Effects of Various Additives on Fermentation, Aerobic Stability and Volatile Organic Compounds in Whole-Crop Rye Silage

Abstract

Whole-crop cereal silage represents an important component of ruminant diets and is used as a substrate for biogas production. Due to the scarcity of data on whole-crop rye (Secale cereale L., WCR), our study aimed to evaluate the effects of a range of biological and chemical additives of different compositions on the fermentation and aerobic stability of silage made from this species. In addition, the production of various volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which potentially contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, was monitored. Regardless of additive treatment, all WCR silages were well fermented as reflected by the complete absence of butyric acid. Inoculants containing Lactobacillus buchneri and chemical additives reduced dry matter (DM) losses during fermentation for 53 days (p 2 = 0.88, p Lactobacillus buchneri, alone or in combination with a homofermentative strain, had the lowest yeast count (p p p 2 = 0.94, p 2 = 0.85, p 2 = 0.94, p 2 = 0.93, p < 0.001).

Keywords

• aerobic stability
• ethyl esters
• fermentation
• rye
• silage additives
• volatile organic compounds