Frontiers in Microbiology (Sep 2022)

Effects of different cutting methods and additives on the fermentation quality and microbial community of Saccharum arundinaceum silage

  • Yulong Zheng,
  • Mengxin Li,
  • Jinyi Xu,
  • Hong Sun,
  • Qiming Cheng,
  • Yixiao Xie,
  • Chunmei Wang,
  • Chunmei Wang,
  • Chao Chen,
  • Ping Li,
  • Ping Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.999881
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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To develop a new high-yielding and polysaccharide-containing forage resource for livestock, the effects of different cutting methods and additives on Saccharum arundinaceum silage were evaluated. The wilted S. arundinaceum were chopped and knead-wired. The silages from each cutting method were treated with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), cellulase (CE) and the combination of LP and CE (LP + CE) for 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days. Compared with the CK treatment, CE treatment exhibited better effects in the degradation of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), LP exhibited a better performance in preserving the content of dry matter (DM), and adding LP + CE significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) the contents of lactic acid (LA), crude protein (CP) and DM and significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the pH and NDF content during ensiling. In addition, both additives exerted a remarkable effect on the silage bacterial community (P < 0.05), with a dramatic increase in the Lactobacillus abundance and a decrease in the abundance of Enterobacter. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) became the most dominant bacteria that affected the fermentation quality of LP and LP + CE silages. Meanwhile, chopped silages showed better fermentation quality and nutrient preservation and a higher abundance of LAB. Our research indicated that the chopped S. arundinaceum ensiling with LP + CE could exert a positive effect on LA fermentation and preservation of nutrient substances by shifting the bacterial community. In conclusion, S. arundinaceum can serve as a new silage resource for feed utilization by the ensiling method of LP + CE-chopped.

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