Evaluation of Winter Cereal Silages Subjected to Pre-Drying at Different Phenological Stages with and without the Use of Additives

This study aimed to evaluate the productivity, nutritional, and fermentative characteristics and aerobic stability of white oat, barley, and wheat silages that had been subjected to pre-drying at different phenological stages, with or without the application of additives. The experimental design used was completely randomized, in a ۳×۳×۲ factorial design (three forage species, three additives, and two phenological stages), with three replications. After harvest, the cereals were exposed to the sun, and prior to ensiling, were treated (or not) with an inoculant containing a mixture of fermentative bacteria and enzymes and/or propionic acid. Comparing the cereals harvested at different vegetative and reproductive stages, revealed higher percentages of crude protein when the cut was made in the vegetative stage, lower contents of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and lignin; and higher levels of neutral detergent fiber digestibility after ۳۰ hours of incubation. Addition of the inoculant containing homofermentative and heterofermentative bacteria promoted the production of silages with higher lactic acid levels, lower pH values, and losses of ammonia-N. Compared with the control group, addition of propionic acid did not improve fermentative characteristics. Cereals harvested at the vegetative stage produced silage with a best bromatological composition. Although the use of biological additives did not alter the bromatological composition of the pre-dried silages, treatment with the bacterial inoculant improved most fermentative parameters; however, it was ineffective in enhancing the aerobic stability of silage after exposure to air.

Keywords:

Aerobic deterioration , Bacterial inoculant enzyme , Fermentative parameters Propionic acid , Silage quality.