The Effect of Cellulase on Cell Wall Structure and the Rumen Digestion of Timothy Silage

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of additives on the structure changes of related tissues during the ensiling process and the rumen digestion of timothy. In the first cut-timothy, the addition of LC+AC improved the fermentation qualities of the silage. Addition of cellulase resulted in significant decreases in NDF, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose content. SEM examination of the samples suggests that the degradation of parenchymal tissues was enhanced by the cellulase, but no significant differences were observed among the additives in the rumen digestion. The NDF and cellulose digestibility of the AC- and LC+AC-treated silages were lower than those of the other silages. In the second one, after digestion in the rumen, there was a marked loss of inner parenchymal tissues in AC and LC+AC-treated silages