Effects of Hybrid and Inoculant on Rumen Digestibility and Fermentation Indices of Corn Silage

Abstract

This study was aimed to determine the effects of hybrid and inoculant on in vitro rumendigestibility and rumen fermentation indices of corn silage. Two corn hybrids(Kwangpyeongok(KW) vs. Pioneer 1543(PI)) were ensiled for 100 days with two inoculants(L. plantarum(LP) vs. L. buchneri(LB)) applied at 1.2 × 105 cfu/g of fresh forage. Silages were incubated in rumenfluid medium at 39oC for 72 hours. Both of KW and PI had no difference(p>0.05) on in vitrodigestibility of dry matter(IVDMD) and neutral detergent fiber(IVNDFD), while application ofLB produced higher(p<0.05) IVDMD and IVNDFD than LP. Hybrid and inoculant applicationsdid not affect(p>0.05) total gas volume, ammonia-N, total VFA, and acetate concentrations inthe rumen. Applied LB was higher(p<0.05) propionate concentration than LP, while hybrids hadno effect(p>0.05). Furthermore, the interaction effect(p<0.05) was occurred in propionateconcentration. Butyrate concentration did not affected(p>0.05) by hybrid and inoculantapplications, but there was an interaction effect between hybrid and inoculant(p<0.05). Applications of hybrid and inoculant had effects(p<0.05) on iso-butyrate and valerate, withoutany interaction effects(p>0.05). This study concluded that application of KW and PI has noeffects on in vitro rumen digestibility and rumen fermentation indices of corn silage, whileapplication of LB increase the rumen digestibility in both of corn hybrids.