The effect of Lactobacillus buchneri, with or without homofermentative lactic acid bacteria, on the fermentation, aerobic stability and ruminal degradability of wheat, sorghum and maize silages

Abstract

Aims: To determine the effect of Lactobacillus buchneri, alone or in combination with homofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB), on the fermentation, aerobic stability and ruminal degradability of wheat, sorghum and maize silages. Methods and Results: The inoculants were applied at 1.0 x 10(6) CFU g(-1). Silages with no additives served as control. Three jars per treatment were sampled on days 2, 4, 8, 15 and 60 after ensiling, for chemical and microbiological analysis. At the end of the ensiling period, the silages were subjected to an aerobic stability test. The L. buchneri- and L. buchneri + L. plantarum-inoculated silages had significantly higher levels of acetic acid than the control and L. plantarum-inoculated silages (P < 0.05). Therefore, yeast activity was impaired in the L. buchneri- and L. buchneri + L. plantarum-inoculated silages. As a result, L. buchneri, with or without L. plantarum, improved aerobic stability of the silages. The combination of L. buchneri and L. plantarum reduced pH, ammonia-N, and fermentation losses in the silages. However, L. buchneri, L. plantarum and L. buchneri + L. plantarum did not affect in situ dry matter, organic matters, and neutral detergent fibre degradability of the silages. Conclulsions: The L. buchneri was very effective in protecting the wheat, sorghum and maize silages exposed to air under laboratory conditions. Significance and Impact of the Study: The use of L. buchneri, with or without homofermentative LAB, as a silage inoculant can improve the aerobic stability of silages by inhibition of yeast activity.