Medicinal plant extracts usability, to improve the silage hygienic sanitary quality, to ensure the health of cattle

The aim of the master's thesis was to evaluate medicinal plants (Origanum vulgare, Thymus vulgaris) extracts usability to improve the different plants silage quality and to evaluate silage samples with different concentrations of mycotoxins cytotoxic effect. During the current study in laboratorial conditions, perennial ryegrass, blue alfaalfa and red clover silage samples has been conserved with oregano and thyme aqueous and ethanol extracts and commercial inoculants X and Y. Dry matter, pH, total microbial contamination, viable fungi, yeast and lactic acid bacteria counts and AFL B1, ZON, DON, T-2 toxin concentrations were evaluated in silage samples. In vitro investigated cytotoxic effects of mycotoxins (separated from silage samples) on the cell line hamster kidney. The higher total microbial contamination has been established in the grass silage sample with oregano aqueous extract, the lower - lucerne silage sample with commercial inoculant X. In the all silage samples dominated Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp., Rhizopus spp., Chromelosporium spp. ir Mucor spp. fungi genera. The aqueous extract of oregano and ethanolic extract of oregano showed strongest activity respectively against fungi count mycotoxins AFL B1, ZON, DON and T-2 concentrations. The red clover silage sample with an aqueous extract of thyme showed strongest cytotoxic effect on the cell line hamster kidney. The present study suggests that medicinal plants aqueous and ethanol extracts can be used to improve the silage hygienic sanitary quality, to ensure the wellness of cattle