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Abstract Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are generated during fermentation in silages, especially in barley silage. However, little is known regarding the dynamics of GHG production in silages during fermentation. In the present study, GHG accumulation and reduction were assessed in barley silage. Barley was harvested at the milk stage and ensiled without (CK) or with two commercial lactic acid bacterial (LAB) additives (L1 or L2). Gas and GHG (CO2, N2O, and CH4) production, fermentation quality, fermentation weight loss (FWL), and bacterial communities were analyzed at d 0, 1, 3, 6, 15, 35, and 90 after ensiling. Gas and GHG production rapidly increased in CK during the first 3 days and in L1 and L2 during the first day and then decreased (P

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are generated during fermentation in silages, especially in barley silage. However, little is known regarding the dynamics of GHG production in silages during fermentation. In the present study, GHG accumulation and reduction were assessed in barley silage. Barley was harvested at the milk stage and ensiled without (CK) or with two commercial lactic acid bacterial (LAB) additives (L1 or L2). Gas and GHG (CO2, N2O, and CH4) production, fermentation quality, fermentation weight loss (FWL), and bacterial communities were analyzed at d 0, 1, 3, 6, 15, 35, and 90 after ensiling. Gas and GHG production rapidly increased in CK during the first 3 days and in L1 and L2 during the first day and then decreased (P < 0.05), and these values were higher in CK than in L1 and L2 from d 1 to d 35 (P < 0.05), with the peak production of gas and GHG observed at d 6 in CK and at d 3 in L1 and L2. Gas and GHG production were positively correlated with the count of Coliforms and the abundances of Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Atlantibacter from d 0 to 6 (P < 0.05) but were negatively correlated with the abundances of Lentilactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Lacticaseibacillus from d 1 to 35 (P < 0.05). L1 and L2 had increasing pH and acetic acid (AA) and decreasing lactic acid after d 15 (P < 0.05). Lentilactobacillus in L1 and L2 dominated the bacterial communities from d 35 to 90 and correlated positively with pH and AA, and negatively with LA from d 6 to 90 (P < 0.05). FWL had a positive correlation with gas and GHG from d 1 to 35 (P < 0.05). The ensiling fermentation process can be divided into gas accumulation and reduction phases. Inoculation with LAB reduced gas and GHG production. The activities of enterobacteria were the main contributors to gas and GHG accumulation. Lentilactobacillus activity mainly caused deterioration of fermentation quality during the late fermentation phase. The GHGs generated in silage contributed to the FWL during fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the replacement of corn silage with barley silage on high producing dairy cow performance. Thirty six high-producing (57.3±3.9kg/d) dairy cow in mid-lactation (93±7 DIM) were assigned to one of three experimental treatments including (1) no barley silage (BS) and 30% corn silage (CS), (2) 10% BS and 20% CS, and (3) 20% BS and 10 % CS in the TMR over two 24-day periods. The results showed that replacement of corn silage with barley silage linearly increased fat corrected milk (FCM; P=0.04), fat yield (P=0.04) and fat corrected milk production efficiency (P=0.01). There was also a tendency for linear increase in milk fat percentage (P=0.08), and linear decrease in milk lactose percentage (P=0.05). Ruminal acetate proportion and pH increased with increasing barley silage and propionate proportion decreased. Increasing barley silage resulted in linear increase in dry matter, organic matter and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDF; P<0.05). This study showed that replacing corn silage with barley silage could be considered as a successful strategy to improve performance and forage provisions of high-producing dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forages are the foundation of dairy cow diets and typically comprise 50% of the dietary dry matter and =40% of the total NEL intake. New forage barley (CDC Renegade; designated RENE) and forage oat (CDC Arborg; ARBO) varieties are available for feeding dairy cows in western Canada. The objectives were to determine the ensiling characteristics of RENE and ARBO and to compare the effects of feeding them as the major forage source on feed intake, milk yield and composition, ruminal pH, and nitrogen (N) balance in dairy cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows (82 ± 12 days-in-milk at the beginning of the study) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design study with 14 d of dietary adaptation and 7 d of data and sample collection. Cows in one Latin square were ruminally cannulated to determine dietary effects on ruminal pH and N balance. The four diets tested contained RENE, ARBO, Conlon (CONL), and Rosser (ROSS) silages as the major source of forage, with ROSS and CONL being included for comparison as they are commonly used barley varieties in western Canada. Silage fermentation characteristics were largely similar for the four forages, except for total short-chain fatty acid concentrations which tended (P = 0.08) to be greater for RENE and ROSS when compared with CONL and ARBO. Silage starch contents were greater (P < 0.01) for CONL and ROSS when compared with RENE and ARBO, which were similar. Silage aNDFom contents were greater (P < 0.01) for RENE and ARBO when compared with CONL and ROSS, which were similar. Dry matter intake (mean = 34.3 kg/d) and milk yield (mean = 48.6 kg/d) were unaffected by treatment (P = 0.42). Milk fat content was greater (P = 0.03) for cows fed RENE compared with those fed CONL, with that of cows fed ROSS and ARBO being intermediate and not different to RENE and CONL. Milk fat yield was greater (P = 0.02) for cows fed RENE compared with those fed ROSS, with that of cows fed CONL and ARBO being intermediate and not different to RENE and ROSS. Intake of N, urinary and fecal excretion of N, total N excretion, milk N, and apparent N balance were unaffected by diet (P = 0.21). Mean ruminal pH was greater (P = 0.02) in cows fed ARBO compared with those fed ROSS, with that of cows fed CONL and RENE being intermediate and not different to CONL and RENE. Our results show that the new forage varieties, RENE and ARBO, can support similar levels of milk yield compared with forage varieties such as CONL and ROSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley varieties of differing fungal disease resistance were grown in triplicate plots at Lacombe and Lethbridge, Alberta with the disease resistant variety (FR) sprayed with a foliar fungicide to maximize differences in field fungal disease. Both varieties were harvested at soft dough and ensiled in minisilos to assess differences in fungal contamination on ensiling properties, nutritional quality, aerobic stability and associated bacterial and fungal microbiomes. Data were analysed as repeated measures with the effect of treatment × time (duration of ensiling or aerobic exposure) included in the model. The percentage leaf area diseased by net form net blotch was higher (p < 0.05) in the untreated barley cv. Sundre (UN, 59.1% leaf area affected at Lacombe and 25.2% at Lethbridge) than in the FR barley cv. Chigwell (0.7% leaf area affected at Lacombe and 0.1% at Lethbridge). Fungal resistant barley had a lower (p < 0.01) acid and neutral detergent fibre content. Relative abundance of Xanthomonadales was higher (p = 0.02) for FR than UN, while Lactobacillales dominated the bacterial microbiome after 60 day of ensiling in both silages. Bacillales dominated both FR and UN after 21 day of aerobic exposure. Fungal resistant fresh barley forage had a tendency (p = 0.10) for a greater relative abundance of Pleosporales, while UN had higher (p < 0.01) Hypocreales. Mould counts were lower (p = 0.01) for FR than UN after 7 day of ensiling. Fungal resistant barley had minimal influence on the fungal community that contributed to the aerobic deterioration of barley silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Highlights • The stability of silage was improved in LAB-treated barley silage upon aerobic exposure. • LAB inoculant treatment regulated the effects of aerobic exposure on bacterial community in barley silage upon aerobic exposure. • The structure of fungal population was significantly modified by LAB inoculant treatment during ensiling. Abstract This study investigated the effects of lactic acid bacteria on bacterial and fungal community during the fermentation process and aerobic exposure phase of barley ensiled with preparation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The inoculated silages displayed higher contents of lactic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid as well as a greater number of lactic acid bacteria during ensiling. LAB-treated silage decreased the bacterial diversity during both ensiling and aerobic exposure but increased the fungal diversity during ensiling of barley. LAB-treated silage during ensiling increased the abundance of Lactobacillus but decreased that of Weissella. After aerobic exposure, LAB-treated silage increased the abundance of Lactobacillus but decreased that of Acinetobacter. Acinetobacter , Enterococcus , Providencia , and Empedobacter were the dominant bacteria after aerobic exposure. In conclusion, LAB-treated silage enhanced the number of desirable Lactobacillus and inhibited the growth of undesirable microorganisms, such as Acinetobacter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the effects of different cutting height on nutritive value, fermentation quality, in vitro and in vivo digestibility of whole crop barley silage. Whole crop barley forage (Yuyeon hybrid) was harvested at height of 5, 10, and 15 cm from the ground level. Each cutting height was rolled to make round bale and ensiled for 100 days. After 100 days of ensiling, pH of silage was lower (p

This study was conducted to assess the effects of microbial and chemical combo additives on nutritive values, fermentation indices and aerobic stability of whole crop barley silage. Barley forage (Youngyang) was harvested at about 30% dry matter (DM) by treatments, chopped to 5 cm length and treated with distilled water only (CON), Lactobacillus plantarum (INO), propionic acid (PRO) or an equal mixture of INO and PRO (MIX). Barley forages were ensiled in 4 replications for 0, 2, 7, and 100 days. On 100 days of ensiling, MIX silage had higher (p

It increased weaning weight BMN, ESC and traditional grazing in flames in the ECAC, and BANCAMEL was evaluated. Fieldwork in weaning flames 27 ± 2 months two weeks, randomized into 3 groups of nutritional supplementation BMN, ESC and witnesses without supplementation, weighing pups were performed every 15 days were used each to 06 hours : 00a 9:00 a.m. for 105 days. Multinutrient blocks were made: barley meal 12.5% ​​alfalfa meal 12.5% ​​flour, chaff quinoa 12.5% ​​flour, chaff bean 12.5%, clay 10%, urea 5% minerals 5% molasses 30%, 65% barley silage, urea 5% 30% molasses. Block witnesses was based on grazing, typical of the area. The BMN consumed 117.33 kg, 464.1 kg and ESC only witnesses were with the traditional grazing without supplement. The average weight increase of 0.41 kg in BMN flame, called ESC 0.25 kg, witnesses a weight loss of -2.6 kg per animal was taken. Registration weighing over 105 days, a decrease in weight was observed in witness’s kg 36.389-34.772 end, this may be due to traditional grazing system without supplementation. In the BM of 38.611-42.333 kg with an average increase of 3.722 kg unlike ESC, it increased from 36.056-33.8389 Kg 2.633 Kg. Supplementation with multinutrient blocks is satisfactorily acceptable unlike the treatment with barley silage, being much better compared to the controls (without supplement no fee).

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of pretreating dairy cow rations with a fibrolytic enzyme derived from Trichoderma reesei (FETR; mixture of xylanase and cellulase; AB Vista, Wiltshire, UK) on lactation performance, digestibility, and feeding behavior in response to feeding a barley silage–based diet. Before starting the dairy trial, in vitro incubations were conducted to determine whether the addition of FETR would have an effect on these animal performance characteristics when applied to a barley silage–based diet for dairy cows. The dairy trial was performed using 8 Holstein dairy cows. The cows were blocked by parity and assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments: 0, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mL of FETR/kg of dry matter (DM) diet in a replicated Latin square design. The pretreatment was applied to the complete diet during the mixing process. The experimental period continued for 22 d, with each experimental period consisting of a 16-d adaptation period and a 6-d sampling period. The daily feed intake of each individual cow was monitored using Insentec feed bins (RIC system, Insentec, Marknesse, the Netherlands). Feeding behavior characteristics were measured during the entire sampling period using the feed bin attendance data. Milk samples were collected in the last 3 d of each experimental period. The addition of FETR linearly increased the in vitro DM digestibility and tended to improve the in vitro digestibility of barley silage. There was a cubic effect of the enzyme levels on the total-tract DM and neutral detergent fiber digestibility. Maximal digestibility was reached at 0.75 mL of FETR/kg of TMR. The milk fat yield, fat-corrected milk, and energy-corrected milk quadratically responded to the incremental levels of FETR. The milk protein percentage linearly improved in response to FETR. Increasing FETR levels resulted in a quadratic effect on feed efficiency. There was no effect of FETR level on feeding behavior. In conclusion, pretreating dairy cow barley silage–based diet with 0.75 mL of FETR/kg of TMR increased the milk production efficiency of dairy cows fed diet containing 34% barley silage (DM basis). The positive effect of adding FETR could benefit the dairy industry in western Canada, where barley silage–based diets are common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn silage (CS) acreage in western Canada continues to expand with CS being used increasingly in feedlot cattle diets where barley silage (BS) previously was the main forage fed. Our study evaluated the effects of increasing the amounts of CS in backgrounding (BKGN) diets on performance of cattle by 1) replacing BS with early-maturing CS, 2) increasing the proportion of CS in the diet, and 3) extending the BKGN duration. A total of 160 steers (mean BW ± SD; 272 ± 22.4 kg) were used in a completely randomized design. Steers were assigned to 16 pens and fed BKGN diets (4 pens per diet) that contained 60% BS (DM basis; CON), 60% CS (60CS), 75% CS (75CS), or 90% CS (90CS) until reaching a mean pen BW of either 380 (SBKGN) or 430 ± 15 kg (LBKGN) with 2 pens per treatment. All steers were finished (FIN diet; 9% CS, 86% barley grain, and 5% supplement) to an equal-BW end point (700 ± 15 kg LW). During BKGN and FIN phases, DMI, ADG, and G:F were measured for all pens. Carcass data also were collected. No BKGN diet × duration interactions were statistically significant (P ≥ 0.412) for most production measures. As dietary CS content was increased during BKGN, DMI and ADG decreased (quadratic; P ≤ 0.003). There also was a tendency (P = 0.078) for a decrease in G:F at the highest level of CS. As expected, LBKGN steers took longer (105 vs. 71 d; P = 0.001) than SBKGN steers to reach the BKGN target end weight. In addition, as a result of their heavier weight at the beginning of FIN, LBKGN steers also had a higher DMI (11.6 vs. 11.0 kg/d; P = 0.045) than SBKGN steers. However, no carryover effects (P ≥ 0.354) of BKGN diet on DMI, ADG, and G:F were significant during the FIN phase. Similarly, the BKGN diet and duration had no effect (P ≥ 0.219) on carcass traits including HCW, dressing percentage, and quality grade. However, we detected an interaction between BKGN diet and duration on backfat thickness (P = 0.009); SBKGN steers that were fed 75CS during BKGN accumulated more backfat during FIN than LBKGN steers that were fed 75CS during BKGN, and because they were lighter at the beginning of FIN they took longer to reach 700 kg BW, their end point. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of CS (up to 90% of diet DM) in place of BS and extending the BKGN period had marginal effects on FIN performance or carcass traits in our study. Therefore, beef producers can make extensive use of early-maturing CS in growing cattle diets without compromising animal performance or carcass quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study estimated the effects of hybrid and bacterial inoculant on fermentation quality and fatty acid profile of barley silages. Yuyeon (Silkless) and Youngyang (Silking) barley hybrids were harvested at 24.9 and 27.1% dry matter, respectively, and chopped to 10 cm lengths. Each hybrid was treated with or without an inoculant (2 × 104 colony‐forming units/g of Lactobacillus plantarum). A total of 48 silos were prepared in an experiment with a 2 × 2 (hybrid × inoculant) treatment arrangement with four replications and three ensiling durations (2, 7 and 100 days). After 100 days of ensiling, Yuyeon silage had higher (P < 0.05) in vitro dry matter digestibility and C18:3n‐3 than Youngyang silage. Youngyang silage had higher (P < 0.05) acetic acid and C18:2n‐6 than Yuyeon silage. Inoculation reduced the C18:3n‐3 concentration of both hybrids and increased (P < 0.05) the C18:2n‐6 of Youngyang. However, fermentation quality was not improved by the inoculant. These results indicate that Yuyeon hybrid might have better potential benefits on animal performances due to its smooth awn and silkless nature, and higher in vitro dry matter digestibility. Its higher C18:3n‐3 would be better for improving fatty acid profile of meat or milk than Youngyang hybrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the present study were to determine the effect of inoculating Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii ATCC 8262 (1 × 109 colony-forming units per vial) in a barley silage-based diet supplemented with flaxseed oil or rapeseed oil (60 g/kg DM), on in vitro proportions and yield of volatile fatty acids, methane production and fatty acid (FA) biohydrogenation. Total volatile fatty acid production (mM) and proportions of individual FAs were not affected (P≥0.10) by P. freudenreichii. Similarly, propionibacteria had little impact onFAbiohydrogenation, resulting only in an increased accumulation (P<0.01) of C18:1 cis-15 (g/kg total FA) at 6 h of incubation, compared with the control (CON). Compared with the CON, an increased (P < 0.01) accumulation of vaccenic acid was observed at 48 h in all oil-containing treatments, regardless of the oil type. Similarly, the apparent biohydrogenation of flaxseed oil resulted in an increased (P ≤ 0.04) accumulation of conjugated linoleic acid cis-9, trans-11, compared with all other treatments. Additionally, flaxseed oil produced a greater (P ≤ 0.01) accumulation of beneficial biohydrogenation intermediates (C18:2 trans-11, cis-15; C18:1 cis-15 and vaccenic acid), reflecting its ability to produce a more desirable FA profile than that of rapeseed oil or CON. The inability of P. freudenreichii subsp. shermaniiATCC8262 to alter ruminal fermentation in a manner that lowered methane production, along with only minor effects on FA profiles through biohydrogenation, suggests that the biological activity of this strain was not realised under in vitro batch-culture conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of bacterial inoculants on chemical composition and fermentation indices of barley silage. Barley forage (Youngyang) was harvested at 24% dry matter (DM) and wilted to 47.9% DM. The wilted barley forage was chopped to 3–5 cm length and applied with no inoculant (CON), L. plantarum (1×1010 cfu/g, LP) or Effective Microorganisms (0.5×109 cfu/g, EM). Then the forages were ensiled in four replications for each treatment in 20 L mini silos and stored for 100 days. The contents of crude protein and ether extract were higher in CON silage ensiled for 100-d, while the contents of DM and crude ash were higher in EM silage (p0.05). The pH, ammonia-N concentration and lactate to acetate ratio were higher (p

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Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND Considering that water availability for agricultural needs is being restricted, an alternative to corn in animal nutrition should be explored in the Po Valley. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of either a partial (Trial I) or a total (Trial II) corn silage substitution with barley silage in dairy cows' diet on milk yield and composition, its coagulation properties, cheese yield and the sensorial profile of 16-month-aged Grana Padano cheese. RESULTS A partial or a total substitution of corn silage with barley silage had no effect on milk yield. Milk fat content in Trial I and milk urea content in both trials were higher with barley silage based diets than in corn silage based diets. No effects were observed concerning the lactodinamographic profile for milk aptitude to cheese-making, cheese yield and its organoleptic traits between feed treatments in Trials I and II. In both trials, hardness, friability and solubility scores were generally lower than reference values, whereas deformability, elasticity and stickiness scores were generally higher than reference values. CONCLUSION A partial or a total substitution of corn silage with barley silage in diets for dairy cows did not induce any negative effects on animal performance, nor on milk-quality traits, cheese quality and yield. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Canada, corn silage is increasingly fed to lactating dairy cows at the expense of barley silage and other forages, as its high-energy content can improve animal performance. Moreover, corn silage is known to reduce methanogenesis in the rumen compared to barley silage. A life cycle analysis was conducted to compare whole farm total GHG emission and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity (kilogram CO 2 -equivalent per kilogram of milk) of corn- (CS) and barley- (BS) based dairy production systems. For this purpose, a virtual farm representative of typical dairy production systems in Quebec was used to simulate the 6-year lifespan of a dairy cow, from calving to culling. Diets fed to lactating cows consisted of 54.4% corn or barley silage, 5.5% grass hay and 40.1% concentrate (dry matter basis). The impact of silage digestibility (measured as total digestible nutrient [TDN] content) on total GHG emissions of the dairy production system was also assessed. From prior experimental data, milk production was assumed to average 34.7 and 31.9 kg/day for lactating cows fed corn and barley silages of medium TDN content respectively. Milk production was also assumed to be positively correlated with the TDN content of diets. To compensate for differences in milk production per cow, the number of cows was adjusted to obtain similar total fat- and protein-corrected milk production between farms. Forage (silage and hay) and grain (barley or corn) were cultivated on-farm whereas all other feed ingredients were purchased. Greenhouse gas emissions were estimated with the Holos model using a “cradle-to-farm gate” approach. Methane (enteric fermentation and manure storage), CO 2 (farm operations, production and transportation of purchased feed) and N 2 O (N degradation from crop residue, manure, N leaching and volatilization) emissions were taken into account. Enteric CH 4 was predicted from animal energy requirements and diet composition. Percentage of energy intake lost as CH 4 was assumed constant regardless of silage TDN content. When silages having medium TDN content were used, total GHG emission was reduced by 13% with CS compared to BS, despite the fact that the reduction of enteric CH 4 emissions with corn silage was partially offset by increased CO 2 emissions from the additional purchased feed protein sources (+ 9%). Within a forage type, increasing silage TDN content reduced GHG intensity. Finally, the GHG intensity of dairy production systems was lower with high digestible barley silage compared to low digestible corn silage showing the importance of producing forages with high digestibility that maximize milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of applying ferulic acid esterase (FAE) producing inoculants or non-FAE inoculants in combination with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) at ensiling on silage characteristics and nutritive value of whole barley crop ( Hordeum vulgare ). Barley (330 g DM/kg fresh crop) was harvested at early-dough, chopped and allocated to one of the following four treatments: untreated (Control), FAE producing Lactobacillus buchneri mixture inoculants (T1), none-FAE L. buchneri mixture inoculants (T2), and T2 plus EFE (T3). Inoculants were applied at 1 × 10 8 colony forming units/gram forage (cfu/g) and EFE at 424 U (xylanase) and 180 U (endoglucanase)/kg fresh weight. Forage was packed into 12 laboratory silos per treatment and ensiled for 7, 28 and 90 d. Subsamples at 90 d were used for in vitro , in situ and aerobic stability studies. After 90 d of ensiling, all inoculated silages had less ( P < 0.001) water soluble carbohydrate, and greater ( P < 0.001) DM loss as compared to the Control. For T1 and T2, aNDF was greater ( P = 0.003) than Control and T3 silage. From d 0 to d 7 of ensiling, 16 S rRNA copy numbers of L. buchneri in Control increased from 6.5 to 8.0 log 10 copies/g, thereafter remaining stable, whereas it increased from 7.0 to 10.0 log 10 copies/g in all inoculated silages, reaching ∼10.5 log 10 copies/g after 28 d of ensiling. At this time, inoculated silages also had a higher ( P < 0.001) pH, produced more acetic acid and ethanol, but less ( P = 0.01) lactic acid than Control. After 21-d aerobic exposure, all inoculated silages remained stable, but Control silage deteriorated as indicated by a reduction ( P < 0.001) in lactic acid and an increase ( P < 0.001) in pH, and numbers of yeast. The T3 silage had less ( P < 0.001) total gas production than other silages in in vitro ruminal fermentation. Compared to Control, the soluble fraction ( a ) of DM was less ( P < 0.001) in T1 and T2, whereas it was greater ( P < 0.001) in T3 silage. In situ NDF digestibility of T1 silage was greater ( P < 0.01) than that of Control and T3 silage at 24 and 72 h of incubation. Inoculation of whole crop barley silage with inoculants containing FAE or non-FAE producing L. buchneri improved ruminal NDF digestibility, but a combination of EFE with a none-FAE L. buchneri reduced NDF degradability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of chop length and inoculation of barley silage on feeding behavior, rumen fermentation, and growth performance of finishing feedlot steers. Barley forage (22-35% DM) was chopped to a theoretical chop length (TCL) of either 1.0 (short chop; SC) or 2.0 cm (long chop; LC) and ensiled without or with an esterase-producing bacterial inoculant in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with TCL and inoculation as the main factors. The resultant silages were then incorporated into 4 finishing diets and fed to 80 feedlot steers (n = 20) housed in feedlot pens equipped with a GrowSafe system. Each pen consisted of 8 intact and 2 cannulated steers. Feeding behavior and ruminal pH were measured continuously using the GrowSafe system and ruminal indwelling pH probes, respectively. On average, inoculated silages had higher acetic acid concentrations and lower NDF concentrations. Increasing the TCL from 1.0 to 2.0 cm increased DMI by 0.5 kg/d (P = 0.001), but intake was unaffected (P = 0.56) by inoculation. Feed efficiency and ADG were not affected (P ≥ 0.46) by TCL, inoculation, or TCL × inoculation interaction. Steers fed LC silage exhibited a reduced eating rate compared to those fed SC silage (8.6 vs. 9.2 kg DM/h) and consequently spent more time (77.5 vs. 70.2 min/(visit·d)) at the feed bunk. Inoculation also reduced the area under the curve and duration of ruminal pH below 5.8, 5.5, and 5.2 for steers fed the LC diet but increased (P ≤ 0.003) these parameters for those fed the SC diet. It was concluded that incorporation of longer chopped silage into a finishing diet increased DMI, with responses of ruminal pH to inoculation differing between SC and LC silage. Increasing the TCL of barley silage from 1.0 to 2.0 cm may have no additional benefits to finishing feedlot operators as it did not improve rumen function or the growth performance of feedlot steers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the impact of forage chop length and a ferulic acid esterase producing (FAE) inoculant on fermentation, aerobic stability and the physically effective fibre value of barley silage for finishing feedlot cattle. Whole-crop barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.; 310 g DM/kg) was chopped to either a short (10.0 mm; SC) or long (20.0 mm; LC) chop length and ensiled with or without a FAE inoculant containing Lactobacillus buchneri LN4017, Lactobacillus plantarum LP7109 and Lactobacillus casei LC3200 in Ag-Bags ® or mini silos. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial using the MIXED procedure of SAS. In mini silos, the terminal pH of inoculated silage was lower (P=0.001) for SC than LC silage (3.87 vs 4.02). In mini silos, inoculation failed to increase acetic acid concentration of SC silage, but it increased acetic acid content of LC silage (P=0.034) and of both SC (45.7 vs 24.3 g DM/kg) and LC (54.3 vs 15.9 g DM/kg) in Ag-Bags ® . In mini silos, lactic acid concentration was greater (P=0.011) in LC than SC (81.5 vs 67.3 g DM/kg) and inoculation decreased (P=0.020) the lactic:acetic acid in LC, but not SC silage. Populations of lactic acid bacteria were greater (P=0.002) and yeast lower (P=0.030) for inoculated silages stored in mini silos. Neither chop length, inoculation nor their interaction affected (P≥0.186) silage DM loss. Both inoculated and uninoculated SC silage remained stable over 8 d of aerobic exposure, but inoculation prolonged the aerobic stability of LC silage by 5 d (d 3–8). Growth performance and DM intake of finishing steers were not affected (P≥0.257) by chop length, inoculation or their interaction, but the proportion of saleable meat and the rib eye area of carcasses was greater (P=0.017; P=0.035 respectively) for steers fed SC than for those fed LC silage. Increasing the chop length of barley silage increased its physically effective fibre content, and the inoculant improved the aerobic stability of LC silage. However, likely owing to the low proportion of silage in the diet (100 g/kg, DM basis), neither chop length nor inoculation altered the growth performance of finishing feedlot cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of bacterial inoculants on chemical composition and fermentation indices of barley silage. Barley forage (Youngyang) was harvested at 24% dry matter (DM) and wilted to 47.9% DM. The wilted barley forage was chopped to 3-5 cm length and applied with no inoculant (CON), L. plantarum (1×1010 cfu/g, LP) or Effective Microorganisms (0.5×109 cfu/g, EM). Then the forages were ensiled in four replications for each treatment in 20 L mini silos and stored for 100 days. The contents of crude protein and ether extract were higher in CON silage ensiled for 100-d, while the contents of DM and crude ash were higher in EM silage (p<0.05). The contents of ADF, NDF and hemicellulose as well as the in vitro DM digestibility were not affected by microbial inoculation (p>0.05). The pH, ammonia-N concentration and lactate to acetate ratio were higher (p<0.05) in CON silage, while lactate concentrations were higher (p<0.05) in CON and LP silage. Acetate concentration and lactic acid bacteria was increased (p<0.05) by both inoculants (LP and EM), but propionate concentration and yeast was increased (p<0.05) by EM and LP, respectively. These results indicated that the fermentation quality of barley silage was improved by the application of bacterial inoculants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of replacing barley silage (BS) with corn silage (CS) in dairy cow diets on enteric CH4 emissions, ruminal fermentation characteristics, digestion, milk production, and N balance. Nine ruminally cannulated lactating cows were used in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design (32-d period) and fed (ad libitum) a total mixed ration (TMR; forage:concentrate ratio 60:40; dry matter basis) with the forage portion consisting of either barley silage (0% CS; 0% CS and 54.4% BS in the TMR), a 50:50 mixture of both silages (27% CS; 27.2% CS and 27.2% BS in the TMR), or corn silage (54% CS; 0% BS and 54.4% CS in the TMR). Increasing the CS proportion (i.e., at the expense of BS) also involved increasing the proportion of corn grain (at the expense of barley grain). Intake and digestibility of dry matter and milk production increased linearly as the proportion of CS increased in the diet. Increasing dietary CS proportion decreased linearly the acetate molar proportion and increased linearly that of propionate. Daily CH4 emissions tended to respond quadratically to increasing proportions of CS in the diet (487, 540, and 523 g/d for 0, 27, and 54% CS, respectively). Methane production adjusted for dry matter or gross energy intake declined as the amount of CS increased in the diet; this effect was more pronounced when cows were fed the 54% CS diet than the 27% CS diet. Increasing the CS proportion in the diet improved N utilization, as reflected by decreases in ruminal ammonia concentration and urinary N excretion and higher use of dietary N for milk protein secretion. Total replacement of BS with CS in dairy cow diets offers a strategy to decrease CH4 energy losses and control N losses without negatively affecting milk performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to estimate the effect of fermented persimmon extract ( FPE) supplementation levels on chemical composition and fermentation characteristics of barley silage. Barley forage was harvested at 25% dry matter and chopped to 5 cm lengths. The FPE was applied at 0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g/kg of barley forage (fresh weight basis). After sub-sampling of barley forages (0 day), a total of 64 laboratory mini silos (5 kg capacity) were ensiled to generate quadruplicate data from each of four treatments for four ensiling durations (2, 6, 40 and 120 days). The chemical compositions and in vitro digestibility of barley forage (0 day) were not affected by FPE supplementation. However, the content ( L, P = 0.035) and in vitro digestibility ( L, P = 0.041) of neutral detergent fiber on 120-day barley silage decreased by increasing FPE supplements. Acetate content of barley silage ensiled for 120 days increased ( Q, P = 0.004) by increasing FPE supplements, whereas pH ( L, P < 0.001), lactate content ( Q, P < 0.001) and lactate-to-acetate ratio ( Q, P < 0.001) decreased. These results indicate that addition of FPE can increase the acetate content which has potential to increase aerobic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which determines if a feruloyl esterase (FE)-producing strain of Lactobacillus buchneri, combined with Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei, enhances fermentation, aerobic stability and in situ fiber disappearance of barley silage. It reveals that FE limits the digestibility of forages, a constraint that may be overcome if additives with FE activity are used to forage. There was evidence that the FE-producing inoculant enhanced aerobic stability.

This study investigated the effects of a mixed bacterial inoculant possessing ferulic acid esterase (FAE) activity on silage fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability, and growth performance of growing feedlot steers. Whole-crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) forage (35% DM) was chopped and ensiled without a silage inoculant (UN) or with a mixed bacterial culture containing 1.0 × 1011 cfu/g of Lactobacillus buchneri LN4017 that produces FAE, 2.0 × 1010 cfu/g of Lactobacillus plantarum LP7109, and 1.0 × 1010 cfu/g of Lactobacillus casei LC3200 at a combined rate of 1.3 × 105 cfu/g of fresh forage (IN) in mini and Ag-Bag (Ag-Bag Int. Ltd., Warrenton, OR) silos. Silages from the mini silos were assessed for the effect of inoculation on fermentation characteristics and aerobic stability, whereas silages from Ag-Bags were used to formulate 2 barley silage-based total mixed rations (UN and IN) that were fed to growing feedlot steers for 112 d. The IN silage exhibited a homolactic fermentation during the first 7 d of ensiling as reflected by an increased (P ≤ 0.02) lactic acid concentration and an accelerated rate (P < 0.01) of pH decline. Thereafter, fermentation of IN silage became more heterolactic, resulting in greater concentrations of acetic acid (P < 0.01) and pH (P < 0.01) but less (P < 0.01) lactic acid than UN silage. Inoculation did not affect DM losses (P = 0.52) from mini silos. The IN silage remained stable during 21 d, but temperature and yeasts counts in the UN silage increased after 5 d of aerobic exposure. Growing steers fed the IN silage diet had superior (P = 0.03) feed conversion efficiency compared with those fed UN silage. Inoculation of whole-crop barley silage with a mixed culture of homolactic lactic acid-producing bacteria and FAE-producing L. buchneri at ensiling changed fermentation from a homolactic to a heterolactic form during ensiling and improved aerobic stability of the silage and efficiency of BW gain of growing feedlot steers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study regarding barley grain processing and barley silage proportion in feedlot cattle diets. The study examines the effects of forage proportion and extent of processing of barley grain on growth, intake, feed conversion efficiency and fecal characteristics of feedlot cattle. It revealed that diet formulation can reduce the incidence of digestive disorders of sick animals, but the costs are unlikely to offset the increased cost of gain in commerical feedlots.

The objective of this study was to assess the value of triticale dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as a replacement for barley silage in addition to a portion of the dry-rolled barley (DRB) in a grain-based feedlot finishing diet. The trial used 160 crossbred yearling steers: 144 noncannulated (478 ± 84 kg) in a complete randomized design, and 16 ruminally cannulated (494 ± 50 kg) in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. The noncannulated steers were assigned to 8 standard pens (10 per pen) and 8 pens equipped with the GrowSafe system (GrowSafe Systems Ltd., Airdrie, Alberta, Canada; 8 per pen). The cannulated steers were placed (2 per pen) in the 8 GrowSafe pens and moved between pens at 28-d intervals. Each of 4 experimental diets was fed in 2 standard and 2 GrowSafe pens. The diets contained (DM basis) 1) 85% DRB and 10% barley silage (CON); 2) 65% DRB, 20% triticale DDGS, and 10% barley silage (D-10S), 3) 65% DRB, 25% triticale DDGS, and 5% barley silage, and 4) 65% DRB, 30% triticale DDGS, and no barley silage. Supplement (5% of dietary DM) was included in all diets. Ruminal pH was measured over four 7-d periods using indwelling electrodes. Replacing barley silage with triticale DDGS linearly decreased mean ruminal pH (P = 0.006), linearly increased duration (P = 0.006 and P = 0.01) and area under the curve (P = 0.02 and P = 0.05) below pH 5.5 and 5.2, and linearly increased the frequency of subacute (P = 0.005) and acute (P = 0.05) bouts of ruminal acidosis. Variation in mean ruminal pH decreased (P = 0.008) in steers fed D-10S compared with CON. Similarly, variation in DMI was less for steers fed triticale DDGS compared with CON. Steers fed D-10S tended to have greater DM1 (P = 0.08) but similar ADG and G:F compared with CON steers. Replacing barley silage with triticale DDGS tended to linearly decrease DMI (P = 0.10) and increase (P = 0.06) G:F. Compared with CON, steers fed D-10S tended to have greater backfat thickness (P = 0.10) and decreased dressing percentage (P = 0.06), ribeye area (P = 0.10), and meat yield (P = 0.06). Severity and number of abscessed livers was greater (P = 0.006) in steers fed D-10S compared with those fed CON. Although mean ruminal pH decreased as barley silage was replaced with triticale DDGS, the trend for improved growth suggests that reduced ruminal pH did not affect animal performance. Triticale DDGS can be substituted for barley silage in finishing diets in addition to a portion of barley grain without affecting growth performance or carcass quality, but it is recommended that an antimicrobial be included in the diet to reduce liver abscesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding alfalfa hay on chewing activity, rumen fermentation, and milk fat concentration of dairy cows fed wheat-based dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as a partial replacement of barley silage. Thirty lactating Holstein cows (220±51 DIM), 6 of which were ruminally cannulated, were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with 21-d periods. Cows were fed a control diet [CON; 50% barley silage and 50% concentrate mix on a dry matter (DM) basis], a diet in which barley silage was replaced with DDGS at 20% of dietary DM (DG), or a diet in which barley silage was replaced with DDGS and alfalfa hay at 20 and 10% of dietary DM, respectively (DG+AH). All diets contained approximately 20% crude protein. Compared with the CON diet, cows fed DG and DG+AH diets respectively had greater DM intake (20.1 vs. 23.1 and 22.7kg/d); yields of milk (24.5 vs. 27.3 and 28.1kg/d), milk protein (0.88 vs. 0.99 and 1.01kg/d), and milk lactose (1.11 vs. 1.24 and 1.29kg/d); and body weight gain (0.25 vs. 1.17 and 1.23kg/d). However, compared with cows fed the CON diet, cows fed the DG and DG+AH diets respectively had lower chewing time (38.3 vs. 30.7 and 31.5 min/kg of DM intake), mean rumen pH (6.11 vs. 5.88 and 5.84), and minimum rumen pH (5.28 vs. 5.09 and 5.07) and a greater duration that rumen pH was below 5.8 (7.3 vs. 11.2 and 12.0h/d). However, these response variables did not differ between cows fed the DG and DG+AH diets. Milk fat concentration differed among the 3 diets (3.92, 3.60, and 3.38% for CON, DG, and DG+AH, respectively), but milk fat yield was not affected by treatment. These results indicate that partially replacing barley silage with DDGS can improve productivity of lactating dairy cows but may decrease chewing time, rumen pH, and milk fat concentration, and that dietary inclusion of alfalfa hay may not alleviate such responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) has been commonly used as a dietary protein source for lactating dairy cows. However, there is a paucity of data evaluating the use of DDGS as a partial replacement of forage or grain. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of partially replacing barley silage or barley grain with corn/wheat-based DDGS on dry matter intake (DMI), chewing activity, rumen fermentation, and milk production. Six ruminally cannulated lactating Holstein cows were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 21-d periods. Cows were fed the control diet (CON: 45% barley silage, 5% alfalfa hay, and 50% concentrate mix), a low forage (LF) diet or a low grain (LG) diet, in which barley silage or barley grain was replaced by DDGS at 20% of dietary dry matter, respectively. All diets were formulated to contain 18% crude protein and fed as total mixed rations. Compared with CON, cows fed the LF diet had greater DMI (26.0 vs. 22.4kg/d), yields of milk (36.4 vs. 33.0kg/d), milk protein (1.18 vs. 1.05kg/d), and milk lactose (1.63 vs. 1.46kg/d), but milk fat yield was not affected. The LF diet decreased chewing time compared with the CON diet (29.7 vs. 39.1 min/kg of DMI), but did not affect rumen pH and duration of rumen pH below 5.8. Compared with CON, feeding the LG diet tended to increase minimum and maximum rumen pH, but did not affect DMI, milk yield, and milk composition in this study. These results indicate that a partial replacement of barley silage with DDGS can improve the productivity of lactating dairy cows without negatively affecting rumen fermentation and milk fat production. Barley grain can also be partially replaced by DDGS in diets for lactating dairy cows without causing negative effects on productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical processing of whole crop barley before ensiling may be useful for improving nutrient use by dairy cattle. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of feeding mechanically processed barley silage as the main forage source on lactational performance. Twenty-four Holstein cows, 16 primiparous (187 ±52 days in milk) and 8 multiparous (87 ±69 days in milk) cows, were used in a completely randomized design with a 2-wk covariate period and a 6-wk treatment period. The 2 treatments were: 1) total mixed ration (TMR) containing regular barley silage (RBS-TMR), and 2) TMR containing mechanically processed barley silage (MPBS-TMR). Barley silage and alfalfa hay supplied 41 and 5% of the dietary dry matter (DM), respectively. Intake, body weight, and milk production were measured during the covariate and treatment periods. In addition, 2 multiparous cows were used for in situ measurements of the ruminal DM and fiber degradation kinetics of the barley silages and TMR. Data were analyzed with repeated measurements using a mixed model that included the covariate adjustment. Feeding MPBS-TMR had no significant effects on DM intake (DMI; 21.7 kg/d), milk yield (33.9 kg/d), or milk composition, with only 4% FCM (fat-corrected milk) yield (29.7 vs. 31.7 kg/d) and milk fat concentration (3.30 vs. 3.57%) showing a numerical improvement. Apparent digestibilities of DM and nutrients were not affected by feeding MPBS-TMR, with the exception of starch digestibility, which tended to increase. Dairy efficiencies calculated as milk yield/DMI or FCM/DMI were not different between treatments. Body weight and body condition score were not affected by treatments. Effective ruminal degradability of DM was similar for both barley silages, indicating that when the silages were ground to remove the effects of mechanical processing, the potential digestion was similar. Mechanical processing of barley silage harvested at a mid-dough stage of maturity resulted in... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Whole crop barley forage was chopped, wilted to 350g/kg dry matter (DM) and treated with water (control), inoculant (Agri-Sile®), enzymes (primarily cellulase and amylase activities) or inoculant+enzymes (SilagePro®) prior to ensiling. Triplicate laboratory silos (3l) for each silage (denoted C, I, E and I+E, respectively) were opened after 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14 and 112 days for chemical and microbiological analyses. Silos were weighed after sealing and before opening for estimation of DM loss. A feedlot experiment was also conducted with treatments C, I and I+E, in which barley forage was ensiled in 3m×61m plastic Ag Bags®. Silage samples were collected from bags after 115, 136 and 157 days of ensiling, compiled and used to determine in situ disappearance of DM and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). Inoculation accelerated the decline of silage pH: treatments I and I+E attained pH 4.0 by day 3, whereas C and E were at pH 4.2 and 4.25, respectively, at day 14. At day 112, water soluble carbohydrates (g/kg DM) were lower (P &#60;0.05) in I and I+E (22.9 and 22.4, respectively) than in C and E (29.7 and 32.7, respectively). Crude protein (CP) contents were higher (P &#60;0.05) in I and I+E (132 and 126g/kg DM, respectively) compared with C and E (117 and 118g/kg DM, respectively). Also, less NH3-N (as g/kg of total N) was present (37.4 and 44.9 in I and I+E, versus 75.0 in C and 66.8 in E; P &#60;0.01), suggesting reduced proteolysis with additives. At day 112, C and E had more (P &#60;0.01) acetate and total (TB) and lactic acid producing (LAB) bacteria than did I or I+E. Lactate (g/kg DM) was higher (P &#60;0.05) in I+E (106.5) than in E (91.9) or C (83.7), and intermediate (96.0) in I. Treatment with either additive (I or I+E) did not (P> 0.05) alter the rate or extent of DM of NDF silage digestion, but I+E did increase (P &#60;0.01) the soluble NDF fraction as compared to C or I. In the feedlot study, DM intake did not differ among treatments, but average daily gain (ADG) by steers fed diets I and I+E was higher (P =0.1), by 4.8% and 7.6%, respectively, than ADG by steers fed diet C. Feed efficiency of steers fed I+E silage was improved (P =0.01) relative to those fed C. The bacterial inoculant clearly enhanced fermentation and retention of DM and nutrients in barley silage and the combination of I+E improved the feed efficiency of cattle fed barley silage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Barley silage, cut at the early dough stage, was chopped long (19 mm) or short (10 mm), ensiled, and incorporated into total mixed rations (TMR). The TMR contained (dry matter [DM] basis) either 58.0 or 41.4% concentrate and either short- or long-chopped barley silage. Reducing chop length of barley silage decreased the proportion (as-is basis) of TMR particles retained by the 8- and 19-mm screens of the Penn State Particle Separator (PSPS) from 66.9 to 52.7% in the high concentrate TMR and from 74.8 to 60.9% in the low concentrate TMR. Chop length reduction decreased dietary physically effective fiber, calculated as the NDF retained by the 8- and 19-mm screens of the PSPS, from 29.2 to 25.2% DM in the high concentrate TMR and from 34.9 to 30.6% DM in the low concentrate TMR. Reduction in chop length did not affect rumen pH, total rumen volatile fatty acids, milk yield, and milk composition, but increased DM intake from 19.4 to 20.1 kg/d at the high level of concentrate and from 16.9 to 17.7 kg/d at the low level of concentrate and increased rumen propionate. Increasing the concentrate inclusion rate reduced rumen pH from 6.52 to 6.35, did not affect total volatile fatty acids, reduced the acetate-to-propionate ratio from 3.1 to 2.7, increased milk yield from 28.7 to 31.3 kg/d, reduced milk fat content from 3.48 to 2.94%, and increased milk protein content from 3.11 to 3.27% across chop lengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buffered propionic acid-based additives (BP) alone or in combination with a microbial inoculant containing lactic acid bacteria (MI) were mixed with ground, high moisture corn or whole-crop barley and ensiled in triplicate laboratory silos to investigate their effects on silage fermentation and aerobic stability. The inoculant and chemicals were applied separately for treatments that included both additives. The addition of MI alone had no effect on DM recovery, fermentation end products, or aerobic stability of high moisture corn. However, treatments with 0.1 and 0.2% BP (alone and the combination) had more than 10- and 100-fold fewer yeasts, respectively, and they also had greater concentrations of propionic acid than did untreated corn. Corn treated with only 0.1 (161 h) and 0.2% (218 h) BP tended to be more stable when exposed to air than untreated corn (122 h). Treatment with MI + 0.2% BP markedly improved the aerobic stability (>400 h) of high moisture corn. With whole-crop barley, the addition of MI alone, BP alone, and combinations of MI and BP prevented the production of butyric acid that was found in untreated silage (0.48%). All barley silages that had MI in their treatments underwent a more efficient fermentation than treatments without MI, as evident by a greater ratio of lactic:acetic acid and more DM recovery than in untreated silage. Increasing levels (0.1 to 0.2%) of BP added together with MI improved the aerobic stability of barley (190 and 429 h) over the addition of MI alone (50 h). These data show that buffered propionic acid-based products are compatible with microbial inoculants and, in some circumstances when used together, they can improve the fermentation and aerobic stability of silages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feeding trial was conducted to compare intercropped barley/annual ryegrass silage (B/RS) and barley silage (BS) on average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI) and carcass characteristics of beef steers in a randomized complete block design experiment. Both B/RS and BS were prepared in plastic tube silos, ensiled for 168 days and then used in a feeding trial. Steers (n=120) were housed in individual pens and fed a backgrounding diet containing 350 g steam-rolled barley grain (SBG) and 600 g kg−1 B/RS or 600 g kg−1 BS and 50 g kg−1 supplement until they weighed 445 kg, after which they were adapted to a finishing diet consisting of 860 g SBG and 100 g kg−1 B/RS or 100 g kg−1 BS and 40 g kg−1 supplement. Steer weight and back-fat depth (determined by ultra-sonography) were measured every 3 weeks. Steers were slaughtered when back-fat depth was greater than 7 mm and carcass data were obtained. Content of ADF in B/RS was lower (P<0.05) than in BS, while protein content of the silages was similar. During backgrounding, ADG and DMI of steers fed B/RS (1.43, 8.5 kg per day) were higher (P<0.05) than those fed BS (1.31, 8.0 kg per day) and feed conversion efficiency were similar between two groups of steers. Acetic:propionic ratio of rumen fluid from steers fed either B/RS or BS-based diets in the backgrounding trial were similar. Steers fed B/RS and BS diets had similar ADG, DMI and feed conversion efficiency in the finishing trial. Carcass weights of steers fed B/RS diet were higher (P<0.05) than steers fed BS diet (321.5 kg versus 316.5 kg), but other variables were similar. The total dry matter yield of the intercropped barley/ryegrass was higher (57.6%) than the yield of barley. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]