Chemical and microbiological changes and aerobic stability of marandu grass silages after silo opening

Abstract

This trial had the objective of characterizing the microbial population and evaluating the aerobic stability of Marandu grass silages with pelleted citrus pulp (PCP). The collected forage was submitted to the following treatments: Silage of Marandu grass; silage of Marandu grass + 50 g/kg PCP and silage of Marandu grass + 100 g/kg PCP on natural matter basis. Metal cylindrical containers with 80 cm of height and 50 cm of diameter were used as silos during assays of microbiological dynamics and chemical changes of silages in anaerobiosis. Evaluations were performed on days 0, 2, 4 and 6 after silos were opened. The aerobic stability was evaluated by change in temperature, using approximately three kilograms of silage inside styrofoam boxes that were placed inside a climatic chamber. A completely randomized experimental design and split plot arrangement were used in the two assays, with five replications. Treatments were the plots and time was the subplots. Bacillus and enterobacteria were present on the Marandu grass silages with 0 g/kg PCP, which also showed pH increase throughout the feedout phase. Yeast was detected on the silages that were added with PCP. A trend of increasing temperature with extension of the aeration time was observed mainly in the silages containing 100 g/kg PCP. Isolated yeast strains showed lactate assimilation. Silages were found to be unstable due to the silo opening, both by bacterial or yeast development, which reduced the nutritional value.