Effect of commercial essential oil (ESSENTIAL) on the characteristics of silage alfalfa with apple pulp

The project aims to investigate the effects of commercial additives (Essential oil) on the gas production capability of alfalfa silage supplemented with apple pulp. The treatments were: 1) alfalfa (control), 2) alfalfa with Essential oil, 3) alfalfa (75%) with apple pulp (25%), 4) alfalfa (75%) with apple pulp (25%) and Essential oil, 5) alfalfa (50%) with apple pulp (50%), 6) alfalfa (50%) with apple pulp (50%) and Essential oil, 7) alfalfa (25%) with apple pulp (75%), 8) alfalfa (25%) with apple pulp (75%) and Essential oil. Alfalfa was harvested at flowering stage and after 24 hours with apple pulp supplemented with 500 mg of essential oil per kg of alfalfa (based on fresh weight) for 90 days. At the end of the experimental period, essential oil (in 2, 4, 6 and 8 treatments) increased silage dry matter content. PH of all samples was less than 3.4, but the pH of control and additive essential oil was higher than other treatments (p <0.05). Also, the addition of essential oil with apple pulp significantly reduced silage NH3-N content. The addition of apple pulp in 2 levels of 25 and 75% to alfalfa caused significant increase in total VFA. According to these results, it can be concluded that adding essential oil with apple pulpthrough preparing fermentable carbohydrates forbacterial and rapidlyreducing the pH and restricting the growth of yeast and fungi increased aerobic stability and improve the quality of the resulting silage.

Keywords:

Apple Pulp , essential oil , Alfalfa Silage