Knický, M. 2005. Possibilities to improve silage conservation effects of crop, ensiling technology and additives. Doctoral thesis. ISSN 1652-6880, ISBN 91-576-6961-9. The objective of this thesis was to investigate factors to improve the silage quality of different types of forage crops. The focus was on the influence of crop maturity, silage additives and laceration on the quality of whole-cro...

First cut red clover-grass mixture sward were ensiled in two pits with inoculant (Lactobacillus rhamnosus + Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. Shermanii) and without any additives. Fermentation quality, nutrient losses and aerobic stability of silages were determined. The inoculated silage had no butyric acid, nutrient losses were lowered by 19.4%. In inoculated silage organic matter digesti...

In order to understand how silage additives can help, one must first understand the ensiling process. Silage fermentation can be divided into 4 phases. The first phase is characterized by the presence of oxygen after forage is chopped and packed in the silo. Plant respiration continues for several hours (and perhaps days if silage is poorly packed) and plant enzymes (e.g., proteases) are active...

Ensiling is a method of preserving a moist crop. A moist crop can support the growth of a wide range of microorganisms, most of which will degrade the nutrient value to livestock. However, ensiling generally controls microbial activity by a combination of an anaerobic environment and a natural fermentation of sugars by lactic acid bacteria on the crop. This fermentation and the resulting low pH...

The effect of inoculation on nutrient content, fermentation, aerobic stability, and beef cattle performance for whole-plant corn silage treated with a commercial product (blend of homo- and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, BSM, blend of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus brevis, DSM numbers 3530, 19457, and 23231, resp.), was compared to a control treatment...

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a bacterial inoculant and chemical additives on nutrient composition, in vitro degradation, total loss, aerobic stability, microbiological quality, and fermentative profile of sugarcane silage. Treatments were distributed to forty-eight mini-silos in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement: two levels of microbial inoculant (INO, 0 or 4 g/t of fresh s...