The Effect of a Lactic Acid Bacteria Inoculant on Corn Silage Ensiled at the Different Stages of Vegetation

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate the effect of a lactic acid bacteria inoculant applied to fresh corn crop harvested at early milk, milk and dough stages on silage quality and some chemical composition of corn silage. Corn crop was hamested at early milk stage (19.3% dry matter content), milk stage (1/2 milk line in corn grain, 27.2% dry matter content) and dough stage (36.9% dry matter content). A total of six experimental groups includng one control and one treatment group containing a Lactic Acid Bacteria inoculant (LAB) were used for each stage. The silage material was tightly filled in 192 glass jars. Eight jars of each group were opened on days 15, 30, 45 and 60th of ensiling and crude protein, metabolisable energy, the pH value, ammonia nitrogen, lactic acid acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid concentratiom were determined. Although, there was a dfference (p<0.05) in pH value of corn silage emiled at early milk stage between control and treatment groups on the 45 and 60th days of emiling, the pH values of them were <40 On the 45 and 60th days of ensiling, there was no difference in ammonia nitrogen and organic acid levels of control and treatment groups of corn silage ensiled at early milk stage, milk stage and dough stage. In conclusion, a lactic acid bacteria inoculant had no beneficial effects compared to controls on corn silages ensiled at early milk stage, milk stage and dough stage. © Medwell Journals, 2012.