Effect of silage additives on the microbial succession and fermentation process of alfalfa and whole-plant maize silages

Extract

Alfalfa is recognized as more difficult to ensile than maize. Typically, multiple alfalfa cuttings are harvested at various stages of maturity, and numerous maize hybrids that vary in their nutritive value are used for silage production in North America. The objective of these studies was to determine the effects of commercial bacterial inoculant and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) additions on the microbial succession and silage fermentation process of two cuttings of alfalfa and three whole-plant maize hybrids.

In 1989, second and fourth cuttings of alfalfa were mowed and swathed at the late-bud, 10% bloom, and 50% bloom stages of maturity within each cutting and wilted in the windrow for 5 to 6 hours prior to precision chopping. Three maize hybrids (Pioneer 3377, 3379, and 3389) were grown under irrigation in 1989 and harvested at the two-third milk line of kernel maturity.