title: Effects of different source additives and wilt conditions on the pH value, aerobic stability, and carbohydrate and protein fractions of alfalfa silage.
abstract: To improve the silage quality and reduce the silage additive cost, the present experiment was designed to evaluate the potential of applying the fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) as an additive in alfalfa silage. The effects of FJLB on the fermentation quality, carbohydrate and protein fractions, and aerobic stability of alfalfa silage wilted under five different conditions were investigated and compared with commercial lactic acid bacteria (CLAB) and the control. The FJLB application decreased the pH value, the volatile fatty acids and non-protein nitrogen content, and the loss of sugar by 9.9%, 22.9%, 19.6% and 9.6%, respectively; it increased the lactic acid concentration by 29.5% and the aerobic stability by 17 h in comparison to the control. The FJLB application also decreased the pH value (4.44 vs. 4.66) and volatile fatty acid content (38.32 vs. 44.82) and increased the lactic acid concentration (68.99 vs. 63.29) in comparison to the CLAB-treated silage. However, the FJLB treatment had lower aerobic stability (254 h vs. 274 h) than the CLAB treatment. The FJLB application improved silage quality in comparison to the control; in addition, its effect as a fermentation stimulant may be comparable to or even better than CLAB.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture/Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture/Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Naifeng
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture/Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bingwen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture/Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture/Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture/Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qiyu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Diao
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000032:analysis; D005285:Fermentation; D005503:Food Additives / Q000191:economics*; D063427:Food Quality; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D007778:Lactobacillus; D000455:Medicago sativa; D012820:Silage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D005503:Food Additives; D019344:Lactic Acid
keywords: additive; aerobic stability; alfalfa silage; quality; wilt condition