Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria on the Nutritive Value and In Vitro Ruminal Digestibility of Maize and Rice Straw Silage

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on nutritive value and in vitro rumen digestibility of maize and rice straw silages. Two identical experiments were carried out for each of the two silages. A total of five treatments were used for each experiment: (1) negative control (NC); (2) positive control (PC); (3) Lactobacillus plantarum (LPL); (4) L. paracasei (LPA); and (5) L. acidophilus (LA). Each treatment was then divided into four ensiling periods: 3, 7, 20, and 40 days with three replications. The LPL treatment had significantly higher dry matter (DM), lower ammonia-N, and a lower number of fungi on maize silage after 40 days (p L. acidophilus. In conclusion, silage additives, which could improve the ensiling process of maize and rice straw, appeared to be different and substrate specific.

Keywords

• rice straw
• maize
• silage
• lactic acid bacteria