effect of lactic acid bacteria inoculants, formic acid,.pdfVIP

A G R I C U L T U R A L  A N D  F O O D  S C I E N C E Vol. 15 (2006): 185–199. Effect of lactic acid bacteria inoculants, formic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate on fermentation quality and aerobic stability of wilted grass silage Eeva Saarisalo, Taina Jalava MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Animal Production Research, FI-31600 Jokioinen, Finland, e-mail: eeva.saarisalo@mtt.fi Eija Skyttä, Auli Haikara VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, PO Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Finland Seija Jaakkola MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Animal Production Research, FI-31600 Jokioinen, Finland, present address: Department of Animal Science, PO Box 28, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland The efficiency of a novel strain of lactic acid bacteria inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum VTT E-78076, E76) on the fermentation quality of wilted silage was studied. Furthermore, the possibility to improve aero- bic stability of silages by combining an inoculant and chemical preservatives was investigated. Two ex- periments were conducted with wilted timothy-meadow fescue herbage (dry matter 429 and 344 g kg-1) 6 -1 using six treatments. In experiment I, E76 (10 cfu g fresh matter (FM)) was applied alone and in combina- -1 -1 tion with sodium benzoate (0.3 g kg grass FM) or low rate of formic acid (0.4 l t FM). In experiment II, E76 and a commercial inoculant were applied alone and in combinat