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Alfalfa silage is one of the main roughages in the production of dairy cow, which can provide nutrition with high quality to improve milk quality and production. Sucrose additions have been widely used to improve the silage quality. In this study, the effects of sucrose on the fermentation quality and bacterial communities of alfalfa silage were investigated here using 0, 0.5, and 1% sucrose ensiling treatments for 15, 30, and 60 days. The ensiling time significantly decreased the crude fiber content and increased the ammonia nitrogen, acetic acid content, and the relative abundance of Enterococcus in the silages. The 1% sucrose-treated silage at 60 days had the lowest neutral detergent fiber acid, acid detergent fiber, and crude fiber content and the highest relative feed value. Moreover, sucrose-treated silage contained less acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid, and had a lower pH than the controls for each duration. Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella, and Enterococcus were the dominant genera in all groups, and the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Lactobacillus was higher in the 1% sucrose-treated group than in the control. These results suggested that sucrose supplementation could improve alfalfa silage quality and increase its beneficial bacterial content.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of added sucrose on the fermentation quality and microbial community of kudzu (Pueraria lobata) silage. The three sucrose supplementation levels utilized were 0, 0.5, and 1.0%, and kudzu was silaged for 15, 30, and 60 days. Sucrose supplementation significantly decreased the pH levels, acid detergent fiber, ammonia nitrogen content, and relative abundance of Pantoea in the silages (p < 0.05). The addition of 1% sucrose to kudzu silage at 60 days had the lowest acid detergent fiber content, the highest crude protein, and the highest relative feed value. Additionally, the sucrose-supplemented silage had a lower pH than that of the control group at each time point. The dominant genera in all groups were Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus, and Weissella, and the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was lower in the 1% sucrose-supplemented group than in the control group. These results showed that sucrose addition could improve the quality of kudzu silage and increase its beneficial microbial community.

The study aimed to investigate the nutritional value of ramie (Boehmeria nivea) silage, and its consequences for chewing activity, rumen fermentation, and enteric methane (CH4) emissions in goats, by comparing it with corn stover (CS) silage. An in vitro ruminal experiment was firstly performed to investigate the substrate degradation and fermentation of CS and ramie silage. The ramie silage diet was formulated by replacing 60% of CS silage with ramie silage (dry matter (DM) basis). Eight female Xiangdong Black goats (a local breed in Southern China, 1 to 1.2 years of age) with BW of 21.0 ± 1.05 kg were used for this experiment and were randomly assigned to either one of the two dietary treatments in a cross-over design. The ramie silage had higher crude protein (CP) and ash content and lower hemicellulose content, together with decreased (p < 0.05) nutrient degradation and methane production and increased (p < 0.05) acetate molar percentage and acetate to propionate ratio through in vitro ruminal fermentation. Feeding the ramie silage diet did not alter feed intake (p > 0.05), decreased (p < 0.05) nutrient digestibility, and increased (p < 0.05) chewing activity and rumination activity, with reductions (p < 0.05) in eating activity and idle activity. Although feeding the ramie silage diet caused a greater (p < 0.05) molar percentage of acetate and lower molar percentage of propionate, it decreased the rumen-dissolved CH4 concentration and enteric CH4 emissions (p < 0.05). Feeding the ramie silage diet did not alter (p > 0.05) the population of bacteria, protozoa, and fungi; it increased the 16S rRNA gene copies of Ruminococcus flavefaciens (p < 0.05). Further 16SrRNA gene amplicon analysis indicated a distinct bacterial composition between the two treatments (p < 0.05). Feeding the ramie silage diet led to a lower abundance of genera Lawsonibacter, Sedimentibacter, Saccharofermentans, Sediminibacterium, and Bifidobacterium (p < 0.05). Ramie can be an alternative forage resource to stimulate chewing activity and reduce CH4 emissions in ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of added sucrose on the fermentation quality and microbial community of kudzu (Pueraria lobata) silage. The three sucrose supplementation levels utilized were 0, 0.5, and 1.0%, and kudzu was silaged for 15, 30, and 60 days. Sucrose supplementation significantly decreased the pH levels, acid detergent fiber, ammonia nitrogen content, and relative abundance of Pantoea in the silages (p < 0.05). The addition of 1% sucrose to kudzu silage at 60 days had the lowest acid detergent fiber content, the highest crude protein, and the highest relative feed value. Additionally, the sucrose-supplemented silage had a lower pH than that of the control group at each time point. The dominant genera in all groups were Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus, and Weissella, and the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was lower in the 1% sucrose-supplemented group than in the control group. These results showed that sucrose addition could improve the quality of kudzu silage and increase its beneficial microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa silage is one of the main roughages in the production of dairy cow, which can provide nutrition with high quality to improve milk quality and production. Sucrose additions have been widely used to improve the silage quality. In this study, the effects of sucrose on the fermentation quality and bacterial communities of alfalfa silage were investigated here using 0, 0.5, and 1% sucrose ensiling treatments for 15, 30, and 60 days. The ensiling time significantly decreased the crude fiber content and increased the ammonia nitrogen, acetic acid content, and the relative abundance of Enterococcus in the silages. The 1% sucrose-treated silage at 60 days had the lowest neutral detergent fiber acid, acid detergent fiber, and crude fiber content and the highest relative feed value. Moreover, sucrose-treated silage contained less acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid, and had a lower pH than the controls for each duration. Enterobacteriaceae , Klebsiella , and Enterococcus were the dominant genera in all groups, and the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Lactobacillus was higher in the 1% sucrose-treated group than in the control. These results suggested that sucrose supplementation could improve alfalfa silage quality and increase its beneficial bacterial content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the forage type and chop length of ramie (Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud.) silage on ruminal microbiota in black goats. The ruminal pH and relative abundance of microorganisms in the rumen differed with the lengths of the ramie silage fed to the goats. These results could provide a basis for ramie silage application in goats. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the forage type and chop length of ramie (Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud.) silage on rumen fermentation and ruminal microbiota in black goats. Sixteen Liuyang black goats (22.35 ± 2.16 kg) were fed with the roughage of corn silage or ramie silage at chop lengths of 1, 2, or 3 cm. The Chao 1 index and the observed number of microbial species differed significantly between the corn and ramie silage groups (p < 0.05); however, Firmicutes (relative proportion: 34.99–56.68%), Bacteroidetes (27.41–47.73%), and Proteobacteria (1.44–3.92%) were the predominant phyla in both groups. The relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia (0.32–0.82%) was lowest for the 2 and 3 cm chop lengths (p < 0.05) and was negatively correlated with rumen pH and propionic acid concentration (p < 0.05), but positively correlated with the ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid (p < 0.05). The ramie silage fermentation quality was highest for the 1 cm chop length, suggesting that moderate chopping produces optimal quality silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]