Effect of Adding Whey and L. Buchneri to Alfalfa Silage on In Vitro Gas Production and Degradability

Ensiling alfalfa is difficult due to some restrictions such as low water soluble carbohydrate concentration and high buffering capacity. This study was conducted to document the effects of supplementation of alfalfa silage with fresh whey and bacterial additive on gas production, dry matter, organic matter and crude protein degradabilities by in vitro method. Experimental treatments included the levels of 0, 30, 60 and 90 g fresh whey per kg of fresh alfalfa were added to the alfalfa silage with and without bacterial additive (3 × 108 cfu per g fresh alfalfa). The gas production was measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h after incubation. The data were analyzed using a factorial 2 × 4 in a completely randomized design. After 120 h incubation, the highest amount of gas production was related to alfalfa treatment with 90 g of fresh whey and bacterial additive and the lowest was for alfalfa treated with bacterial additive (147.93 and 133.54 ml/g DM, p<0.05). Adding fresh whey with bacterial additive at 3 different levels at 2, 4 and 24 h incubation increased the dry matter degradability compared to control (p<0.05). Add fresh whey at three different levels of 30, 60 and 90 g fresh whey, increased the fraction (a) dry matter degradability compared to the control (p<0.05). After 24 hours of incubation, adding whey with bacterial additive increased the crude protein degradability compared to control (p<0.05). The results of this study showed that the addition of whey at different levels increased rapidly degradable, slowly degradable fractions and effective degradability of dry matter.