Effect of Homofermentative Inoculant on Fermentation Characteristics and Nutritive Values of Corn Silage

An in vitro study was planned to assess the effects of a homofermentative microbial inoculant on the fermentation parameters and nutritive value of corn silage. The inoculant was applied at concentrations of 5x104cfu/g of forage (T1), 1x105cfu/g of forage (T2) 1.5x105cfu/g of forage (T3) and a negative control group (T0) without bacterial inoculant in three replicates each. At day 3, 7, 45 and 90 of the experiment individual buckets were opened to characterize the material, quick acidification, dry matter recovery, and aerobic stability of silage respectively. The temperature of the trial samples was 32.75±1.92 throughout the trial duration. A rapid and significant reduction in pH even at third day of trial from 6.5 to 3.61 in the treatment (T2 and T3) groups and remained consistent till 90 day of experiment (with non-significant fluctuations) when compared with control group (6.5 to 5.0). The levels of lactic acid, acetic acid and propionic acids were significantly (P5cfu/g and 1.5x105cfu/g inclusion levels of inoculant.