Wilting and inoculation of Lactobacillus buchneri on intercropped triticale-fava silage: effects on nutritive, fermentative and aerobic stability characteristics

This study investigated the effects of wilting and Lactobacillus buchneri inoculation on fermentation end products, DM recovery, nutritive characteristics and aerobic stability in organically grown triticale-fava bean intercrop silages. For this purpose, a bi-crop of triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm.) and fava bean (Vicia faba L.) was established on an old low-input mixed sward (Lolium perenne-Trifolium repens). The association of triticale and fava bean in winter crops and wilting forages before ensiling improved ensilability characteristics. Wilting for 24 hours before ensiling avoided effluent losses during the fermentation process and reduced ammonia nitrogen production. Inoculation with Lactobacillus buchneri 40788, for a final application rate of 1×105 cfu g-1 of fresh forage ensiled in laboratory silos during 80 days, promoted a higher CP concentration. Furthermore, it promoted changes in the concentration of fermentation end products, decreasing lactic acid and increasing acetic and propionic acids. The effects of Lactobacillus buchneri on aerobic stability were not confirmed in this study. Wilting depressed, but did not inhibit the activity of Lactobacillus buchneri in the fermentation process.