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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #248859
Title: Nutritive value and fermentation parameters of warm-season grass silage

Author
item VENDRAMINI PAS, J.M.B. - University Of Florida
item ADESOGAN, A - University Of Florida
item SILVEIRA, M.L.A. - University Of Florida
item SOLLENBERGER, L.E. - University Of Florida
item QUEIROZ, O.C.M. - University Of Florida
item Anderson, William - Bill

Submitted to: Professional Animal Scientist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2010
Publication Date: 6/1/2010
Citation: Vendramini Pas, J., Adesogan, A., Silveira, M., Sollenberger, L., Queiroz, O., Anderson, W.F. 2010. Nutritive value and fermentation parameters of warm-season grass silage. Professional Animal Scientist. 26:193-200.

Interpretive Summary: Hay is the most widely used method of forage conservation in the southeastern US, however, there are significant obstacles to making high-quality hay from warm-season grasses. The relatively high proportion of stems vs. leaves of some warm-season grass species extends the time required for field drying and increases the chances of weather-related dry matter losses. Silage and haylage are feasible alternatives to overcome the weather-related limitations to conserving warm-season grasses in Florida; however, the chemical composition and morphology of these grasses make them more difficult to successfully ensile compared to corn or cool-season forages. Microbial inoculants are added to silages with the primary intent of increasing the acidification rate by shifting the fermentation towards lactic acid production rather than production of VFA, ethanol, and CO2. This improves fermentation efficiency, dry matter recovery, and nutrient preservation. The objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate the fermentation parameters and nutritive value of nine species and cultivars of warm-season grasses, and 2) to test the effects of applying microbial inoculants on silages of warm-season grasses. There were differences in fiber and digestibility among the species in the summer harvest with elephantgrass being the least digestible and Mulato the highest. Inoculated silages had a lower acid concentration than control (0.62 vs. 1.84%). In the fall, there was no effect of the inoculant on the nutritive value and silage fermentation parameters in the fall.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritive value and fermentation characteristics of different species of warm-season grass silages treated with or without bacterial inoculants in the summer and fall. Nine forage species and cultivars, elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach), Mulato (Brachiaria sp.), bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge), stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst), Tifton 85 bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.), Jiggs bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), Coastcross-2 bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), and ‘Floralta’ limpograss [Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf & Hubb.] were treated with or without (control) a microbial inoculant solution (Si-All®) in a split plot arrangement with three replicates. In the summer, NDF concentration was greater for the bermudagrasses than the average of other species (68 vs. 65%). Mulato had the least NDF concentration (57%) and the greatest IVTD concentration (63%) compared to other treatments. Limpograss silage had the lowest pH (6.5) and the greatest lactic acid concentrations (2.6%). Conversely, elephantgrass silage had the lowest lactic acid concentration (0.1%) and highest pH (8.3) than the other species. Inoculated silages had a lower acid concentration than control (0.62 vs. 1.84%). In the fall, elephantgrass had less IVTD (60 vs. 65%) and NDFD (44 vs. 52%) than the other species. Elephantgrass silage pH was lower (7.2 vs. 8.8) and the concentrations of total fatty acids (4.6 vs. 0.4%), lactic acid (1.5 vs. 0.2%) and acetic acid (2.1 vs. 0.2%) greater than in the bermudagrasses. There was no effect of the inoculant on the nutritive value and silage fermentation parameters in the fall.