Bacterial Inoculant Effects on Corn Silage Fermentation and Nutrient Composition

The survival and effect of three new probiotic inoculants (Lactobacillus plantarum CCM 4000, L. fermentum LF2, and Enterococcus faecium CCM 4231) on the nutritive value and fermentation parameters of corn silage was studied under laboratory conditions. Whole corn plants (288.3 g/kg DM) were cut and ensiled at 21°C for 105 days. The inoculants were applied at a concentration of 1.0×109 cfu/ml. Uninoculated silage was used as the control. The chopped corn was ensiled in 40 plastic jars (1 L) divided into four groups (4×10 per treatment). All corn silages had a low pH (below 3.55) and 83-85% of total silage acids comprised lactic acid after 105 days of ensiling. The probiotic inoculants in the corn silages affected corn silage characteristics in terms of significantly (p