Effect of microbial inoculants on the chemical composition and aerobic stability of Tanzania guinea grass silages

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effects of microbial inoculants on chemical changes and aerobic stability efficiency in Tanzania guinea grass silage. The treatments consisted of C: silage without inoculant; I: silage inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum (CCT 0580) 8.0 x 10⁹ CFU g^-1, Bacillus subtilis (CCT 0089) 2.0 x 10⁹ CFU g^-1, and Pediococcus acidilactici (CCT 2553) 1.0 x 10¹⁰ CFU g^-1, and L: silage inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum (CCT 0580) 2.6 x 10¹⁰ CFU g^-1 and Pediococcus pentosaceus (CCT 7659) 2.6 x 10¹⁰ CFU g^-1. The experimental design was completely randomized, with five replications. There were no treatment effects on the nutritional composition of the silages, but both inoculants were effective in reducing the pH of the silage to 4.80 and 4.83 for I and L, respectively, compared with 5.04 for C. Silage with L had a lower ammonia nitrogen (N-NH₃) content than the other silages (9.83%). Despite the lower pH values, the use of inoculants did not reduce fungal and yeast counts or improve the aerobic stability of Tanzania guinea grass silages.