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Publication Date
1981
Description
As preservation of forage by ensiling has increased, so has the use of additives to enhance acid fermentation. Many of the fermentation aids currently on the market contain microflora to insure a lactic acid fermentation. The objectives of this study were to characterize the basic patterns of fermentation in a variety of crops and to evaluate the effects of adding selected microflora to forages to enhance the fermentation. Four crops were ensiled in each of three seasons. Alfalfa was harvested at 20 %-40 % bloom, second cut; wheat was cut in the early dough stage; corn was cut in the soft-dent stage; and sorghum was harvested at the early dough stage. Treatments used during the 3 years of trials included a commercially prepared dried preparation of LactolJacillus acidophilus and Candida sp., a frozen commercial preparation of Lactobacillus plantarum, or a LactolJacillus plantarum isolated from corn silage and prepared in the laboratory as a frozen concentrated culture. The inoculum was added at the time of ensiling at concentrations of viable populations of 105 to 107 /g silage fresh weight. Fifty-five kg offreshly harvested forage was packed in 0.21-m3 steel drums. After 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 days of fermentation one drum each for the treatment and control silage was opened for analysis. A fresh sample was used to determine pH. A sample was oven-dried and ground for determination of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, nitrogen-free extract, and soluble carbohydrate. Fresh samples were used for microbiological determinations including lactobacilli, facultative anaerobic bacteria, lactic acid cocci, and yeasts and molds. The silages differed in their rate and extent of fermentation, microflora, and recovery of nutrients. Corn and sorghum silages had high recovery of nutrients, while alfalfa and wheat fermentations were intermediate. Study of natural microflora of fresh forages indicated few (104/g) lactic acid bacteria are present in wheat, but higher numbers were recovered from alfalfa (105/g) and corn or sorghum (106/g) silages. Higher populations of lactic acid bacteria ensured faster acid production and pH decline in control silages. Addition of L. •acidophilus and Candida sp. had no effect on the fermentation. Addition of L. plantarum caused increases in populations of lactobacilli during the fermentation and more rapid pH declines but only slight differences in recovery of nutrients.
Citation
Moon, N J. and Ely, L O., "Addition of Lactobacillus sp. to Aid the Fermentation of Alfalfa, Corn, Sorghum, and Wheat Forages" (1981). IGC Proceedings (1977-2023). 8.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1981/section10/8)
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Archival
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Addition of Lactobacillus sp. to Aid the Fermentation of Alfalfa, Corn, Sorghum, and Wheat Forages
As preservation of forage by ensiling has increased, so has the use of additives to enhance acid fermentation. Many of the fermentation aids currently on the market contain microflora to insure a lactic acid fermentation. The objectives of this study were to characterize the basic patterns of fermentation in a variety of crops and to evaluate the effects of adding selected microflora to forages to enhance the fermentation. Four crops were ensiled in each of three seasons. Alfalfa was harvested at 20 %-40 % bloom, second cut; wheat was cut in the early dough stage; corn was cut in the soft-dent stage; and sorghum was harvested at the early dough stage. Treatments used during the 3 years of trials included a commercially prepared dried preparation of LactolJacillus acidophilus and Candida sp., a frozen commercial preparation of Lactobacillus plantarum, or a LactolJacillus plantarum isolated from corn silage and prepared in the laboratory as a frozen concentrated culture. The inoculum was added at the time of ensiling at concentrations of viable populations of 105 to 107 /g silage fresh weight. Fifty-five kg offreshly harvested forage was packed in 0.21-m3 steel drums. After 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 days of fermentation one drum each for the treatment and control silage was opened for analysis. A fresh sample was used to determine pH. A sample was oven-dried and ground for determination of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, nitrogen-free extract, and soluble carbohydrate. Fresh samples were used for microbiological determinations including lactobacilli, facultative anaerobic bacteria, lactic acid cocci, and yeasts and molds. The silages differed in their rate and extent of fermentation, microflora, and recovery of nutrients. Corn and sorghum silages had high recovery of nutrients, while alfalfa and wheat fermentations were intermediate. Study of natural microflora of fresh forages indicated few (104/g) lactic acid bacteria are present in wheat, but higher numbers were recovered from alfalfa (105/g) and corn or sorghum (106/g) silages. Higher populations of lactic acid bacteria ensured faster acid production and pH decline in control silages. Addition of L. •acidophilus and Candida sp. had no effect on the fermentation. Addition of L. plantarum caused increases in populations of lactobacilli during the fermentation and more rapid pH declines but only slight differences in recovery of nutrients.
