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Effect of Propionic Acid and Ammonium Isobutyrate on Preservation and Nutritive Values of Alfalfa Haylage^{1, 2,}

Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824

Abstract

During 2 years, two trials were conducted to evaluate propionic acid (.4 and .8%), ammonium isobutyrate (AIB, .5 and .1%) and a mixture of AIB (.5%) and formaldehyde (1.25% of a 37% solution) in preserving alfalfa haylage (50 to 69% DM).

All treatments reduced haylage temperature during storage. When heat development was quantitated as degree-days above 35 C, the extent of reduction in heat was 80, 63, 52, 50 and 37% by .5% AIB, .4% propionic acid, .8% propionate, .5% AIB plus formaldehyde and 1% AIB treatments, respectively. None of the treatments entirely prevented heat development in the haylage surface during the time haylage was being fed. Top spoilage was reduced by treatment with .8% propionic acid and .5% AIB plus formaldehyde but not appreciably by the other treatments. Treatments had no marked effect on haylage pH or acetic acid concentration, but decreased lactic acid concentration. Propionic acid and AIB were equally effective in reducing total fungal counts; a 40% reduction was noted for the .4 or .5% levels and a 75% reduction for the .8% or 1% levels.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Article No. 7099.

² The authors wish to acknowledge the technical assistance of R. C. Greening and T. R. Middleton during the course of these investigations and R. Neitzel for statistical analyses of data.

³ Present address: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

⁴ Department of Dairy Science.