Track 1-11: Advances in Forage Conservation to Improve Quality
Description
Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is a protein-rich forage that farmers often combine with energy-rich feed sources to dairy cattle. Lucerne ensiles poorly, however, due to low sugar concentration and high buffering capacity. Ensiling is improved by wilting the crop and using an appropriate silage inoculant. The principal goal of inoculants is to improve fermentation quality, to preserve as much of the nutritive value of the crop at harvest as possible for the livestock consuming the resulting silage and to increase production (Meeske et al. 2000, Muck 2012).
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of SiloSolve MC containing Lactobacillus plantarum DSM16568, Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 11181 and Lactococcus lactis (NCIMB 30117) on fermentation end-products, DM recovery, and aerobic stability of lucerne big bale silage. Furthermore, silage intake and dairy cow performance were compared with untreated silage.
Included in
Improving Lucerne Forage Quality and Utilization by Using Novel Silage Inoculant
Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is a protein-rich forage that farmers often combine with energy-rich feed sources to dairy cattle. Lucerne ensiles poorly, however, due to low sugar concentration and high buffering capacity. Ensiling is improved by wilting the crop and using an appropriate silage inoculant. The principal goal of inoculants is to improve fermentation quality, to preserve as much of the nutritive value of the crop at harvest as possible for the livestock consuming the resulting silage and to increase production (Meeske et al. 2000, Muck 2012).
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of SiloSolve MC containing Lactobacillus plantarum DSM16568, Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 11181 and Lactococcus lactis (NCIMB 30117) on fermentation end-products, DM recovery, and aerobic stability of lucerne big bale silage. Furthermore, silage intake and dairy cow performance were compared with untreated silage.
