Effects of supplementation alfalfa silage with molasses, orange pulp and Lactobacillus buchneri on in vitro dry matter digestibility and gas production

Abstract

This study was conducted to document the effects of supplementation alfalfa silage with molasses, orange pulp and Lactobacillus buchneri on in vitro dry matter digestibility and gas production. The treatments included: 1) alfalfa hay (control); 2) alfalfa hay with bacterial additive 3×108 cfu/g; 3) alfalfa hay with orange pomace; 4) alfalfa hay with orange pomace and bacterial additive 3×108 cfu/g; 5) alfalfa hay with 5% molasses; 6) alfalfa hay with 5% molasses and bacterial additive 3×108 cfu/g. Alfalfa hay harvested at flowering stage and after 24 hours wilted and mixed orange pomace with a ratio of 2100 g and 760 g, respectively, and was ensiled for 90 days. The data were analyzed in a completely randomized design with three replications. After 24 h incubation, treatments AO (alfalfa + orange pulp) and CON (without additive) had the highest and lowest in vitro gas production (p<0.05) and adding orange pulp and molasses increased gas production. Adding inoculant decreased in vitro DM digestibility. Results showed that ensiling alfalfa with orange pulp and molasses can improve silage quality and increased gas production and in vitro DM digestibility.

Keywords

• alfalfa silage
• Lactobacillus buchneri
• orange pulp