Key Points of Simple Cultivation Technique for Whole-plant Silage Maize in Guangxi

With the vigorous development of animal husbandry in Guangxi,feed problems have become increasingly prominent.Silage maize has the characteristics of rapid growth,high nutritional value,easy digestion and absorption,and a large amount of biological output being obtained in a short time.It is one of the ideal basic feeds for cattle and sheep and other breeding industries.Based on this,the simple cultivation technique of whole-plant silage maize was summarized from the aspects of land preparation,selection of maize variety,sowing,field management,pest control and timely harvesting,so as to provide technical reference for scientific planting of silage maize in Guangxi.

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.

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 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.

Klebsiella as an α-tocopherol source facilitating Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation in rice straw silage

Silage serves as the indispensable diet of ruminants,the increasing mechanism of α-tocopherol during silage making is unclear.Rice straw lacks chlorophyll after harvesting the grain,this can eliminate the impact of tocopherols formed by the breakdown of chlorophyll.Here,we explored the α-tocopherol source,its influencing factor,and its relationship with dominant lactic acid bacteria in rice straw silage treated without or with different additives(sodium benzoate,Lactobacillus plantarum,cell wall degrading enzymes,the combination of L.plantarum and cell wall degrading enzymes)and vacuum times(5,8,11,and 14 s)after ensiling for 42 d.We found that the pathogenic Klebsiella was traced as the source of increasedα-tocopherol in rice straw silage.The residue air in the silo,pH value,and additive variety had impacts on Klebsiella activity,which was strongly active at levels of residue air in the silo and pH that were high.As an acidic niche creator,L.plantarum was more effective than sodium benzoate in restraining Klebsiella.Despite having a low acidity tolerance,Klebsiella was still present in rice straw silage treated with L.plantarum.The relationship between Klebsiella and L.plantarum was that Klebsiella could affordα-tocopherol to the multiplication of L.plantarum and residue capsular polysaccharide protected Klebsiella from escaping the extinction in rice straw silage.

Effects of Film Mulching on the Growth of Silage Maize and Weed

[Objective] The aim was to provide scientific reference for the production of silage maize in correlated regions of Tibet.[Method] Effects of film mulching on the growth period,growth traits and yield of silage maize and weed were analyzed.[Result] Under the treatment of film mulching,the growth period of silage maize could be advanced for 7-16 d; the plant length,stem diameter and leaf area were increased; and the grain output was increased by 75.9%.According to the market price of silage maize in 2008,22 500 Yuan/hm^2 was increased.There were 13 kinds of weeds in silage maize field,which belonged to 13 genera,8 families.Among them,6 kinds of weeds belonged to Gramineae,among which Echinochloa crusgalli and Setaria viridis were dominated in the weed communities.Plantago depressa,Eragrostis pilosa and Malva verticillata var.chinensis could be totally controlled by the film mulching; meanwhile the others could be also controlled in a certain degree except Echinochloa crusgalli.[Conclusion] The plastic mulching planting is worth popularizing for the developing of animal husbandry and the incoming of the local farmers in Tibet.

Effects of Different Harvesting Dates on Yield and Quality of Silage Maize

Using silage maize cuttivar Yuqingyu 3 as the experimental material, the effects of five different harvesting dates on yield and quality of silage maize were in- vestigated. The results showed that the harvesting date posed various effects on quality and yield of silage maize. With the postponement of harvesting date, silage maize exhibited continuously increasing dry weight and gradually declining fresh weight; in maize straws, ADF and NDF contents increased constantly, crude protein content and IVODM decreased gradually, crude fat content increased first and then declined; in maize kernels, crude protein and lysine contents decreased continuously, crude starch content increased gradually, crude fat content increased first and then reduced. In conclusion, silage maize should be harvested at 27-34 d after pollination.

Effect of Mixed Silage of Alhagi sparsifolia and Medicago sativa at Initial Flowering Stage on Degradation

[Objective] The influence of mixed silage of A.sparsifolia and M.sativa at initial flowering stage on degradation was studied to provide theoretical basis for production practice.[Method] Using A.sparsifolia and M.sativa at initial flowering stage as materials,the changes of in vitro degradation rate,gas production,pH value,ammoniacal nitrogen（NH3-N）and volatile fatty acid（VFA）content in degradation solution were analyzed by means of artificial rumen technique,and the effect of mixed silage of A.sparsifolia and M.sativa at initial flowering stage on degradation was studied in order to find out suitable mixed silage ratio of A.sparsifolia and M.sativa.[Result] Compared with single M.sativa,NH3-N content in degradation solution was very significantly decreased in the mixed silage of A.sparsifolia and M.sativa,and there was a reduction in gas production,while the content of acetic acid,propionic acid and butyric acid increased significantly;for the treatment of 70% A.sparsifolia and 30% M.sativa,NH3-N content（22.93 mmol/L）and gas production（40.50 ml）was lowest,while degradation rate（32.27%）,acetic acid（5.48 mmol/L）,propionic acid（2.08 mmol/L）,butyric acid（2.52 mmol/L）and their total content（10.08 mmol/L）were highest,so its degradation effect was the best.[Conclusion] The mixed silage of A.sparsifolia and M.sativa at initial flowering stage could improve the utilization efficiency of protein and carbohydrate in M.sativa and the treatment of 70% A.sparsifolia and 30% M.sativa had the best degradation effect.

Properties and Propagation of Enzyme Preparation for Green Corn Stover Silage

Based on the facts that the adhered lactic acid bacteria on raw corn stovers are rare and the fermentation and silage quality of corn stovers are poor, we carried out this research to study the utilization prospects of additives containing lactic acid bacteria and enzymes in preparation of green corn stover silage. The lactic acid bacteria and enzymes were screened out and propagated. The isolated Lactobacil us species included Lactococcus lactis （Enterococcus, Leuconostoc, Labto-coccus, Streptococcus, etc.） and Lactobacil us. The additives would not only improve the silage quality, but also reduce the fermentation losses.

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.

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.

Effect of a bacterial inoculum and additive on dry matter in situ degradability of sugarcane silage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding a bacterial inoculum and a handmade additive to sugarcane silage（SCS） on the in situ digestibility of dry matter（DM）. The treatments were： T1） sugarcane silage（SCS） and T2） sugarcane silage with 1% inoculum and 1% additive（SCS＋）. The bacterial inoculum consisted of 10.0% molasses, 1.0% yogurt, 5.0% chicken manure, 0.5% urea, and 83.0% water, and the additive was formulated with 1.0% urea, 0.1% ammonium sulfate, and 0.25% phosphorus. In situ dry matter digestibility（DMD） was determined using the nylon bag technique with four cows equipped with ruminal fistulas. Cows were fed with ensiled sugarcane supplemented with 1 kg of commercial concentrate. 5 g of ground sample for each sugarcane treatment were weighted in nylon bags and incubated for 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h in a completely randomized design with six replicates. The DMD（%） was higher（P〈0.05） for SCS＋ for all incubation times when compared with SCS. There were no differences in ruminal p H between the treatments for all the incubation times. The data suggested that the sugarcane silage with bacterial inoculum and additive could be an alternative for providing forage for ruminants during the season of low growth and quality grass.

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.

Effect of lactic acid bacteria inoculants on alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.) silage quality:assessment of degradation(in situ) and gas production(in vitro)

Alfalfa （Medicago sativa） is difficult to ensile successfully because of the low content of moisture and water-soluble carbohydrates （WSC） in fresh alfalfa and the high buffering capacity in fresh alfalfa. Here, we conducted a study to evaluate the effects of three lactic acid bacteria （LAB） inoculants （Lactobacillus case/, lactobacillus plantarum, and Pediococcus pentosaceus） on silage quality, in sitE/ruminal degradability, and in vitro fermentation of alfalfa silage. The first cut of alfalfa was wilted, chopped, and randomly divided into four groups： the control （CON） and control mixed with three separate LAB inoculants （106 cfu g-1）. Simmental steers with a body weight of （452±18） kg and with installed rumen fistulas were prepared for in situ degradation and for in vitro gas production. LAB inoculants had a lower （P〈0.05） content of butyric acid than the CON group. Among them, the L. casei inoculated silage had a higher （P〈0.05） content of water-soluble carbohydrate （WSC） and a lower （P〈0.05） NH3-H content. The effective degradation （ED） of crude protein in LAB inoculation decreased （P〈0.05）, while the ED of acid detergent fiber increased （P〈0.05） in situ fermentation. The alfalfa silage with LAB inoculants produced more carbon dioxide （P〈0.05）. The NH3-H content of mixed incubation fluid in L. casei inoculated silage was lower （P〈0.05） compared with other groups. Therefore, this study showed that LAB inoculants could improve both ensiling quality and degradation. In particular, the L. casei inoculations exhibited better performance by limiting proteolysis during ensiling.

Silage Additives: Review

Silage making process can be explained very simply, it is actually very complex and dependant on many factors, such as the natural microbial population, harvesting conditions and the sugar content of the forage. Consequently, silage quality can be very variable and the only way to effectively control the fermentation process is to use an additive. Additives are natural or industrial products added in rather large quantities to the forage or grain mass. Additives control or prevent certain types of fermentation, thus reducing losses and improving silage stability. In order to assist in the fermentation process, various silage additives have been used to improve the nutrient and energy recovery in silage, often with subsequent improvements in animal performance. The purpose for applying additives to the silage is to ensure that the growth of lactic bacteria predominates during the fermentation process, producing lactic acid in quantities high enough to ensure good silage. Therefore this review is made to focus on some practical aspects of the fermentation process and the uses of some common silage additives that include microbial inoculants, enzymes, and propionic acid.

Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum and fibrolytic enzyme on the fermentation quality and in vitro digestibility of total mixed rations silage including rape straw

The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of a lactic acid bacteria inoculant（Lactobacillus plantarum, LP）, fibrolytic enzyme（EN）, combination of LP and EN（LP＋EN） on fermentation quality, nutritive characteristics and in vitro digestibility of total mixed ration（TMR） silages containing 0, 7.5 and 15.0%（on dry matter basis） of rape（Brassica campestris L.） straw（RS）（denoted as CTMR, LTMR and MTMR, respectively）. After ensiling for 60 days, TMR silages without additives were well preserved, but MTMR had higher p H than CTMR and LTMR. There were no differences in other parameters of fermentation quality, microbial composition, nutrition and in vitro digestibility between CTMR and LTMR except for yeast and mold number and crude protein（CP） content. CTMR and LTMR silage had higher CP content, in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility（IVNDFD） and in vitro acid detergent fiber digestibility（IVADFD）, lower acid detergent fiber（ADF） content than MTMR silage. LP and EN decreased p H and increased dry matter（DM） recovery of TMR silages. LP＋EN improved the fermentation quality, nutritive characteristics and in vitro digestibility of TMR silages, showed by lower p H, ADF content, higher lactic acid content, in vitro dry matter digestibility（IVDMD） and IVNDFD. Therefore, It was suggested that TMR silage contained 7.5% RS on a DM basis and treated with LP＋EN can be as a useful feed for ruminant.