Designing agricultural grasses to help mitigate proteolysis during ensiling to optimize protein feed provisions for livestock

The efficient preservation of protein in silage for livestock feed is dependent on the rate and extent proteolysis. Previous research fresh forage indicated enhanced stability certain Festulolium (ryegrass × fescue hybrids) cultivars compared to ryegrass. This first report an experiment test hypothesis that a Lolium perenne Festuca arundinacea var glaucescens cultivar had reduced proteolysis perennial ryegrass (L. perenne) during ensiling process. Forages were harvested May (Cut 2) August 4), wilted 24 h ensiled laboratory-scale silos. Silage was destructively sampled at 0 h, 9 48 72 14 days 90 post-ensiling, dry matter (DM), pH chemical composition determined. At Cut 2, there no difference crude between treatments but higher soluble nitrogen (SN) (P < 0.001) grass time interactions (p = 0.03) rates By 4, (5.5% units) CP than SN did not differ. Ammonia-N differ silages either cut. DM differences (11.8% 4 (v.2.2% may have masked effects proteolysis, highlighting importance management quality. despite WSC both cuts 0.001), with 2; p showing slower decline 0.001). values grasses cut, showed cuts, resulting 0.05) Cuts 2 respectively. Overall, when as ruminant evidenced by lower ammonia-N early-cut comparable