Impact of silage additives on aerobic stability and characteristics of high-moisture maize during exposure to air, and on fermented liquid feed.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To (i) measure the aerobic stability- and describe the characteristics, during aeration, of high-moisture maize (HMM) treated with various additives, and (ii) describe the microbial characteristics of fermented liquid feed (FLF) added HMM. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four treatments were prepared with each of three HMM samples (i) The HMM as is (CONTROL); and the control added (ii) acids (ACID); (iii) heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (HETERO); or (iv) homofermentative lactic acid bacteria (HOMO). After ensiling, aerobic stability was measured (Aim 1) and FLF prepared (Aim 2). The ACID treatment improved the aerobic stability of samples 1 and 3 from 9 to 14 h in the CONTROL to 67-115 h. All additives improved aerobic stability of sample 3 from 32 h in the CONTROL to 104-168 h. No proliferation of Enterobacteriacaea was detected during incubation of FLF. CONCLUSION: The microbial profile during aeration- and impact of additives on the aerobic stability of HMM depended on the characteristics of the samples. No blooming of Enterobacteriaceae was observed in FLF containing c. 20 g HMM 100 g(-1) . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The impact of silage additives on aerobic stability of HMM should be tested in samples with varying characteristics. Inclusion of HMM could be a way of improving biosafety of FLF.