Treatment of Whole-Plant Corn Silage With Lactic Acid Bacteria and Organic Acid Enhances Quality by Elevating Acid Content, Reducing pH, and Inhibiting Undesirable Microorganisms.

We investigated the variation in microbial community and fermentation characteristics of whole-plant corn silage after treatment with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and organic acids. The fresh corn forages were treated with a combination of L. acidophilus and L. plantarum (106 CFU/g fresh material) or a 7:1:2 ratio of formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid (6 mL/g fresh material) followed by 45 or 90 days of ensiling. Silages treated with LAB showed increased lactic acid content and decreased pH after 45 days. Although treatment with LAB or organic acids decreased the common and unique operational taxonomic units, indicating a reduction in microbial diversity, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was elevated after 45 and 90 days compared with control, which was more distinct in the organic acid groups. Moreover, we found higher levels of acetic acid and increased abundance of Acetobacter in silages treated with organic acids whereas undesirable microorganisms such as Klebsiella, Paenibacillus, and Enterobacter were reduced. In summary, the quality of corn silages was improved by LAB or organic acid treatment in which LAB more effectively enhanced lactic acid content and reduced pH while organic acid inhibited the growth of undesirable microorganisms.

Effects of forage source and particle size on chewing activity, ruminal pH, and saliva secretion in lactating Holstein cows.

The present study investigated the effects of dietary forage source (quality) and particle size on chewing activity, saliva secretion, and ruminal pH. Twelve multiparous lactating Holstein cows, four of which were ruminally cannulated, were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square experimental design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Cows fed wild-rye hay diets had longer daily eating times than cows fed oaten hay diets. Treatments had no effect on ruminating time; therefore, resting time varied inversely to eating time. Neither the rate nor the amount of saliva secretion while eating, ruminating, or resting was affected by diet, resulting in similar total daily saliva secretions across treatments (231 L/day). Total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the ruminal fluid from animals fed oaten hay diets were higher than those from animals fed wild-rye hay diets; further, VFAs increased with decreasing forage particle size (FPS). Consistent with elevated VFA concentrations, reducing FPS and including oaten hay in the diet decreased mean ruminal pH and increased the daily time of ruminal pH under 5.8. Results of this study suggest that forage source and particle size affect ruminal pH might be via variations in VFA production rather than increased salivary recycling of buffering substrates.

Three-dimensional morphological analysis of acromioclavicular joint in patients with and without subacromial erosion after hook plate fixation.

Objective To investigate the role of acromioclavicular joint morphology in the presence of subacromial erosion after hook plate fixation. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 36 patients (17 men, 19 women; mean age, 48.7 years; range, 21-76 years) treated with hook plate fixation for distal clavicular fractures (n = 20) or acromioclavicular joint dislocation (n = 16) from August 2011 to March 2013. The patients were divided into two groups: the subacromial erosion group (18 patients) and the normal group (18 patients). Differences in multiple anatomical parameters between the two groups were measured and compared. Results The distal clavicle-acromion angle was significantly larger in the subacromial erosion group (mean, 51.37° ± 5.59°) than in the normal group (mean, 44.20° ± 3.83°), as was the distal clavicle-coronal angle (mean, 25.44° ± 2.51° vs. 21.67° ± 4.06°, respectively). The thickness of the acromion was significantly different between men and women (9.72 ± 1.13 vs. 8.16 ± 1.89 mm, respectively). Conclusion The results of this study indicate that the distal clavicle-acromion angle and distal clavicle-coronal angle are closely correlated with the occurrence of subacromial erosion after hook plate fixation.