J. Anim Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nadeau, E. M.
Right arrow Articles by Buxton, D. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Nadeau, E. M.
Right arrow Articles by Buxton, D. R.

Journal of Animal Science, Vol 78, Issue 11 2980-2989, Copyright © 2000 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Intake, digestibility, and composition of orchardgrass and alfalfa silages treated with cellulase, inoculant, and formic acid fed to lambs

E. M. Nadeau, J. R. Russell and D. R. Buxton
Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of a cellulase (from Trichoderma longibrachiatum) alone or combined with a bacterial inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus cerevisiae) or formic acid on composition, intake, and digestibility of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) silages. Orchardgrass and alfalfa were harvested at the early heading stage and at the early bloom stage of maturity and wilted to approximately 22 and 32% DM, respectively. Forages were then ensiled in 100-L sealed barrels for at least 60 d before they were fed to lambs. Silage treated with cellulase had lower (P < .001) pH and lower (P < .001) acetic acid and NH3 N concentrations than untreated silage of both plant species and a higher (P = .004) lactic acid concentration than the control treatment of alfalfa silage. Fermentation characteristics of cellulase-treated silages, especially of alfalfa, were further enhanced by use of inoculant. Formic acid addition increased (P < .001), reducing sugar concentration of cellulase-treated orchardgrass and alfalfa silage by 90 and 154%, respectively, and decreased (P < .001) NH3 N concentration of cellulase-treated alfalfa silage by 19%. Averaged across plant species, cellulase, combined with inoculant or formic acid, resulted in 8 and 13% greater (P = .03) DMI, respectively, than the control silage. Extensive enzymatic cell-wall degradation during ensiling decreased (P = .003) NDF intake of cellulase-treated orchardgrass silage by 25% and decreased (P = .001) cellulose intake by 23%, when averaged across plant species. Addition of formic acid increased (P = .003) NDF intake of cellulase-treated orchardgrass silage by 19%. Averaged across species, cellulase application decreased (P < .05) silage NDF digestibility by 18%. Greater sugar and lower acetic acid, NH3 N, and NDF concentrations resulted in greater DMI of cellulase-treated silage than of control silage, when cellulase was combined with formic acid or inoculant.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J DAIRY SCIHome page
D. B. Dean, A. T. Adesogan, N. Krueger, and R. C. Littell
Effect of Fibrolytic Enzymes on the Fermentation Characteristics, Aerobic Stability, and Digestibility of Bermudagrass Silage
J Dairy Sci, March 1, 2005; 88(3): 994 - 1003.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2000 by the American Society of Animal Science.