Effect of Homo or Heterofermentative Inoculants on Fermentation Characteristics and Aerobic Stability of Rye Silage

Abstract

This study was conducted to estimate the effect of home or hetero fermentative lactic acidbacteria(LAB) on chemical composition, fermentation quality, and aerobic stability of rye silage. Rye forage was harvested at dough stage(28.9% of dry matter), chopped to 3-5 cm length, anddivided into 4 piles for different inoculations as treatment, following 1) No additives(CON); 2)Lactobacillus plantarum at rate of 1.5 x 105 cfu/g of fresh forage(LP); 3) L. buchneri at rate of1.2 x 105 cfu/g of fresh forage(LB); and 4) Mixture of LP and LB at 1:1 ratio(MIX). Ryesilage was ensiled into 20 L bucket silo in quadruplicate for 0, 1, 4, 7, and 100 day periods. After 100 days of ensiling, the silage treated with LB had lower acid detergent fibercontent(p<0.05), but higher in vitro dry matter digestibility(p<0.05). The LB and MIX reduced(p<0.05) pH more rapidly than CON and LP across the ensiling days, but had no differenceon 100 days. Silage treated LP had lowest(p<0.05) acetic acid, but highest(p<0.05) propionicacid. In contrast, LB treated silage had highest(p<0.05) acetic acid, but lowest(p<0.05)propionic acid with the absence of butyric acid. On microbial count, LP treated silage hadlowest(p<0.05) LAB, yeast, and aerobic stability, whereas LB and MIX treated silages hadhighest(p<0.05). Mold was not detected across all silages. Therefore, it could be concluded thatheterofermentative LAB solely or combo with homofermentative LAB might improve in vitrodry matter digestibility, fermentation characteristics, and aerobic stability of rye silage harvestedat dough stage.