scholarly journals Effect of Mixing Alfalfa with Whole-Plant Corn in Different Proportions on Fermentation Characteristics and Bacterial Community of Silage

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 174
Author(s):  
Musen Wang ◽  
Run Gao ◽  
Marcia Franco ◽  
David B. Hannaway ◽  
Wencan Ke ◽  
...  

The influence of mixing alfalfa with whole-plant corn in different proportions on the fermentation characteristics and bacterial community of silage was investigated. Alfalfa and whole-plant corn, harvested at dry matter content of 276.47 and 328.43 g/kg fresh weight, accordingly, were chopped to approximately 2 cm and mixed at ratios of 100:0 (C0, control), 80:20 (C20), 60:40 (C40), 40:60 (C60), 20:80 (C80) and 0:100 (C100) on a fresh weight basis, respectively. Silos of each treatment were produced in triplicate and anaerobically fermented in darkness for 100 days at room temperature (20–21 °C). At silo opening, silage fermentation characteristics and bacterial composition and diversity were analyzed. The C0 silage was weakly preserved, evidenced by a low lactic acid concentration and a high value of pH, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen. With corn proportion in the mixture increasing from 0% to 40%, silage pH, acetic acid, butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen level decreased, whereas the value of lactic acid and lactic acid to acetic acid ratio increased. The C40, C60, C80 and C100 silages’ Flieg score, used to evaluate the overall fermentation quality, was above 80 and higher than C0 (25) and C20 (61) silages. The C0 silage contained a complex bacterial community at the genus level, consisting mainly of Enterococcus (38.86%), Enterobacteria (20.61%), Rhizobium (8.45%), Lactobacillus (8.15%), Methylobacterium (5.54%) and Weissella (5.24%). As corn percentage increased from 0% to 40%, the relative abundance of desirable Lactobacillus increased and undesirable Rhizobium and Methylobacterium population reduced. With corn proportion in the mixture increasing from 0% to 40%, inclusion of corn to alfalfa at ensiling significantly improved silage fermentation quality and shifted the bacterial community for better silage preservation. Overall, high quality silage was produced when alfalfa was combined with at least 40% whole-plant corn on a fresh weight basis.

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 900
Author(s):  
Chao Wang ◽  
Hongyan Han ◽  
Lin Sun ◽  
Na Na ◽  
Haiwen Xu ◽  
...  

Whole-plant corn silage is a predominant forage for livestock that is processed in Heilongjiang province (Daqing city and Longjiang county), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Helin county and Tumet Left Banner) and Shanxi province (Taigu and Shanyin counties) of North China; it was sampled at 0, 5, 14, 45 and 90 days after ensiling. Bacterial community and fermentation quality were analysed. During fermentation, the pH was reduced to below 4.0, lactic acid increased to above 73 g/kg DM (p < 0.05) and Lactobacillus dominated the bacterial community and had a reducing abundance after 14 days. In the final silages, butyric acid was not detected, and the contents of acetic acid and ammonia nitrogen were below 35 g/kg DM and 100 g/kg total nitrogen, respectively. Compared with silages from Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia, silages from Shanxi contained less Lactobacillus and more Leuconostoc (p < 0.05), and had a separating bacterial community from 14 to 90 days. Lactobacillus was negatively correlated with pH in all the silages (p < 0.05), and positively correlated with lactic and acetic acid in silages from Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia (p < 0.05). The results show that the final silages had satisfactory fermentation quality. During the ensilage process, silages from Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia had similar bacterial-succession patterns; the activity of Lactobacillus formed and maintained good fermentation quality in whole-plant corn silage.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Hong Yang ◽  
Bing Wang ◽  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Hui Cheng ◽  
Zhu Yu

The use of the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) is a promising approach for the preservation of homogeneous feed, but changes during fermentation and links with the bacterial community of FTMR are not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of adding oat silage (OS) to the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) in terms of fermentation, chemical composition, and the bacterial community. The fermentation quality of FTMR with 22% OS was greatly improved, as demonstrated by decreases in the butyric acid concentration, a lower lactic acid/acetic acid ratio, a larger population of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and quicker spoilage yeast death. Further examination of the effects of various ensiling days on nutritive values showed stable crude protein and nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) contents. The concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia–nitrogen (NH3–N) were increased following all FTMR treatments after 15 d, while the concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) was decreased. More heterofermentative LAB, such as Lentilactobacillus buchneri, Lentilactobacillus brevis, and Companilactobacillus versmoldensis were found after adding 11% and 22% OS. Moreover, the addition of 22% OS caused a marked increase in both bacterial richness and diversity, dominated by the Lactobacillus genus complex. Among species of the Lactobacillus genus complex, the occurrence of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis was positively correlated with lactic acid, NPN, and NH3–N concentrations, suggesting its potential role in altering the fermentation profiles.


1981 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. VEIRA ◽  
M. IVAN

Four wethers, each fitted with a re-entrant cannula in the proximal duodenum and terminal ileum, were used to study digestion of corn and alfalfa silages. The four silages fed were (1) corn silage (2) corn silage with 0.6% urea (fresh weight basis) added at the time of ensiling (3) direct-cut alfalfa silage treated with formic acid (5 g/kg fresh alfalfa) and (4) wilted alfalfa silage. Urea additions to corn silage increased crude protein from 8.1 to 13.2% which resulted in an increase (P < 0.05) in microbial yield from 1.99 to 3.23 g N/100 g organic matter (OM) apparently digested in the stomach. The apparent digestion of OM in the stomach was lower (P < 0.05) with formic-acid-treated alfalfa silage (48.6%) compared to the wilted alfalfa silage (56.1%), but this difference had disappeared at the ileum. The preservation of alfalfa silage with formic acid compared to wilting resulted in a greater (P < 0.05) flow from the stomach and digestion within the small intestine of non-ammonia nitrogen. This effect of formic acid on non-ammonia dynamics was unrelated to microbial yield.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 8669-8685

Due to susceptible change era for the world, limited land resources; vast encounter to meet the food demand and medicine for the growing populations make the necessity to discover any alternative food which has good nutritional and medicinal value. Hence, the quality categorization of Fresh White Button Mushroom has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements governing the quality of products. The contents and categorizations were formulated in accordance with the procedures established by standards physiochemical and sensory determination methods. The chemical composition (moisture, ash, protein, carbohydrate, total fat) and minerals composition (Se, Ni, Mn, Cu, Zn, Na, N, Fe, P, Ca, Mg, S, and K) of white button mushroom were determined. Results show that edible mushrooms are rich sources of protein (3.27±0.12), fiber(1.87±0.08), carbohydrates (2.66±0.61), fats (0.22±0.05) and energy (28.50±1.22 Kcal) g/100g fresh weight basis respectively. In addition to these, white button mushrooms also contain the highest content of potassium (3560±153.33) and sulfur (2195.59±1405.60) mg/kg fresh weight basis mineral elements. The quality categorization was monitored under a controlled environmental condition (Temp. 5-6±10C) and packed in a 30µm thickness polyethylene bag. The data were categorized by organoleptic, physicochemical, and bacterial count (CFU/g) basis. The grades SSQM: size<33.44mm, whiteness(Hunter) >80 number of pieces: 19/200g, open veils; Nil, Veiled: Nil; lactic acid: > 0.7%, Lactococcus lactis: >9.5x105,SQM: Size range of 33.57-38.55,whiteness (Hunter):70-80,Veiled 1, open veiled 1, open veiled 6.25%, lactic acid: 0.4-0.7 % and Lactococcus lactis: > 8.4 x 105, AQM: size>38.62, Whiteness (Hunter): 60-70,Veiled 1, open veiled 2, open veiled 16.6%, lactic acid: 0.3-0.4 % and Lactococcus lactis:>3.4 x105. The overall fruiting body has a significantly high level of nutrient and mineral composition, Lactic acid, and probiotic bacteria, thus WBM can be used as a good source of food as well as medicine.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2614
Author(s):  
Xiaomiao Fan ◽  
Shanshan Zhao ◽  
Fengyuan Yang ◽  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Yanping Wang

To investigate the effects of lactic acid bacterial (LAB) inoculants and vacuuming on the fermentation quality and bacterial community, alfalfas were ensiled with or without a commercial LAB YX or Lactobacillus plantarum strain ZZUA493 for 10, 30, 60, and 90 days while undergoing either vacuum (V) or nonvacuum (NV) treatment. At 90 days, analysis of the microbial community by high-throughput sequencing was performed, and contents of aflatoxin B1 and deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxins in alfalfa silage were determined. In all inoculated alfalfa silage, irrespective of V or NV treatment, lactic acid (LA) content increased, pH (p < 0.05), and ammonia nitrogen (p < 0.05) content decreased, and no butyric acid was detected. Lactobacillus or Pediococcus became the dominant genus, and the abundance of Garciella decreased in alfalfa silage with the addition of either inoculant. The LAB inoculants YX and ZZUA493 helped reduce the mycotoxin content in alfalfa silage. The abundance of Garciella in the control and DON content in all alfalfa silage groups were higher (p < 0.05) in NV than V. In summary, LAB inoculants and vacuuming had a positive influence on alfalfa silage quality, and LAB inoculants were effective in reducing mycotoxins in silage alfalfa.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Lu ◽  
Zhen Wang ◽  
Duowen Sa ◽  
Meiling Hou ◽  
Gentu Ge ◽  
...  

This study investigated the fermentation quality of alfalfa grown in different salt stress regions in China. Following the production of silage from the natural fermentation of alfalfa, the interplay between the chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, and microbiome was examined to understand the influence of these factors on the fermentation quality of silage. The alfalfa was cultivated under salt stress with the following: (a) soil content of &lt;1%0 (CK); (b) 1–2%0 (LS); (c) 2–3%0 (MS); (d) 3–4%0 (HS). The pH of the silage was high (4.9–5.3), and lactic acid content was high (26.3–51.0 g/kg DM). As the salt stress increases, the NA+ of the silages was higher (2.2–5.4 g/kg DM). The bacterial alpha diversities of the alfalfa silages were distinct. There was a predominance of desirable genera including Lactococcus and Lactobacillus in silage produced from alfalfa under salt stress, and this led to better fermentation quality. The chemical composition and fermentation characteristics of the silage were closely correlated with the composition of the bacterial community. Furthermore, NA+ was found to significantly influence the microbiome of the silage. The results confirmed that salt stress has a great impact on the quality and bacterial community of fresh alfalfa and silage. The salt stress and plant ions were thus most responsible for their different fermentation modes in alfalfa silage. The results of the study indicate that exogenous epiphytic microbiota of alfalfa under salt stress could be used as a potential bioresource to improve the fermentation quality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Huang ◽  
Longfei Liang ◽  
Sheng Dai ◽  
Changrong Wu ◽  
Chao Chen ◽  
...  

This study aimed to explore the changes in the microbial community on the silage material surface and during the ensiling process of whole-plant maize in different regions. Whole-plant maize silages were sampled in Ziyun, Guanling, and Weinning counties within warm and humid climate areas in southern China. Silages were sampled at 0, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 45 days during ensiling. The nutritional components, fermentation properties, and microbiomes were examined to evaluate the influence of sampling area and fermentation time on the quality of silage. The results showed that the pH values of all silages significantly decreased (&lt;4.2 at ensiling day 2) during fermentation and all silages achieved satisfactory fermentation at 45 days. Butyric acid was not detected during ensiling, and the contents of acetic acid and ammonia nitrogen in the final silages were below 6 g/kg DM and 50 g/kg total nitrogen, respectively. Weissella was the dominant epiphytic bacteria of raw material in Ziyun and Weinning, while Lactobacillus was prevalent in Guanling. Lactobacillus dominated the ensiling process, and its abundance significantly increased with increasing fermentation time in the three groups. Lactobacillus was negatively correlated with pH of all silages (p &lt; 0.05) and positively correlated with lactic acid, propionic acid and acetic acid (p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the bacterial community was significantly correlated with environmental factors. Altitude had a highly positive correlation with the abundance of Stenotrophomonas, Chryseobacterium, and Massilia (p &lt; 0.01), while precipitation was negatively correlated with these bacteria. The humidity and average temperature significantly influenced the Lactobacillus and Weissella abundances of fresh whole-plant maize. During the ensiling process, the silages from three regions had similar bacterial dynamic changes, and the Lactobacillus formed and maintained good fermentation characteristics in whole-plant maize silage.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linna Guo ◽  
Yongxiang Lu ◽  
Ping Li ◽  
Liangyin Chen ◽  
Wenlong Gou ◽  
...  

This study aimed to investigate the effects of delayed harvest and additives on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of corn stalk silage in South China. The corn stalks after ear harvest at the 0 day (D0), 7 days (D7), and 15 days (D15) were used to produce small-bale silages. The silages at each harvest time were treated without (control, CK) or with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and sodium benzoate (BF). The results showed that delayed harvest increased pH and acetic acid content and reduced lactic acid content in corn stalk silage (p &lt; 0.05). Compared with CK, the additives decreased the contents of butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N; p &lt; 0.05). The silage treated with LP increased the content of lactic acid and decreased pH (p &lt; 0.05); the silage treated with BF decreased counts of coliform bacteria and yeasts and increased residual water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) content (p &lt; 0.05). Single Molecule, Real-Time sequencing (SMRT) revealed that the abundance of L. plantarum increased, while the abundance of Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus ginsenosidimutans decreased with the delayed harvest. Additives influenced the bacterial community structure of corn stalk silage, revealed by enhanced bacterial diversity on D0 and reduced on D7 (p &lt; 0.05). Our research indicated that delayed harvest could exert a positive effect on acetic acid production, and additives could inhibit the butyric acid fermentation and protein degradation of corn stalk silage by shifting bacterial community composition.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuejuan Zi ◽  
Mao Li ◽  
Yeyuan Chen ◽  
Renlong Lv ◽  
Hanlin Zhou ◽  
...  

To better understand the mechanism underlying the citric acid (CA)-regulated silage fermentation, we investigated the bacterial community and fermentation quality of king grass (KG) ensiled without (CK) or with Lactobacillus plantarum (L), CA and the combination of L and CA (CAL). The bacterial community was characterized by using the 16Sr DNA sequencing technology. The L and CA treatments altered the silage bacterial community of KG, showing reduced bacterial diversity, while the abundance of desirable genus Lactobacillus was increased, and the abundances of undesirable genus Dysgonomonas and Pseudomonas were decreased. The additives also significantly raised the lactic acid content, dropped the pH, and reduced the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia-N in ensiled KG (P &lt; 0.01). Besides, the combination treatment was more effective on silage fermentation with the highest pH and lactic acid content, while the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia-N were the lowest (P &lt; 0.01). Moreover, CAL treatment exerted a notable influence on the bacterial community, with the lowest operational taxonomic unit (OTU) number and highest abundance of Lactobacillus. Furthermore, the bacterial community was significantly correlated with fermentation characteristics. These results proved that L and CA enhanced the KG silage quality, and the combination had a beneficial synergistic effect.


Fermentation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 258
Author(s):  
Hao Guan ◽  
Qifan Ran ◽  
Haiping Li ◽  
Xinquan Zhang

To further explore the effects of heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on silage fermentation and aerobic stability, whole-plant corn at around the 1/2 milk-line stage was freshly chopped and ensiled in laboratory silos with deionized water (control), Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), or L. rhamnosus (LR). Each treatment was prepared in triplicate for 3, 14, and 60 d of fermentation, followed by 3 and 7 days of aerobic exposure. The dynamic changes in microbial community were studied by single molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing. The results showed that the two LAB inoculants altered the microbial communities in different ways. Succession from L. plantarum to L. buchneri and L. rhamnosus was observed in LB- and LR-treated silage, respectively. Both silages improved aerobic stability (82 and 78 h vs. 44 h) by occupying the microbial niche to produce higher levels of acetic acid at terminal fermentation. Because Acetobacter fabarum dominated in the silages after aerobic exposure, beta diversity dramatically decreased. In this study, a. fabarum was reported for the first time in silage and was related to aerobic spoilage. The two heterofermentative LAB produced acetic acid and improved the aerobic stability of the corn silage by occupying the microbial niche at terminal fermentation. Inoculated L. rhamnosus had a greater pH for a longer period of time after opening and less DM loss at day 7.


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