producing Bacillus subtilis, gallic acid, and cellulase on fermentation quality and bacterial community of whole-plant corn silage.

In the current study, we assessed the effects of antibacterial peptide-producing Bacillus subtilis (BS), gallic acid (GA) and cellulase (CL) on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of various varieties of whole-plant corn silage. Three different varieties of whole-plant corn (Yuqing386, Enxiai298, and Nonghe35) were treated with 0.02% BS (fresh material basis), 0.2% GA (fresh material basis) and 0.02% CL (fresh material basis), after which 45 days of anaerobic fermentation were conducted. With the exception of its low dry matter content, the results showed that Yuqing386's crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrate, and lactic acid contents were significantly higher than those of the other two corn varieties. However, its acid detergent fiber and cellulose contents were significantly lower than those of the other two corn varieties. Among the three corn variety silages, Yuqing386 had the highest relative abundance of Lactobacillus at the genus level and the biggest relative abundance of Firmicutes at the phylum level. In addition, the three additives markedly enhanced the quantity of dry matter and crude protein as compared to the control group. The application of GA considerably decreased the level of neutral detergent fiber while significantly increasing the content of lactic acid and water-soluble carbohydrates. Even though all additives enhanced the structure of the bacterial community following silage, the GA group experienced the greatest enhancement. On a phylum and genus level, the GA group contains the highest relative abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus, respectively. Overall, of the three corn varieties, Yuqing386 provides the best silage qualities. GA has the biggest impact among the additions employed in this experiment to enhance the nutritional preservation and fermentation quality of whole-plant corn silage.

The effects of epiphytic microbiota and chemical composition of Italian ryegrass harvested at different growth stages on silage fermentation.

The influence of epiphytic microbiota and chemical composition on fermentation quality and microbial community of Italian ryegrass silage was evaluated. Italian ryegrass harvested at the filling stage (FS) and the dough stage (DS) was sterilized by gamma-ray irradiation and inoculated as follows: (I) FS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated FS (FF); (II) FS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated DS (FD); (III) DS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated DS (DD); (IV) DS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated FS (DF). After 60 days of ensiling, silage made from irradiated FS had a lower pH and ammonia nitrogen (NH3 -N) content and a higher lactic acid (LA) content than that made from irradiated DS. Similarly, silage inoculated with the epiphytic microbiota of DS had a lower pH and NH3 -N content and a higher LA content than that inoculated with the epiphytic microbiota of FS. However, LA-type fermentation (lactic acid:acetic acid > 2:1) was presented at DF and DD. The principal coordinates analysis showed that the distance between FF and DF and FD and DD was closer than other treatments, suggesting that the microbial community of silages made from irradiated FS (or DS) was more similar. The epiphytic microbiota played a more important role in the fermentation type, whereas the chemical composition had a great influence on the contents of fermentation end-products. However, chemical composition had a stronger effect on the microbial community of silage than the epiphytic microbiota. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Microbiome of rehydrated corn and sorghum grain silages treated with microbial inoculants in different fermentation periods

Due to the co-evolved intricate relationships and mutual influence between changes in the microbiome and silage fermentation quality, we explored the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum and Propionibacterium acidipropionici (Inoc1) or Lactobacillus buchneri (Inoc2) inoculants on the diversity and bacterial and fungal community succession of rehydrated corn (CG) and sorghum (SG) grains and their silages using Illumina Miseq sequencing after 0, 3, 7, 21, 90, and 360 days of fermentation. The effects of inoculants on bacterial and fungal succession differed among the grains. Lactobacillus and Weissella species were the main bacteria involved in the fermentation of rehydrated corn and sorghum grain silage. Aspergillus spp. mold was predominant in rehydrated CG fermentation, while the yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus was the major fungus in rehydrated SG silages. The Inoc1 was more efficient than CTRL and Inoc2 in promoting the sharp growth of Lactobacillus spp. and maintaining the stability of the bacterial community during long periods of storage in both grain silages. However, the bacterial and fungal communities of rehydrated corn and sorghum grain silages did not remain stable after 360 days of storage.

Effects of laccase and lactic acid bacteria on the fermentation quality, nutrient composition, enzymatic hydrolysis, and bacterial community of alfalfa silage.

Ensiling has long been as a mainstream technology of preserving forage for ruminant production. This study investigated the effects of bioaugmented ensiling with laccase and Pediococcus pentosaceus on the fermentation quality, nutritive value, enzymatic hydrolysis, and bacterial community of alfalfa. The application of laccase and Pediococcus pentosaceus combination was more potent in modulating the fermentation quality of silage than laccase and Pediococcus pentosaceus alone, as indicated by higher lactic acid contents and lactic acid to acetic acid ratios, and lower pH, dry matter losses, and ammonia nitrogen contents. Moreover, treatments with additive enhanced protein preservation and structural carbohydrate degradation, while increasing true protein and water-soluble carbohydrate contents. By promoting lignin degradation, treatments containing laccase further facilitated the release of sugars from cellulose compared with treatment with Pediococcus pentosaceus alone. The additive treatments reduced the bacterial diversity and optimized the bacterial community composition of silage, with an increase in the relative abundance of desirable Lactobacillus and a decrease in the relative abundance of undesirable Enterobacter and Klebsiella. PICRUSt functional prediction based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases revealed that PL and LPL treatments increased the metabolism of membrane transport, carbohydrate, and terpenoids and polyketides related to fermentation activities. It can be concluded that bioaugmented ensiling with laccase and Pediococcus pentosaceus combination can be an effective and practical strategy to improve silage fermentation and nutrient preservation of alfalfa silage.

Effects of Sour Yogurt as an Alternative Additive in Second Crop Corn Silage

In this study, we evaluated the influence of sour yogurt as a natural microbial inoculant in second-crop corn silages. For this purpose, two trials with different dilution rates were conducted. In Trial I, the groups 10 g sour yogurt + 5 g distilled water (SY10-2), 20 g sour yogurt + 10 g distilled water (SY20-2), 30 g sour yogurt + 15 g distilled water (SY30-2), 40 g sour yogurt + 20 g distilled water (SY40-2), 50 g sour yogurt + 25 g distilled water (SY50-2) and no additives were added to the control (CON) group. The groups in Trial II, 10 g sour yogurt + 10 g distilled water (SY10-1), 20 g sour yogurt + 20 g distilled water (SY20-1), 30 g sour yogurt + 30 g distilled water (SY30-1), 40 g sour yogurt + 40 g distilled water (SY40-1), 50 g sour yogurt + 50 g distilled water (SY50-1) and 10 g of distilled water were added to the control (WCON) group. For the silages opened on the 90th day of ensiling, the highest lactic acid content was determined in the SY20-2 and SY20-1 groups (p &lt; 0.05). The lowest amount of ammonia nitrogen was in the SY30-2 group (p &lt; 0.05). In the aerobic period, the SY10-2 and SY20-2 groups remained more stable than the others. As a result, the SY20-2, SY30-2, SY20-1, and SY30-1 groups improved the fermentation quality of corn silages, but the effect on aerobic stability was not significant and was similarly found with the homofermentative bacterial inoculants.

Effect of Storage Period on the Fermentation Profile and Bacterial Community of Silage Prepared with Alfalfa, Whole-Plant Corn and Their Mixture

This study aimed to investigate the impact of storage time on the bacterial community and fermentation profile of silage prepared with alfalfa, whole-plant corn, and their mixture. Fresh alfalfa and whole-plant corn were chopped and combined in fresh weight ratios of 1:0 (alfalfa, control), 0.8:0.2 (M1), 0.6:0.4 (M2), and 0:1 (corn). Three silos of each treatment were analyzed after 30, 60, and 90 d of storage. With storage time, pH, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and ammonia nitrogen levels increased in alfalfa silage (p &lt; 0.01), whereas lactic acid level decreased (p &lt; 0.01). Compared to alfalfa silage, M1, M2, and corn silages were better fermented and more stable during storage. The dominant bacteria in M1, M2, and corn silages shifted significantly from L. plantarum, L. buchneri, and L. brevis to L. acetotolerans and L. buchneri during 30 to 60–90 d of storage, and storage time decreased the bacterial diversity of these silages. In conclusion, storage time significantly decreased the fermentation quality of alfalfa silage and remarkably optimized the bacterial community structure of well-fermented M1, M2, and corn silages. Alfalfa should be ensiled with at least 20% whole-plant corn to improve silage fermentation quality and storage stability.

Effects of different cutting methods and additives on the fermentation quality and microbial community of Saccharum arundinaceum silage.

To develop a new high-yielding and polysaccharide-containing forage resource for livestock, the effects of different cutting methods and additives on Saccharum arundinaceum silage were evaluated. The wilted S. arundinaceum were chopped and knead-wired. The silages from each cutting method were treated with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), cellulase (CE) and the combination of LP and CE (LP + CE) for 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days. Compared with the CK treatment, CE treatment exhibited better effects in the degradation of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), LP exhibited a better performance in preserving the content of dry matter (DM), and adding LP + CE significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) the contents of lactic acid (LA), crude protein (CP) and DM and significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the pH and NDF content during ensiling. In addition, both additives exerted a remarkable effect on the silage bacterial community (P < 0.05), with a dramatic increase in the Lactobacillus abundance and a decrease in the abundance of Enterobacter. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) became the most dominant bacteria that affected the fermentation quality of LP and LP + CE silages. Meanwhile, chopped silages showed better fermentation quality and nutrient preservation and a higher abundance of LAB. Our research indicated that the chopped S. arundinaceum ensiling with LP + CE could exert a positive effect on LA fermentation and preservation of nutrient substances by shifting the bacterial community. In conclusion, S. arundinaceum can serve as a new silage resource for feed utilization by the ensiling method of LP + CE-chopped.

Tannin tolerance lactic acid bacteria screening and their effects on fermentation quality of stylo and soybean silages.

Some excellent legume forages are difficult to ensile naturally due to their high buffering capacity and low water-soluble carbohydrate content. This may cause serious problems like proteolysis. In the present study, strains of lactic acid bacteria with high acid productivity and high tannin tolerance were screened from different silages and combined with tannic acid (TA) as an addition to ensiling. The screened strains were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), with four of these strains then selected for their high tannin tolerance. Stylosanthes guianensis and whole-plant soybean (WPS) were ensiled with 1 and 2% (fresh matter basis) TA, four LP strains alone (6 log10 colony forming units per gram of fresh matter), or TA combined with LP strains. Fermentation parameters and in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics were analyzed after 30 days of fermentation. The results showed that TA + LP can be used to reduce pH values (P < 0.01), non-protein nitrogen (P < 0.01), and ammonia-nitrogen (P < 0.01). The in vitro crude protein digestibility of WPS silage was also decreased with the addition of TA + LP (P < 0.01). These results indicate that the addition of TA combined with tannin tolerance LP strains may improve the fermentation quality of legume silage, especially for reducing proteolysis.

Effect of tea polyphenols on the fermentation quality, protein preservation, antioxidant capacity and bacterial community of stylo silage.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the improvement potential of tea polyphenols (TPP) on silage characteristics and bacterial community. Stylo ensiled with TPP (0, 0.2 or 0.4%, on a fresh basis) were analyzed for fermentation parameter, protein fraction, antioxidant activity and bacterial community after 7, 14, 30 and 60 days fermentation. The addition of TPP resulted in the decrease (P < 0.05) of pH values (5.09 vs. 4.91), dry matter loss (11.77 vs. 8.02% DM), butyric acid concentration (1.64 vs. 1.02% DM) and ammonia-N proportion (13.69 vs. 8.98% CP, on Day 30) of stylo silage as well as the increase (P < 0.01) of lactic acid bacteria population (6.17 vs. 7.54 cfu/g FM) and true protein content (6.03 vs. 7.44% DM), particularly at the first 30 days of ensiling. It somewhat enhanced the antioxidant capacity of style silage at the early stage, and altered the bacterial community of stylo silage, with Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and Lachnoclostridium_5 much decreased but Enterobacter and Clostridium still being the dominant genera. It is suggested that TPP could help improve fermentation quality and nutrient preservation of stylo silage, and delay proteolysis process and antioxidant decay.

The effect of cultivar and stage of growth on the fermentation, aerobic stability and nutritive value of ensiled Quinoa

Quinoa can be an important source of silage as an alternative forage crop. However, there is limited information on the ensiling of quinoa. This study aimed to investigate the silage fermentation quality, nutritive value and aerobic stability of quinoa cultivars harvested at different plant growing stages. The experiment was carried out in experimental area of the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture in 2019 and 2020 growing seasons. The experiment was laid out in a split plot in randomized block design with three replications, three main plots were harvesting times (flowering, milky and dough stages) and five sub-plots were cultivars (Mint Vanilla, Cherry Vanilla, French Vanilla, Red Head and Titicaca). Traits such as pH, ammonia nitrogen, lactic acid bacteria, lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, propionic acid, ethanol, dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, crude protein, ash, ether extract, water soluble carbohydrate and relative feed value were investigated to determine silage fermentation quality and nutritive value. In addition, all silages were evaluated in terms of aerobic stability. Among the evaluated quinoa cultivars in terms of fermentation quality, cv. Titicaca and cv. French Vanilla provided superior results compared to other cultivars. It was also determined that it would be more appropriate to harvest these superior quinoa cultivars during the dough stage for quality silage. Among the silages, the cv. Titicaca had the best aerobic stability. As a result of this study, it was concluded that cv. French Vanilla and cv. Titicaca should be harvested during the dough stage to obtain better silage quality. According to the results of this study, it was deduced that the quinoa plant could be an alternative ensiling crop.

The Use of Whey Powder Additions for Grass Silage: Effects on Nutrient Content, Fermentation Properties and Aerobic Stability

The aim of this study was to determine the nutrient content, fermentation properties, and aerobic stability of grass ensiled with the addition of different doses of whey powder. Freshly cut grasses (Festuca arundinacea, Festuca rubra, Poa pratensis, and Lolium perenne) were ensiled with the addition of whey powder at a rate of 0, 2, 4, and 6% in the laboratory in 1.5-liter plastic jars with 4 replications. At the end of the 60-day ensiling period, the nutrient content, fermentation properties, and aerobic stability values of silages were investigated. The pH measurements revealed that the silages were of high quality. Although dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) values increased depending on the increase in whey powder rate in the silages, crude ash (CA), ADF, and NDF values decreased. The lowest pH and the highest Fleig Score (FS) were obtained in silage with a 6% whey powder addition. Except in the control group, no mold formation was detected in silage groups after the seven-day aerobic stability test. As a result, different mixing ratios of grass and whey powder did not cause negative results in silages and increased the quality. According to Fleig scores and aerobic stability results, the best quality silages were obtained from silages with 4 and 6% whey powder additions. It was concluded that the ensiling of grass with whey powder was effective in improving the nutritional and fermentation quality of silages and provided a partial solution to environmental pollution.

Yogurt and molasses can alter microbial-digestive and nutritional characteristics of pomegranate leaves silage

Fewer studies in recent years have been conducted on the nutritional potential and fermentation quality of silage prepared from pomegranate leaves (PL). So, we investigated the nutritional-fermentation quality of PL before and after ensiling with or without yogurt containing mainly lactic acid-producing bacteria (Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles) and molasses (at two levels of 2 and 4% of dry matter) in the polyethylene microsilos for 60 days. A range of dry matter (29.1–39.1%), crude protein (3.85–4.83%), ash (5.33–8.60%), and non-fiber carbohydrates (53.2%–58.6%) contents were observed among the treatments. A significant increase in calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc was observed in PL after ensiling compared to before ensiling (p < 0.05). The PL ensiled with 4% yogurt exhibited the highest ammonia nitrogen, lactic and acetic acids, but the lowest butyric acid among the ensiled PL (p < 0.05). The ensiling of PL without additive (control) significantly decreased potential gas production, dry matter digestibility, organic matter digestibility, total volatile fatty acids, metabolizable energy, net energy for lactation, base-buffering capacity, titratable alkalinity, and acid–base buffering capacity compared to before ensiling (p < 0.05). According to the present results, the nutritional value of PL before ensiling was higher than after ensiling. The addition of yogurt and molasses to PL at the ensiling process especially at 4% of dry matter, improved the fermentation and nutritional characteristics. In general, the addition of yogurt or molasses as two cheap and available additives is recommended to improve the digestive-fermentation parameters of PL in silo and ruminal environments.