The effect of treating whole-plant barley with Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 on silage fermentation, aerobic stability, and nutritive value for dairy cows

Abstract

Chopped barley forage was ensiled untreated or treated with several doses (1 × 105 to 1 × 106 cfu/g of fresh forage) of Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 in laboratory silos and untreated or treated (4 × 105 cfu/g) in a farm silo. Silage from the farm silos was fed to lactating cows. In the laboratory silo, the effects of inoculation on fermentation and aerobic stability were also compared to silage treated with a commercial inoculant and a buffered propionic acid additive. Inoculation with L. buchneri 40788 decreased the final concentrations of lactic acid but increased concentrations of acetic acid and ethanol in silage from laboratory and farm silos. Silages stored in laboratory silos did not heat after exposure to air for 7 d and were then mixed with alfalfa silage and a concentrate to form total mixed rations (TMR) that were further exposed to air. The TMR containing silages treated with L. buchneri 40788 or a buffered propionic-acid-based additive took longer to heat and spoil than the TMR containing untreated silage or silage treated with the commercial inoculant. Silage stored in a farm silo and treated with L. buchneri 40788 had fewer yeasts and molds than did untreated silage. Aerobic stability was greater in treated silage alone and in a TMR containing treated silage. Dry matter intake (18.6 kg/d), milk production (25.7 kg/d), and milk composition did not differ between cows fed a TMR containing untreated or treated silage. These findings show that L. buchneri can improve the aerobic stability of barley silage in laboratory and farm silos and that feeding treated silage had no negative effect on intake or performance.