AN EVALUATION OF SILAFERM AND A MICROBIAL INOCULANT ON THE

We studied the effects of adding Silaferm and a microbial inoculant on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage. Freshly chopped whole-plant corn was treated with nothing (untreated silage), urea (U) added at 15 lb/ton of wet forage, Silaferm added at 50 (A1) or 100 (A2) lb/ton, Silaferm and urea (60 % and 40 % of the added CP, respectively) added at 47 lbs/ton, and Lactobacillus buchneri and Pediococcus pentosaceus (400,000 and 100,000 cfu/g of wet forage, respectively). Addition of various N-based compounds had minimal effects on the fermentation end products of corn silage with the exception of predictable increases in the concentrations of ammonia-N and CP. Corn silage treated with L. buchneri had more acetic acid and 1,2 propanediol and fewer yeasts than did untreated silage. Treatment with L. buchneri and AU improved the aerobic stability of silage when compared to untreated silage. Dry matter recovery was not different among treatments. Future research should focus on the ability of a high level of A plus U to improve aerobic stability. Treatment with AU has potential for improving the aerobic stability of corn silage