• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.483-493
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• 1996

Advances in silage technology, including precision chop forage harvesters, improved silos, polyethylene sheeting, shear cutting silo unloaders, and the introduction of total mixed rations, have made silage the principal method of forage preservation. A better understanding of the biochemistry and microbiology of the four phases of the ensiling process has also led to the development of numerous silage additives. Although acids and acid salts still are used to ensile low-DM forages in wet climates, bacterial inoculants have become the most widely used silage additives in the past decade. Commercial inoculants can assure a rapid and efficient fermentation phase; however, in the future, these products also must contribute to other areas of silage management, including the inhibition of enterobacteria, clostridia, and yeasts and molds. Nonprotein nitrogen additives have the problems of handling, application, and reduced preservation efficiency, which have limited their wide spread use. Aerobic deterioration in the feedout phase continues to be a serious problem, especially in high-DM silages. The introduction of competitive strains of propionic acid-producing bacteria, which could assure aerobically stable silages, would improve most commercial additives. New technologies are needed that would allow the farmer to assess the chemical and microbial status of the silage crop on a given day and then use the appropriate additive(s).

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.1776-1783
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• 2021

Objective: This project aimed to evaluate the effects of both different additives and filling methods on nutritive quality, fermentation profile, and in situ digestibility of whole plant corn silage. Methods: Whole plant corn forage harvested at 26.72% dry matter (DM) was chopped and treated with two filling methods, i) fill silos at one time (F1), ii) fill silos at three times (F3), packing samples into one/three silo capacity at the first day, another one/three capacity at the second day, then one/three at the third day, three replicates. For each replicate, samples were treated with three additives, i) control (CTRL, no additive), ii) Sila-Max (MAX, Ralco Nutrition Inc., Marshall, MN, USA), and iii) Sila-Mix (MIX, Ralco Nutrition Inc., USA). With three replicates of each secondary treatment, there were nine silos, 54 silos in total. Each silo had a packing density of 137.61 kg of DM/m3. All silos were weighed and stored in lab at ambient temperature. Results: After 60 d of ensiling, all items showed good silage fermentation under MAX filled one time or three times (p<0.01). Higher silage quality for all additives was obtained at filling one time than that filled three times (p<0.01). The highest DM and lowest DM loss rate (DMLR) occurred to MAX treatment at two filling methods (p<0.01); Digestibility of acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and curde protein had the same results as silage quality (p<0.01). Yield of digestible DM and digestible NDF also showed higher value under MAX especially for filling one time (p<0.05). Conclusion: All corn silages showed good fermentation attributes (pH<4.0). The forage filled one time had higher silage quality than that filled three times (p<0.01). MAX with homofermentative lactic acid bacteria enhanced the lactic acid fermentation, silage quality and nutrient digestibility, and so improved the digestible nutrient yield.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.965-970
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• 2016

This study was conducted to determine the effects of freezing and supplementation of molasses (M), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and LAB+enzyme mixture on chemical and nutritional composition of sunflower silage (SF). Sunflower crops were harvested (at about $29.2%{\pm}1.2%$ dry matter) and half of fresh sunflower was ensiled alone and half was frozen (F) at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 7 days. Silage additives were admixed into frozen SF material. All samples were ensiled in glass jars with six replicates for 90 days. The treatments were as follows: i) positive control (non-frozen and no additives, NF), ii) negative control (frozen, no additives, F), iii) F+5% molasses (FM), iv) F+LAB (1.5 g/tons, Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium, FLAB); v) F+LAB+enzyme (2 g/tons Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium and cellulase and amylase enzymes, FLEN). Freezing silage increased dry matter, crude ash, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin. The organic matter, total digestible nutrient, non-fiber carbohydrate, metabolizable energy and in vitro dry matter digestibility were negatively influenced by freezing treatments (p<0.05). In conclusion, freezing sunflower plants prior to ensiling may negatively affect silage quality, while molasses supplementation improved some quality traits of frozen silage. Lactic acid bacteria and LAB+enzyme inoculations did not effectively compensate the negative impacts of freezing on sunflower silage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.338-339
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1564-1567
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• 2001

Hydrolysis of plant protein to non-protein nitrogen (N) or ammonia can reduce quality of silage crops. Heating or non-enzymatic browning is a treatment to inhibit this hydrolysis. This experiment was conducted to examine the effects of pre-heated soybean meal and molasses on the fermentation quality of napiergrass silage. The initial growth of napiergrass was harvested at 85 days of age and immediately chopped into about 1 cm length. About 700 g of the grass was ensiled into a laboratory silo (1.0 liter polyethylene container) and incubated for 30 days at room temperature ($28^{\circ}C$). No additives (control), molasses, soybean meal and molasses + soybean meal treatments were prepared. All additives were non-heated or heated in an oven at $150^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes before ensiling. Molasses was added at 3% on the fresh weight basis and soybean meal was added at 0.5% N, respectively. After opening the silo, pH, total nitrogen (TN), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA), butyric acid (BA) and dry matter (DM) contents were determined. The data were analyzed statistically by analysis of variance. Compared with control, molasses addition significantly decreased pH value, VBN/TN, AA and BA and increased LA production. Soybean meal addition significantly increased TN and VBN/TN of silage. Both molasses and soybean meal addition significantly reduced pH value, AA, and BA and increased DM and LA contents of silage. The heating of additives was only effective to reduce VBN/TN production compared with non-heated additives in soybean meal and soybean meal with molasses addition.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1747-1755
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• 2018

Objective: Common reed (Phragmites communis Trin.) could potentially provide an alternative resource for silage; however, its silage quality is poor. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors in reed that contribute to poor quality and determine how the use of additives at ensiling could improve fermentation quality. Methods: In Experiment 1, we determined the chemical composition and the presence of indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in reed. We further examined fermentation quality of reed silage under conditions without additives (NA) and treated glucose (G), lactic acid bacteria (L), and their combination (G+L). In Experiment 2, silage of NA, and with an addition of cellulase and lactic acid bacteria (CL) were prepared from harvested reed. The harvested reeds were fertilized at nitrogen concentrations of 0, 4, 8, and $12g\;N/m^2$ and were harvested thrice within one year. Results: The indigenous LAB and fermentable carbohydrates are at extremely low concentrations in reed. Reed silage, to which we added G+L, provided the highest quality silage among treatments in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, N fertilization had no negative effect on silage quality of reed. The harvest times decreased fermentable carbohydrate content in reed. The CL treatment provided a higher lactic acid content compared to the NA treatment. However, the quality of CL treated silage at the second and third harvests was significantly lower than at the first harvest, due to a reduction in carbohydrates caused by frequent harvesting. Conclusion: The causes of poor quality in reed silage are its lack of indigenous LAB and fermentable carbohydrates and its high moisture content. In addition, reed managed by frequent harvesting reduces carbohydrate content. Although the silage quality could be improved by adding CL, higher-quality silage could be prepared by adding fermentable carbohydrates, such as glucose (rather than adding cellulases).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1274-1280
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• 2015

This study was conducted to assess the effects of microbial and chemical combo additives on nutritive values, fermentation indices and aerobic stability of whole crop barley silage. Barley forage (Youngyang) was harvested at about 30% dry matter (DM) by treatments, chopped to 5 cm length and treated with distilled water only (CON), Lactobacillus plantarum (INO), propionic acid (PRO) or an equal mixture of INO and PRO (MIX). Barley forages were ensiled in 4 replications for 0, 2, 7, and 100 days. On 100 days of ensiling, MIX silage had higher (p<0.05) in vitro DM digestibility than CON silage, but lower (p<0.05) acid detergent fiber concentration. The pH in all treated silages was lower (p<0.05) than CON silage. The MIX silage had higher (p<0.05) lactate concentration and lactate to acetate ratio than in CON, but lower (p<0.05) yeast count. Aerobic stability in CON, PRO, and MIX silages were higher (p<0.05) than in INO silage. It is concluded that microbial and chemical combo additives using L. plantarum and propionic acid could efficiently improve nutritive values of barley silage in terms of increased in vitro DM digestibility compared to other treatments. In addition, all treatments except CON reduced yeast count which is the initiate microorganism of aerobic spoilage.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of molasses and Lactobacillus plantarum on the ensiling quality and in vitro rumen fermentation of sudangrass silage prepared with or without wilting. Methods: The ensiling experiment, measured with 3 replicates, was carried out according to a 2×4 (wilted stages×additives) factorial treatment structure. Dry matter of the fresh (210 g/kg fresh matter) or wilted (305 g/kg fresh matter) sudangrass were ensiled (packed into 5.0-L plastic jars) without additive (control) or with molasses (M), Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), or molasses + Lactobacillus plantarum (M+LP). After 60 days of ensiling, the silages were analyzed for the chemical, fermentation, and in vitro characteristics. Results: After 60 days of ensiling, the fermentation parameters were affected by wilted, the additives and the interactions of wilted with the additives (p<0.05). The M+LP treatment at wilted had higher lactic acid levels and V-score (p<0.05) but lower pH values and butyric acid concentrations than the other treatments. In comparison with sudangrass before ensiling, after ensiling had lower dry matter and higher non-fibrous carbohydrate. The in vitro gas production, in vitro dry matter digestibility, in vitro crude protein digestibility, and in vitro acid fiber detergent digestibility changed under the effects of the additives. Significant interactions were observed between wilted and the additives in terms of in vitro gas production at 48 h, asymptotic gas production, gas production rate, half time, and the average gas production rate. The total volatile fatty acid levels in the additive treatments were higher than those in the control. Conclusion: Wilting and supplementation with molasses and Lactobacillus plantarum had the ability to improve the ensiling quality and in vitro nutrient digestibility of sudangrass silage. The M+LP treatment at wilted exhibited the strongest positive effects on silage quality and in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.375-386
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• 2019

Objective: We hypothesized that silage additives may alter the undigested neutral detergent fiber (uNDF) content through ensiling. Therefore, urea and formic acid were applied to corn, whole barley crop (WBC) and alfalfa to change uNDF content of the ensiled forages. Methods: Six experimental diets at two groups of high uNDF (untreated corn and alfalfa silages [CSAS] and untreated whole barley and alfalfa silages [BSAS]) and low uNDF (urea-treated corn silage+untreated alfalfa silage [$CS_UAS$], urea-treated whole barley silage+untreated alfalfa silage [$BS_UAS$], untreated corn silage+formic acid-treated alfalfa silage [$CSAS_F$], and untreated whole barley silage+formic acid-treated alfalfa silage [$BSAS_F$]), were allocated to thirty-six multiparous lactating Holstein dairy cows. Results: The untreated silages were higher in uNDF than additive treated silages, but the uNDF concentrations among silages were variable (corn silage0.05). Milk yield tended to increase in the cows fed high uNDF diets than those fed low uNDF (p = 0.10). The cows fed diet based on urea-treated corn silage had higher milk yield than those fed other silages (p = 0.05). The substitution of corn silage with the WBC silage tended to decrease milk production (p = 0.07). Changing the physical source of NDF supply and the uNDF content from the corn silage to the WBC silage caused a significant increase in ruminal $NH_3-N$ concentration, milk urea-N and fat yield (p<0.05). The cows fed diets based on WBC silage experienced greater rumination time than the cows fed corn silage (p<0.05). Conclusion: Administering additives to silages to reduce uNDF may improve the performance of Holstein dairy cows.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.91-103
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• 2021

To improve the fermentation quality of silage and reduce the nutrients loss of raw materials during the ensiling process, silage additives are widely used. The effect of additives on silage is also affected by the species of crop. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the effects of formic acid (FA) and lactic acid bacterial inoculant on the quality of main summer crop silage. The experiment was consisted on split-plot design with three replications. The experiment used the main summer forage crops of proso millet ("Geumsilchal"), silage corn ("Gwangpyeongok"), and a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid ("Turbo-gold"). Treatments included silage with Lactic acid bacterial Inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum [LP], 1.0 × 106 CFU/g fresh matter), with FA (98%, 5 mL/kg), and a control (C, without additive). All silages were stored for 60 days after preparation. All additives significantly increased the crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of the silages and also reduced the content of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and pH. Corn had the highest content of IVDMD, total digestible nutrients and relative feed value among silages. Compared with the control, irrespective of whether FA or LP was added, the water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) of three crops was largely preserved and the WSC content in the proso millet treated with FA was the highest. The treatment of LP significantly increased the lactic acid content of the all silage, while the use of FA significantly increased the content of acetic acid (p < 0.05). The highest count of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was detected in the LP treatment of corn. In all FA treatment groups, the total microorganism and mold numbers were significantly lower than those of the control and LP groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, both additives improved the fermentation quality and nutritional composition of the main summer forage crops. The application of FA effectively inhibited the fermentation of the three crops, whereas LAB promoted fermentation. So, both FA and LP can improve the quality of various species of silage.