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Effect of commercial inoculant and formic acid± formalin silage additives on silage fermentation and intake and on liveweight change of young cattle
Author(s) -
HAIGH P. M.,
APPLETONT M.,
CLENCH S. F.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1987.tb02131.x
Subject(s) - silage , microbial inoculant , formic acid , dry matter , fermentation , chemistry , lactic acid , agronomy , food science , zoology , biology , biochemistry , bacteria , horticulture , inoculation , genetics
Data from six experiments conducted at two Agricultural Development and Advisory Service Experimental Husbandry Farms during 1980–83 were used to compare low dry matter (DM, 160 g kg ‐1 ), low water soluble carbohydrate (WSC, 15 g kg ‐1 ), non‐additive treated silage with silage treated with commercial inoculants or formic acid with or without added formalin (formic acid ± formalin). Formic acid ± formalin significantly decreased silage pH and ammonia‐N and significantly increased silage residual WSC compared with inoculant or untreated silage. Formic acid ± formalin significantly increased oven DM and significantly reduced DM loss during ensiling compared with untreated silage. Formic acid ± formalin treatment significantly increased both silage DM and total DM intake compared with untreated silage. Daily liveweight gains of cattle offered formic acid ± formalin were significantly higher than those given inoculant or untreated silage. It is suggested from the results that formic acid ± formalin additives can be used successfully to prevent a clostridial fermentation developing when crops contain 15 g WSC kg ‐1 .