Effects of formic acid and corn flour supplementation of banana pseudostem silages on nutritional quality of silage,growth,digestion,rumen fermentation and cellulolytic bacterial community of Nubian black goats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding formic acid and corn flour supplementation to banana pseudostem silages on the nutritional quality of these silages,growth,digestion,rumen fermentation and cellulolytic bacterial community of Nubian black goats fed these silages.Banana pseudostem silage was prepared either conventionally without any additives(CON)or mixed with 0.6% formic acid(F),10% corn flour(C),or both(F+C).Four experimental diets containing 40% of the corresponding silages were designed with roughage to concentrate ratio of 50:50(dry matter(DM)basis).A total of 48 Nubian black castrated goats(body weight(BW),(22.64±1.82)kg;4-mon-old)were randomized into one of the four treatment groups with 12 replicates of one castrated goat per replicate for each treatment in a completely randomized design.Each group was fed on one of the four experimental diets for 40 days.A factorial arrangement of treatments of 2(formic acid levels:0 and 0.6%)×2(corn flour:0 and 10%)was adopted.Formic acid supplementation increased(P<0.05)average daily gain,as well as lactic acid,propionate and butyric acid and water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations,but decreased(P<0.05)the feed conversion rate,pH value,acetate/propionate ratio,and butyric acid concentration relative to the CON group.Corn flour supplementation increased(P<0.05)the apparent digestibility of crude protein,neutral detergent fiber,and non-fibrous carbohydrate and Fibrobacter succinogenes,Ruminococcus albus,and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens populations,but decreased(P<0.05)the Ruminococcus flavefaciens population relative to the CON group.There were no F×C treatment interactions(P>0.05)for any of the other indices except for the apparent digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrate(NFC)(P<0.05).The results demonstrated that adding 0.6% formic acid and 10% corn flour supplementation to banana pseudostem silages improved the nutritional quality of these silages and enhanced the growth performance of Nubian black castrated goats by improving apparent nutrient digestibility,and regulating ruminal fermentation and bacteria populations.

Effects of ensiling processes and antioxidants on fatty acid concentrations and compositions in corn silages

Background： Corn silage is the main dietary component used for ruminant breeding in China and is an important dietary source of fatty acids for these animals. However, little is known regarding effective means to protect the fatty acid （FA） contents in silages. In this study, we examined the changes in FA contents and compositions during corn ensiling and screened several antioxidants for their inhibition of lipid oxidation during corn ensiling. Methods： We conducted two different experiments. In Experiment 1, corn was ensiled in 30 polyethylene bottles （bottle volume： 1 L, silage density： 600 g/dm3） and three bottles were opened at 0.5 d, 1 d, 1.5 d, 2 d, 2.5 d, 3 d, 5 d, 7 d, 14 d, and 28 d after ensiling. In Experiment 2, corn was treated with various antioxidants： （1） No additives （CK）; （2） BHA （Butylated hydroxyanisole）; （3） TBHQ （Tertiary butyl hydroquinone）; （4） TPP （Tea polyphenols）; and （5） VE （Vitamin E）. These treatments were applied at 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of fresh weight with each treatment replicated 3 times. Results： During ensiling in Experiment 1, saturated fatty acids （SFA; C16：0 and C18：0） and malondialdehyde （MDA） contents tended to increase, whereas unsaturated fatty acids （UFA; C18：1, C18：2 and C1 8：3） tended to decrease. However, these changes were only significant on the first 2 days of ensiling. In Experiment 2, all of the antioxidants tested affected the total FA contents and those of unsaturated fatty acids （C1 8：1, C18：2 and C18：3） and MDA. The effects of TBHQ and TPP were greater than those of the other antioxidants. Conclusions; The reduced total FA contents in corn silages were due to unsaturated fatty acids＇ oxidation during the early stages of ensiling. Adding an antioxidant could prevent fattv acids＇ oxidation in corn silages.

Novel uses of ensiled biomasses as feedstocks for green biorefineries

Perennial forage plants are efficient utilizers of solar radiation and nutrients so that there is a lot of scope to increase the production of green biomass in many areas.Currently,grasses are mainly used as feeds for ruminants and equines,but there could be higher added value use for several components of the green biomass.Interest in green biorefin-ing has risen recently motivated by the increased sustainability pressures and need to break the reliance on fossil fuels.Novel products derived from grass,such as paper and packaging,nanofibers,animal bedding,novel protein feeds,extracted proteins,biochemicals,nutraceuticals,bioactive compounds,biogas and biochar could create new sustainable business opportunities in rural areas.Most green biorefinery concepts focus on using fresh green biomass as the feedstock,but preservation of it by ensiling would provide several benefits such as all-year-around avail-ability of the feedstock and increased stability of the press juice and press cake.The major difference between fresh and ensiled grass is the conversion of water soluble carbohydrates into fermentation end products,mainly lactic and acetic acids,that lower the pH of the silage so that it becomes stable in anaerobic conditions.This has some important consequences on the processability and quality of products,which are partly positive and partly negative,e.g.,degradation of protein into peptides,amino acids and ammonia.These aspects are discussed in this review.

Effects of antioxidant‑rich Lactiplantibacillus plantarum inoculated alfalfa silage on rumen fermentation, antioxidant and immunity status, and mammary gland gene expression in dairy goats

Background Milk synthesis in lactating animals demands high energy metabolism,which results in an increased production of reactive oxygen metabolites(ROM)causing an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants thereby inducing oxidative stress(OS)on the animals.To mitigate OS and postpartum disorders in dairy goats and gain insight into the impact of dietary choices on redox status during lactation,a feeding trial was conducted using alfalfa silage inoculated with a high-antioxidant strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum.Methods Twenty-four Guanzhong dairy goats(38.1±1.20 kg)were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments:one containing silage inoculated with L.plantarum MTD/1(RSMTD-1),and the other containing silage inoculated with high antioxidant activity L.plantarum 24-7(ES24-7).Results ES24-7-inoculated silage exhibited better fermentation quality and antioxidant activity compared to RSMTD-1.The ES24-7 diet elevated the total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC),superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxi-dase(GSH-Px),and catalase(CAT)activities in milk,serum,and feces of lactating goats(with the exception of T-AOC in milk).Additionally,the diet containing ES24-7 inoculated silage enhanced casein yield,milk free fatty acid(FFA)content,and vitamin A level in the goats’milk.Furthermore,an increase of immunoglobulin(Ig)A,IgG,IgM,inter-leukin(IL)-4,and IL-10 concentrations were observed,coupled with a reduction in IL-1β,IL-2,IL-6,interferon(IFN)-γ,and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αconcentrations in the serum of lactating goats fed ES24-7.Higher concentrations of total volatile fatty acid(VFA),acetate,and propionate were observed in the rumen fluid of dairy goats fed ES24-7 inoculated silage.Moreover,the diet containing ES24-7 inoculated silage significantly upregulated the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2(NFE2L2),beta-carotene oxygenase 1(BCO1),SOD1,SOD2,SOD3,GPX2,CAT,glu-tathione-disulfide reductase(GSR),and heme oxygenase 1(HMOX1)genes in the mammary gland,while decreased the levels of NADPH oxidase 4(NOX4),TNF,and interferon gamma(IFNG).Conclusions These findings indicated that feeding L.plantarum 24-7 inoculated alfalfa silage not only improved rumen fermentation and milk quality in lactating dairy goats but also boosted their immunity and antioxidant status by modulating the expression of several genes related to antioxidant and inflammation in the mammary gland.

Effect of toasting grain silages from field peas(Pisum sativum)and field beans(Vicia faba)on in vitro gas production,methane production,and post-ruminal crude protein content

Legume grains such as field peas and field beans can be produced on a local level,and may be reliable sources of dietary protein and energy apart from common soybean and rapeseed meals.In ruminants,protein,starch,and carbohydrates from peas and field beans are fermented in large part before reaching the small intestine.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a combination of ensiling and hydro-thermic treatment(i.e.,toasting at 160℃for 30 min)of grains of peas and field beans on the concentrations of post-ruminal crude protein(PRCP)and rumen-undegraded protein(RUP).Moreover,24-h gas production and methane production were measured.For this,an in vitro batch culture system with ruminal fluid from sheep was used.Rumen-undegraded protein was determined using the Streptomyces griseus protease test.Scanning electron micrographs were used to visualize morphological changes of starch granules and their joint matrices in peas and field beans after ensiling,toasting,or a combination of both.Native pea grains contained crude protein(CP)at 199 g/kg DM,PRCP at 155 g/kg DM at a ruminal passage rate of 0.08/h(Kp8),RUP at 33 g/kg DM at Kp8,and starch at 530 g/kg DM.Native field beans contained CP at 296 g/kg DM,PRCP at 212 g/kg DM at Kp8,RUP at 54 g of/kg DM at Kp8,and starch at 450 g/kg DM.The PRCP did not considerably differ among native and treated peas or field beans.Especially in the peas,RUP at Kp8 increased after ensiling by 10 g/kg DM(i.e.,30%;P<0.05).Toasting increased RUP(Kp8)in ensiled peas by another 28%(P<0.05).Toasting had no effect on PRCP or RUP when the peas or field beans were not ensiled before.Gas and methane production were not affected by any treatment,and scanning electron micrographs did not reveal structural changes on the starches doubtless of any treatment.Protein seemed to be more affected by treatment with ensiled+toasted peas than with ensiled+toasted field beans,but starches and other carbohydrates from both legumes remained unaffected.

Effects of inoculating feruloyl esterase-producing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A1 on ensiling characteristics,in vitro ruminal fermentation and microbiota of alfalfa silage

Background Ferulic acid esterase(FAE)-secreting Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A1(Lp A1)is a promising silage inoculant due to the FAE’s ability to alter the plant cell wall structure during ensiling,an action that is expected to improve forage digestibility.However,little is known regarding the impacts of Lp A1 on rumen microbiota.Our research assessed the influences of Lp A1 in comparison to a widely adopted commercial inoculant Lp MTD/1 on alfalfa’s ensilage,in vitro rumen incubation and microbiota.Results Samples of fresh and ensiled alfalfa treated with(either Lp A1 or Lp MTD/1)or without additives(as control;CON)and ensiled for 30,60 and 90 d were used for fermentation quality,in vitro digestibility and batch culture study.Inoculants treated silage had lower(P<0.001)pH,acetic acid concentration and dry matter(DM)loss,but higher(P=0.001)lactic acid concentration than the CON during ensiling.Compared to the CON and Lp MTD/1,silage treated with Lp A1 had lower(P<0.001)aNDF,ADF,ADL,hemicellulose,and cellulose contents and higher(P<0.001)free ferulic acid concentration.Compared silage treated with Lp MTD/1,silage treated with Lp A1 had significantly(P<0.01)improved ruminal gas production and digestibility,which were equivalent to those of fresh alfalfa.Realtime PCR analysis indicated that Lp A1 inoculation improved the relative abundances of rumen’s total bacteria,fungi,Ruminococcus albus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens,while the relative abundance of methanogens was reduced by Lp MTD/1 compared with CON.Principal component analysis of rumen bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons showed a clear distinction between CON and inoculated treatments without noticeable distinction between Lp A1 and Lp MTD/1 treatments.Comparison analysis revealed differences in the relative abundance of some bacteria in different taxa between Lp A1 and Lp MTD/1 treatments.Silage treated with Lp A1 exhibited improved rumen fermentation characteristics due to the inoculant effects on the rumen microbial populations and bacterial community.Conclusions Our findings suggest that silage inoculation of the FAE-producing Lp A1 could be effective in improving silage quality and digestibility,and modulating the rumen fermentation to improve feed utilization.

Surveying the genomic landscape of silage-quality traits in maize(Zea mays L.)

Despite the longstanding importance of silage as a critical feed source for ruminants,its quality improvement has been largely overlooked.Although numerous quantitative trait loci(QTL)and genes affecting silage quality in maize have been reported,only a few have been effectively incorporated into breeding programs.Addressing this gap,the present study undertook a comprehensive meta-QTL(MQTL)analysis involving 523 QTL associated with silage-quality traits collected from 14 published studies.Of the 523 QTL,405 were projected onto a consensus map comprising 62,424 genetic markers,resulting in the identification of 60 MQTL and eight singletons.The average confidence interval(CI)of the MQTL was 3.9-fold smaller than that of the source QTL.Nine of the 60 identified MQTL were classified as breeder’s MQTL owing to their small CIs,involvement of more QTL,and large contribution to phenotypic variation.One-third of the MQTL co-localized with DNA marker-trait associations identified in previous genomewide association mapping studies.A set of 78 high-confidence candidate genes influencing silage quality were identified in the MQTL regions.These genes and associated markers may advance marker-assisted breeding for maize silage quality.

Effects of Whole-plant Corn Silage and Whole-plant Wheat Silage on Growth Performance and Economic Benefits of Beef Cattle

[Objectives]This study was conducted to study the effects of whole-plant corn silage and whole-plant wheat silage on growth performance and economic benefits of beef cattle.[Methods]Thirty Simmental crossbred cattle were selected and randomly divided based on their weight into two groups,15 cows in each group,with an average weight of 398 kg.Each group was fed the same concentrated feed,and the whole-plant corn silage and wheat silage were fed as roughage feed,respectively.The experimental period was 90 d.[Results](1)There was no significant difference in the initial weight of beef cattle between test group 1 and test group 2(P>0.05).Compared with group 2,group 1 had a higher final weight,average daily gain,and dry matter intake of beef cattle,without significant differences(P>0.05).Group 1 was 0.58%,1.99%,and 1.43%higher than group 2,respectively.The feed-to-gain ratio of test group 1 decreased by 0.54%compared with test group 2(P>0.05),with no significant difference therebetween.(2)The economic benefit of group 1 was 11.45 yuan/(day·capita),while the economic benefit of group 2 was 2.41 yuan/(day·capita),and group 1 was 9.04 yuan/(day·capita)higher than group 2.[Conclusions]Whole-plant corn silage for feeding beef cattle has the advantages of good weight gain and low breeding cost,and can be popularized in beef cattle fattening.

Effects of Maize Silage Harvest Stage on Growth Performance and Economic Benefits of Beef Cattle

[Objectives]This study aimed to investigate the effects of whole-crop maize silage harvested at different stages on growth and economic benefits of beef cattle.[Methods]A total of 30 Simmental crossbred cattle weighing about 378 kg were randomly divided into three groups,respectively fed for 70 days with whole-crop maize silage harvested at milk stage(GroupⅠ),dough stage(GroupⅡ)and physiological maturity stage(GroupⅢ).Moreover,the cattle in all groups were given the same concentrate diet.[Results]There were significant differences in dry matter,crude protein and neutral detergent fiber between whole-crop maize silages harvested at different stages(P<0.05).The dry matter in GroupⅡandⅢwas significantly higher than that in GroupⅠ(P<0.05).The crude protein content peaked in GroupⅡ,up to 6.37%,which was significantly higher than that in GroupⅠ(by 12.74%,P<0.05)and GroupⅢ(by 9.26%,P<0.05).Starch content significantly increased with the postponing of maize harvest(P<0.05).The content of neutral detergent fiber in Group I was significantly higher than that in GroupⅡ(P<0.05)and GroupⅢ(P<0.05).The average daily weight gain in GroupⅡwas 8.53%higher than that in GroupⅠ(P<0.05)and 3.70%higher than that in GroupⅢ(P>0.05).The dry matter intake in GroupⅡwas significantly higher than that in GroupⅠ(P<0.05)and GroupⅢ(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in feed/gain ratio between the groups(P>0.05).The economic benefit in GroupⅡwas the highest,up to 9.99 yuan/day per capita.,followed by that in GroupⅢ,9.79 yuan/day per capita,and that in GroupⅠwas the lowest,only 8.03 yuan/day per capita.[Conclusions]The whole-crop maize silage harvested at dough stage has the best quality and produces the highest economic returns for beef cattle.

Effects of Seed Dressing with Microbial Inoculum on Nutrient Composition and Biological Yield of Silage Corn

[Objectives]This study was conducted to understand the effects of microbial inocula on the biological yield and nutritional components of corn.[Methods]Silage corn varieties suitable for planting in Hebei Province were selected,and set with an experimental group and a control check group each.Meanwhile,at the late stage of milk ripening of silage corn growth cycle,the nutritional components and indexes of silage corn were determined and analyzed by a near-infrared analyzer and the NIRS technique.Meanwhile,the biological yield of silage corn was determined at the maturation stage of its growth period,aiming at comprehensively evaluating the regulation effects of the microbial inoculum tested on silage corn from the aspects of basic nutritional components,mineral element contents,energy and related indexes of corn,combined with agronomic characters and biological yield.[Results]The microbial inoculum improved the biological yield and nutritional indexes of silage corn,and had a positive regulation effect on the growth of silage corn.[Conclusions]The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for popularizing the planting methods and cultivation methods of silage corn with high yield and high quality.

Silage Fermentation Technology and Its Effects on Growth Performance of Local Pigs

This paper first introduced the silage fermentation technology,including the selection of strains and activation expansion technology,the screening of high-quality fermentation raw materials,and the comparative experiment of fermentation process.It discussed feeding methods for sows and growing-finishing pigs at different breeding stages.In addition,it analyzed the effects of fermented silage on the growth performance of local pigs at various stages.Finally,it is concluded that silage fermentation can improve the water retention performance of pork,improve the quality of pork from local pigs,increase economic benefits,and achieve the purpose of saving costs and increasing efficiency.

Effect of Caragana korshinskii Silage at Different Growth Stages on the Feeding of Livestock

[Objectives] Caragana korshinskii resources are rich in Ordos with a large planting area, but they have not been fully and reasonably utilized. This study aims to effectively convert C. korshinskii into high-quality feed, improve the quality of milk and meat of herbivores and increase production. [Methods] The utilization of C. korshinskii in feed was studied in various aspects, the factors were selected, the level was determined, and the multi-factor experiment—orthogonal experiment was conducted. [Results] The effect on the growth of sheep was in the order of silage > C. korshinskii feed > corn stalk silage > hay meal, and the effect on the growth of goats was in the order of hay meal > C. korshinskii feed > silage > corn stalk silage. [Conclusions] From the analysis of the range results, the best level combination was selected: in different growing seasons, C. korshinskii branch and leaf silage in full-bloom stage had the greatest effect on the growth of sheep and goats, and the fattening effect was the best;among the different silage methods of C. korshinskii, the C. korshinskii—corn stalk mixture silage had a good feeding effect for sheep and goats.

Effects of molasses on the fermentation characteristics of mixed silage prepared with rice straw, local vegetable by-products and alfalfa in Southeast China

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of molasses on the fermentation characteristics of mixed silage ensiled rice straw and vegetable by-products with alfalfa.Mixture（202 g kg^-1 dry matter（DM））consisting of rice straw,broccoli residue and alfalfa at the ratio of 5：4：1 was ensiled with three experimental treatments：（1）no additives（control）;（2）molasses at 2.5%（M1）;（3）molasses at 5%（M2）on a fresh matter basis of mixture,respectively.All treatments were packed into laboratory-scale silos,and three silos per treatment were sampled on days 1,3,5,14 and 30.The result showed that the p H value of all mixed silages decreased gradually with the time of ensiling except for the control silage,in which a significant increase（P〈0.05）on day 30 occurred.The lactic acid content increased gradually with the time of ensiling and reached the highest value on day 14,and a marked decrease（P〈0.05）was found in the control silage on day 30.The changes of acetic acid content showed similar pattern with lactic acid content.A trace amount of propionic and butyric acid contents were found in the three mixed silages during the fermentation period.Comparing to the control,M1 and M2 treatments improved the fermentation quality of mixed silages as indicated by higher（P〈0.05）lactic acid contents and lower（P〈0.05）p H and ammonia-N contents.The Flieg points also showed that M1 and M2 silages were well preserved,whereas the control silage had a bad quality.Overall,the findings of this study suggested that adding molasses could improve fermentation quality of mixed silage,and M1 was more suitable for practical application.

Chemical composition and in vitro fermentation characteristics of high sugar forage sorghum as an alternative to forage maize for silage making in Tarim Basin, China

The chemical composition, mineral profile and in vitro fermentation characteristics of maize （MZ）, high sugar forage sorghum （HS） and forage sorghum （FS）, and silages made from each forage type were measured. The MZ and MZ silage （MZS） had higher crude protein, starch and ether extract contents than both sorghum forages and sorghum silages. HS had higher ash and water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations than FS and MZ. MZ, MZS, HS and HS silage （HSS） had lower neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and acid detergent lignin than FS and FS silage （FSS）. FSS had higher dry matter （DM） and pH than MZS and HSS. HSS contained higher concentrations of P and K than FSS and MZS. MZS and HSS had higher in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility, CH4 production, total volatile fatty acids, acetate and propionate than FSS. pH was higher for FSS than for HSS, and ammonia was lower for HSS than for MZS and FSS. HSS had higher gas production than MZS and FSS after 2, 4, 6 and 8 h incubation. MZS had higher gas production than HSS and FSS after 26 and 28 h of incubation. The results indicate that HS may substitute for MZ to make good quality silage. However, animal studies are needed to assess the acceptability and feeding values of HSS vs. MZS for ruminant production.

Influence of lactic acid bacteria, cellulase, cellulase-producing Bacillus pumilus and their combinations on alfalfa silage quality

This study assessed the effects of lactic acid bacteria(LAB), cellulase, cellulase-producing Bacillus pumilus and their combinations on the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition, bacterial community and in vitro digestibility of alfalfa silage. A completely randomized design involving a 8(silage additives)×3 or 2(silage days) factorial arrangement of treatments was adopted in the present study. The 8 silage additive treatments were: untreated alfalfa(control); two commercial additives(GFJ and Chikuso-1); an originally selected LAB(Lactobacillus plantarum a214) isolated from alfalfa silage; a cellulase-producing Bacillus(CB) isolated from fresh alfalfa; cellulase(C); and the combined additives(a214+C and a214+CB). Silage fermentation characteristics, chemical composition and microorganism populations were analysed after 30, 60 and 65 days(60 days followed by exposure to air for five additional days). In vitro digestibility was analysed for 30 and 60 days. Compared with the other treatments, selected LAB a214, a214 combined with either C or CB, and Chikuso-1 had the decreased(P<0.001) pH and increased(P<0.001) lactic acid concentrations during the ensiling process, and there were no differences(P>0.05) among them. Fiber degradation was not significant(P≥0.054) in any C or CB treatments. The a214 treatment showed the highest(P=0.009) in vitro digestibility of dry matter(595.0 g kg–1DM) after ensiling and the highest abundance of Lactobacillus(69.42 and 79.81%, respectively) on days 60 and 65, compared to all of other treatments. Overall, the silage quality of alfalfa was improved with the addition of a214, which indicates its potential as an alfalfa silage inoculant.

Effect of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus subtilis on fermentation, dynamics of bacterial community and their functional shifts of whole-plant corn silage

Background:Bacillus amyloliquefaciens(BA)and Bacillus subtilis(BS)are usually used as feed supplements directly or bacterial inoculants in biological feeds for animals.However,few research have reported the effects of BA and BS on fermentation characteristics and bacterial community successions of whole-plant corn silage during ensiling.If the BA and BS inoculants have positive effects on silages,then they could not only improve fermentation characteristics,but also deliver BA or BS viable cells to ruminants,which would play its probiotic effect.Therefore,the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of BA and BS on the fermentation,chemical characteristics,bacterial community and their metabolic pathway of whole-plant corn silage.Results:Freshly chopped whole-plant corn was inoculated without or with BA and BS,respectively,and ensiled for1,3,7,14 and 60 d.Results showed that BA and BS inoculations increased lactic acid concentrations of whole-plant corn silages compared with control,and BA inoculation decreased acetic acid concentrations,whereas BS inoculation decreased fiber contents and increased crude protein(CP)content.Higher water-soluble carbohydrate contents and lower starch contents were observed in BA-and BS-inoculated silages compared with that in control.The decreased CP content and increased non-protein nitrogen content were observed in BA-inoculated silage,which was consistent with the higher amino acid metabolism abundances observed in BA-inoculated silage.In addition,it was noteworthy that BA and BS inoculations increased the metabolism of cofactors and vitamins,and decreased the relative abundances of drug resistance:antimicrobial pathways.We also found that the bacterial metabolism pathways were clearly separated into three clusters based on the ensiling times of whole-plant corn silage in the present study.There were no significant differences in bacterial community compositions among the three groups during ensiling.However,BA and BS inoculations decreased the relative abundances of undesirable bacteria such as Acetobacter and Acinetobacter.Conclusion:Our findings suggested that the BS strain was more suitable as silage inoculants than the BA strain in whole-plant corn silage in this study.

Comparison of forage yield,silage fermentative quality,anthocyanin stability,antioxidant activity,and in vitro rumen fermentation of anthocyanin-rich purple corn(Zea mays L.) stover and sticky corn stover

The objective of this study was to observe the forage yield, silage fermentative quality, anthocyanin stability, and antioxidant activity during the storage period and in vitro rumen fermentation of anthocyanin-rich purple corn （Zea mays L.） stover （PS） and sticky corn stover （SS）. Forage yield of corn stover was weighed and ensiled with two treatments： （1） hybrid sticky waxy corn stover （control）, and （2） hybrid purple waxy corn stover （treatment）. Samples were stored in mini-silos for periods of 0, 7, 14, 21,42, 63, 84, and 105 d. The results showed that PS had significantly higher （P〈0.05） yields of dry matter （DM）, organic matter （OM）, gross energy （GE）, crude protein （CP）, neutral detergent fiber （NDF）, acid detergent fiber （ADF）, and total anthocyanins than that of the SS. Anthocyanin-rich purple corn stover silage （PSS） showed higher （P〈0.05） levels of DM and CP relative to the sticky corn stover silage （SSS）. Although anthocyanin-rich PSS displayed a lower （P〈0.05） level of pelargonidin-3-glucoside （P3G）, it had higher （P〈0.05） levels of peonidin （Peo） and pelargonidin （Pel） compared to the control. Delphinidin （Del） and malvidin （Mal） were not detected in SSS during the ensilage period; in PSS, Del was no longer detected after 7 d of ensilage. Specifically, total anthocyanins in anthocyanin-rich PSS decreased rapidly （P〈0.05） prior to 7 d of ensilage, and then remained at relatively stable （P〉0.05） constants. Compared to the anthocyanin-rich PSS, SSS displayed significantly higher （P〈0.05） pH value and ammonia nitrogen （NH3-N） content. Propionic acid （PA） at 0 d and butyric acid （BA） during the entire study period were not detected, whereas anthocyanin-rich PSS showed a higher （P〈0.05） level of lactic acid （LA） than that of the SSS. Compared with the SSS extract, anthocyanin-rich PSS extract showed a higher （P〈0.05） level of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryihydrazyl （DPPH） scavenging activity and displayed a lower （P〈0.05） half maximal inhibitory concentration （IC50） value. Moreover, anthocyanin-rich PSS reduced （P〈0.05） gas production （GP）, and displayed lower levels of immediately soluble fraction and ratio of acetic acid （AA） to PA at 12 h, but the other parameters were unaffected （P〉0.05） relative to the control. Taken together, the results indicated that： （1） anthocyanins could be stable in silage; （2） anthocyanin-rich PSS showed better silage fermentative quality and stronger antioxidant activity; and （3） anthocyanin-rich PSS had no negative effect on rumen fermentation parameters.

The effect of lactic acid bacteria inoculums on in vitro rumen fermentation, methane production, ruminal cellulolytic bacteria populations and cellulase activities of corn stover silage

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of lactic acid bacteria(LAB) inoculums on fermentation quality and in vitro digestibility of corn stover silage.Corn stover was ensiled without(control) or with Lactobacillus plantarum(LP),Enterococcus faecalis(EF),and Enterococcus mundtii(EM) for 45 days.The fermentation characteristics were assessed,and subsequent in vitro dry matter digestibility(DM-D),neutral detergent fiber digestibility(NDF-D),volatile fatty acids(VFA),methane(CH4) production,cellulolytic bacteria proportions and their activities per corn stover silage were also determined.There was no significant difference(P>0.05) among the silage pH,lactic acid,crude protein(CP),water soluble carbohydrates(WSC) and lignocelluloses contents of different treatments.The relative proportions of Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Fibrobacter succinogenes,carboxymethyl-ocellulose and β-glycosidase activities,DM-D,NDF-D,and VFA production of in vitro incubation was higher(P<0.05) for silages inoculated with LP and EF than those of the control silage.Silage inoculated with LP showed the lowest(P<0.05) CH4 production per unit yield of VFA,which was positively corresponded to the lowest(P<0.05) ratio of acetate to propionate.In summary,the ensiling fermentation quality and subsequent utilization of corn stover silage were efficiently improved by inoculated with L.plantarum.

Effect of Cellulase and Lactic Acid Bacteria on Fermentation Quality and Chemical Composition of Wheat Straw Silage

The object of this study was to determine the effect of cellulase and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on fermentation quality and chemical composition of wheat straw silage. Silages were prepared using a small-scale fermentation system and the moisture level was adjusted to 60% of fresh matter (FM) with deionized water. Treatments were designed as: control silage without additives, LAB inoculant Lactobacillus casei Z3-1 (1.0 × 106 cfu·g-1 of FM), commercial inoculant L. plantarum FG 1 (1.0 × 106 cfu·g-1 of FM), Z3-1 + cellulase and FG 1 + cellulase. The neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and crude protein (CP) contents of the wheat straw prior to ensiling were 76.93%, 48.52% and 4.63% of dry matter (DM), respectively. After 30 days of fermentation, the silages treated with LAB and LAB + cellulase had a lower (P < 0.05) pH and higher (P < 0.05) lactic acid content than the control, and the coliform bacteria, yeast and mold were inhibited at the early stage of fermentation. Besides, silages treated with cellulase had lower (P < 0.05) values of ADF and NDF than the control. The results confirmed that the addition of cellulase and LAB contributed to improving the fermentation quality of wheat straw silage.

Effects of different supplements on tetraploid black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) silage

Preparation of silage is a common method to preserve green forage. It plays an important role in improving forage utilization, solving the problem of forage provision and meeting the nutritional needs of livestock in winter and spring. The effects of various supplements on tetraploid black locust （Robinia pseudoacacia L.） silage were studied by analyzing its color, odor, texture, pH value, the composition and amount of organic acids, the ammonia-N/total-N ratio, crude protein, neutral detergent fibers and acid detergent fibers. Our results show that the silage quality of wilted tetraploid R. pseudoacacia preserved alone is acceptable, while adding brown sugar and Yishengkang to tetraploid R. pseudoacacia foliage improved its quality. The treatments consisting of the tet- raploid R. pseudoacacia mixed with 33% and 50% corn stalk achieved the best silage quality in terms ofpH value （p 〈 0.01）, amount of lactic acid （p 〈 0.01）, the ammonia-N/total-N ratio （p 〈 0.01） and the fermentation quality. These treatments also resulted in a high content of crude protein and lower amounts of acid detergent fibers. The treatment consisting of the tetraploid R. pseudoacacia mixed with 20% corn stalk was also good in the quality of its fermentation.