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New assessment based on the use of principal factor analysis to investigate corn silage quality from nutritional traits, fermentation end products and mycotoxins
Author(s) -
Gallo Antonio,
Bertuzzi Terenzio,
Giuberti Gianluca,
Moschini Maurizio,
Bruschi Sara,
Cerioli Carla,
Masoero Francesco
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.7109
Subject(s) - silage , mycotoxin , food science , fermentation , dry matter , zoology , biology , chemistry , agronomy , microbiology and biotechnology
BACKGROUND A survey on 68 dairy farms was carried out to evaluate the ensiling procedures adopted to store corn silage. Samples from core, lateral and apical zones of the feed‐out face of silos were analysed. A principal factor analysis ( PFA ) was carried out on the entire database (196 silage samples and 36 variables) and 11 principal factor components ( PCs ) were retained and interpreted. RESULTS Ensiling procedures influenced the area exposed to risk of air penetration. Cores had higher dry matter, starch and lactic acid content or lower pH , fibre, propionate and butyrate concentrations than peripheral samples ( P < 0.05). The highest ( P < 0.05) mycophenolic acid and roquefortina C concentrations were detected in lateral samples. Chemical and digestibility variables loaded on two PCs ; four PCs were characterized by end‐products associated with clostridia, heterolactic, homolactic and aerobic fermentations; two PCs were associated with mycotoxins, whereas three PCs explained ensiling procedures. CONCLUSION The main quality traits of corn silages differed throughout the entire silo face. Minimization of the area exposed to risk of air penetration represents the best strategy to preserve the nutritional value and safety of corn silages. PFA allowed a clusterization of original variables into 11 PCs , appearing able to discriminate well and poorly preserved corn silages. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry