Effect of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria fermented juice inclusion on quality of total mixed ration silage of agricultural and food by-products

Present study determined the effect of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) as silage additive on the fermentation quality and nutritive value of total mixed ration (TMR) silage prepared from agricultural and food industrial by-products, to compare the resultant silage quality with that of silage produced with commercial additive. FJLB was prepared from Italian ryegrass. The applied treatments were: (i) CON (Control-no additive); (ii) FJLB (as silage additive); (iii) COM (commercial silage additive); and (iv) MIX (combination of FJLB and commercial additive). The fermentation quality was measured at 2, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days of fermentation. The nutritive value was measured at 60 day of fermentation. The addition of the FJLB to TMR produced a better quality silage in terms of a lower pH, higher lactic acid content, lower dry matter (DM) loss and higher Fleig point than occurred with COM and CON treatments. The addition of the FJLB combined with the commercial silage additive decreased the aNDFom and ADFom content of the TMR silage. In conclusion, inclusion of the FJLB to the TMR silage prepared from agricultural and industrial by-products improved the fermentation quality.