Effect of 11CFT and 11C33 inoculants on the chemical and fermentation composition, and aerobic stability of corn silage during the feed out period

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the efficiency of two bacterial inoculants, 11CFT and 11C33, with different genera of lactic acid bacteria on the chemical and fermentation composition of the silage, and the temperature and pH behavior of the silage during the feed out period. The experimental design used was randomized blocks, with three treatments: corn silage without inoculant (control); corn silage with 11CFT inoculant (consisting of strains of Lactobacillus buchneri and L. casei); and corn silage with 11C33 inoculant (consisting of strains of L. buchneri, L. plantarum and Enterococcus faecium). The use of both inoculants increased the concentration of lactic acid in the silage (22.42 g kg-1 for control against 36.00 and 33.33 g kg-1 for 11CFT and 11C33, respectively) and reduced aerobic dry matter losses. The silage treated with 11C33 obtained a higher concentration of acetic acid (17.44 g kg-1) and propionic acid (2.08 g kg-1). The 11CFT inoculant provided a lower concentration of ethanol, however, without differing from the silage with 11C33 (0.70 and 1.61 g kg-1, respectively). Even without variations in temperature and pH at silage unloading, the use of the 11C33 inoculant generated a higher concentration of acetic and propionic acid, providing better aerobic stability days after unloading. Both inoculants also improved the in situ ruminal digestibility of corn silage compared to control silage. They provide an increase in the content of lactic and propionic acids, which assist to reduce dry matter losses and ethanol production. There were no variations in temperature and pH at the silo unloading, however, the use of the 11C33 inoculant generated a higher concentration of acetic and propionic acids providing better aerobic stability after exposure to air.