Abstract #T107

# T107
Effect of a homolactic inoculant alone and in combination with a heterolactic inoculant on the fermentation and aerobic stability of snaplage.
M. L. Smith*1, R. M. Savage1, E. Benjamim da Silva1, S. A. Polukis1, S. J. Dietz1, M. B. Palillo1, T. P. Karnezos2, L. Kung Jr.1, 1University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 2PMI Nutritional Additives, Shoreview, MN.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a homolactic inoculant alone and in combination with a heterolactic inoculant on the fermentation and aerobic stability of snaplage. Five replicate piles of snaplage (70% DM) was either untreated (CON) or treated with 165,000 cfu of lactic acid producing bacteria/ g of fresh material (HI; Purina FI Enhanced) or 600,000 cfu of lactic acid producing bacteria/ g of fresh material (HI+LB; Purina SI Buchneri) (Land O’Lakes, Inc., Arden Hills, MN) and ensiled in 7.5 L silos for 30 and 90 d. The data were analyzed as a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement with the main effects of treatment (T) and d of ensiling (D), and their interaction (T × D), using the Fit Model procedure of JMP (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) and differences were reported as significant when P ≤ 0.05 using Tukey’s test. The aerobic stability (hr; T × D; P < 0.01) of CON (44), HI (41), and HI+LB (54) were similar at 30 d; but at 90 d of ensiling, HI+LB (213) was increased when compared with CON (92) and HI (104). Yeast counts (log cfu/g; P = 0.03) and ethanol concentration (% DM; P = 0.02) were lower for HI+LB (4.38 and 0.29) when compared with CON (5.19 and 0.37), with HI (4.83 and 0.31) being similar to both CON and HI+LB. After 30 d of ensiling, lactic acid concentrations (% DM) were greatest for CON (0.80) and lower for HI (0.53) and HI+LB (0.54); however, they were similar for CON (0.56), HI (0.59), and HI+LB (0.56) at 90 d of ensiling (T × D; P = 0.03). Acetic acid (P < 0.01) and 1,2-propanediol (P < 0.01) concentrations (% DM) were increased for HI+LB (0.12 and 0.06) when compared with CON (0.09 and 0.00) and HI (0.07 and 0.00). Snaplage inoculated with HI+LB had fewer yeasts and lower concentration of ethanol at 30 and 90 d of ensiling when compared with CON, with markedly increased aerobic stability at 90 d of ensiling when compared with CON and HI.

Key Words: aerobic stability, silage, snaplage