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Oxidative stress resulting from an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants can cause damage to certain cellular components. Purple Napier grass, a semi-dwarf variety, is characterized by its purple leaves and contains anthocyanins, which provide it with antioxidant properties. This study examined the effects of feeding purple Napier grass (“Prince”) silage to lactating dairy goats on blood antioxidant activity, milk yield, and milk quality. Eighteen female Saanen crossbred goats, weighing 52.34 ± 2.86 kg and producing milk for 14 ± 2 days, were systematically divided into three groups based on their lactation period in the previous cycle as follows: early, mid, and late lactation. In a randomized complete block design (RCBD), treatments were randomly allocated to six animals in each block. The dairy goats were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) consisting of the three following treatments: control (100% Napier Pakchong 1 grass silage), 50% (a 50% replacement of the control with purple Napier grass silage), and 100% (100% purple Napier grass silage). The results show that goats who were fed a diet including 100% purple Napier grass silage showed higher levels of certain milk contents, especially with regard to lactose, when compared to those who were fed a control diet, as well as a diet with a 50% replacement of purple Napier grass silage. The somatic cell count (SCC) of these goats was reduced. In terms of antioxidant activity, dairy goats who were fed 100% purple Napier grass silage showed higher levels of enzymes in both plasma and milk, including glutathione s-transferase, total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, compared to the control group and the 50% replacement group. The plasma and milk of these goats showed lower levels of malondialdehyde. The dairy goats who were fed a 100% purple Napier grass silage diet showed higher concentrations of anthocyanins, including C3G, P3G, Peo3G, M3G, Cya, Pel, and total anthocyanins in milk, when compared to the control group and the 50% replacement group. The increased replacement of purple Napier grass silage led to significant differences in lactose levels, somatic cell count, glutathione S-transferase, total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, and the composition of anthocyanins. This study provides evidence to support the use of purple Napier grass silage as a beneficial source of roughage for lactating dairy goats.

This study evaluated the effects of composite bacterial inoculants on the fermentation quality, microbial community composition, and nutrient preservation of natural grass silage produced in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia. Four treatment groups were set, each using distinct combinations of lactic acid bacteria: a control group (C) with no inoculant and three inoculated groups (Group B: Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Pediococcus pentosaceus ; Group P: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A1 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP-21; and Group M: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum , Enterococcus faecium , and Pediococcus pentosaceus ). After 240 days of ensiling, the inoculated groups exhibited significantly higher contents of crude protein and dry matter (DM) and lower ammonia nitrogen, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber levels than the control group. The M group demonstrated superior fermentation performance, exhibiting the lowest pH (C 5.15; B 4.77; P 4.64; and M 4.57), the highest lactic acid concentration (C 3.40% DM; B 6.80% DM; P 7.73% DM; and M 8.00% DM), and an optimal microbial composition dominated by Lactiplantibacillus and Lentilactobacillus . These improvements were attributed to Lactiplantibacillus plantarum , a bacterium that can produce a substantial amount of lactic acid through homofermentation, thereby lowering the pH, inhibiting the activity of undesirable microorganisms, and enhancing nutrient preservation. High-throughput sequencing revealed shifts in the dominant bacterial phyla from Proteobacteria in raw grass to Firmicutes in silage, with inoculants significantly influencing microbial diversity and functional profiles. Functional prediction indicated enhanced carbohydrate metabolism and nutrient preservation in the inoculated groups. These findings underscore the potential of tailored bacterial inoculants and advanced wrapping technology to improve the quality of silage and thus support sustainable livestock production. Graphical Abstract

Bacillus velezensis (B. velezensis) is a cellulose-degrading strain that has the potential as an additive in fermented feed. B. velezensis BV-10 was isolated and screened from the termite gut. We sequenced the whole genome of this new source of B. velezensis to reveal its potential for use in cellulose degradation. Whole-genome sequencing of B. velezensis BV-10 showed that it has a circular chromosome of 3929792 bp containing 3873 coding genes with a GC content of 45.51% and many genes related to cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin degradation. King grass silage was inoculated with B. velezensis BV-10 and mixed with other feed additives to assess the effect of B. velezensis BV-10 on the fermentation quality of silage. Six treatment groups were established: the control, B. velezensis BV-10, molasses, cellulase, B. velezensis BV-10 plus molasses, and B. velezensis BV-10 plus cellulase groups. After 30 days of silage-fermentation testing, B. velezensis BV-10 was found to rapidly reduce the silage pH value and significantly reduce the acid-detergent fiber (ADF) content (p < 0.05). The addition of B. velezensis BV-10 plus molasses and cellulase in fermented feed significantly reduced the silage neutral-detergent fiber and ADF content and promoted organic-acid accumulation (p < 0.05). The above results demonstrate that B. velezensis BV-10 promotes the fermentation quality of silage and that this effect is greater when other silage-fermentation additives are included. In conclusion, genes involved in cellulose degradation in B. velezensis BV-10 were identified by whole-genome sequencing and further experiments explored the effects of B. velezensis BV-10 and different feed additives on the fermentation quality of king grass silage, revealing the potential of Bacillus velezensis as a new silage additive.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of storage time on the fermentation quality, bacterial community structure, and metabolic profiles of Jinmu grain grass silage. It was ensiled in vacuum bags for 60 days. Samples were collected after 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days of ensiling. Nutritional analysis revealed no significant differences in dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), or acid detergent fiber (ADF) across storage periods (p > 0.05), but relative feeding value (RFV) significantly increased at 30 and 60 days (p < 0.05). Fermentation quality improved with prolonged storage, pH values declined to 4.01 at 60 days, while lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA) increased significantly (p < 0.05). Butyric acid(BA) was undetected. 16S rDNA sequencing showed bacterial diversity (Chao1, Simpson, and Shannon indices) increased significantly at 30 and 60 days (p < 0.01); The relative abundance of Lacticaseibacillus, and Amylolactobacillus at 30 days were significantly higher than 0 and 60 days (p < 0.05); The relative abundance of Stenotrophomonas, Serratia, Comamonas, GKS98_freshwater_group, and Sphingobium at 60 days were significantly higher than 0 and 30 days (p < 0.05). Comprehensive targeted metabolomics identified 2958 metabolites. There were 256 differential metabolites shared by the comparison groups at 0, 30, and 60 days. The pathways for enrichment of differential metabolites mainly include plant hormone signal transduction, Histidine metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, etc. In conclusion, the storage time of Jinmu grain grass silage can enhance its fermentation quality by influencing microbial communities and metabolic pathways.

Data were collected on 85 Simmental and Simmental × Holstein–Friesian heifers. During the indoor winter period, they were offered grass silage ad libitum and 2 kg of concentrate daily, and individual dry matter intake (DMI) and growth was recorded over 84 days. Individual grass herbage DMI was determined at pasture over a 6-day period, using the n-alkane technique. Body condition score, skeletal measurements, ultrasonic fat and muscle depth, visual muscularity score, total tract digestibility, blood hormones, metabolites and haematology variables and activity behaviour were measured for all heifers. Phenotypic residual feed intake (RFI) was calculated for each animal as the difference between actual DMI and expected DMI during the indoor winter period. Expected DMI was calculated for each animal by regressing average daily DMI on mid-test live weight (LW)0.75 and average daily gain (ADG) over an 84-day period. Standard deviations above and below the mean were used to group animals into high (>0.5 s.d.), medium (±0.5 s.d.) and low (<0.5 s.d.) RFI. Overall mean (s.d.) values for DMI (kg/day), ADG (kg), feed conversion ratio (FCR) kg DMI/kg ADG and RFI (kg dry matter/day) were 5.82 (0.73), 0.53 (0.18), 12.24 (4.60), 0.00 (0.43), respectively, during the RFI measurement period. Mean DMI (kg/day) and ADG (kg) during the grazing season was 9.77 (1.77) and 0.77 (0.14), respectively. The RFI groups did not differ (P > 0.05) in LW, ADG or FCR at any stage of measurement. RFI was positively correlated (r = 0.59; P < 0.001) with DMI during the RFI measurement period but not with grazed grass herbage DMI (r = 0.06; P = 0.57). Low RFI heifers had 0.07 greater (P < 0.05) concentration of plasma creatinine than high RFI heifers and, during the grazed herbage intake period, spent less time standing and more time lying (P < 0.05) than high RFI heifers. However, low and high RFI groups did not differ (P > 0.05) in ultrasonic backfat thickness or muscle depth, visual muscle scores, skeletal size, total tract digestibility or blood hormone and haematology variables at any stage of the experiment. Despite a sizeable difference in intake of grass silage between low and high RFI heifers during the indoor winter period, there were no detectable differences between RFI groupings for any economically important performance traits measured when animals were offered ensiled or grazed grass herbage.

In vitro batch cultures were used to screen four fibrolytic enzyme mixtures at two dosages added to a 60 : 40 silage : concentrate diet containing the C4 tropical grass Andropogon gayanus grass ensiled at two maturities – vegetative stage (VS) and flowering stage (FS). Based on these studies, one enzyme mixture was selected to treat the same diets and evaluate its impact on fermentation using an artificial rumen (Rusitec). In vitro batch cultures were conducted as a completely randomized design with two runs, four replicates per run and 12 treatments in a factorial arrangement (four enzyme mixtures×three doses). Enzyme additives (E1, E2, E3 and E4) were commercial products and contained a range of endoglucanase, exoglucanase and xylanase activities. Enzymes were added to the complete diet 2 h before incubation at 0, 2 and 4 μl/g of dry matter (DM). Gas production (GP) was measured after 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of incubation. Disappearance of DM (DMD), NDF (NDFD) and ADF (ADFD) were determined after 24 and 48 h. For all four enzyme mixtures, a dosage effect (P<0.05) was observed for NDFD and ADFD after 24 h and for DMD, NDFD and ADFD after 48 h of incubation of the VS diet. For the FS diet, a dosage effect was observed for GP and NDFD after 24 h and for GP, DMD, NDFD and ADFD after 48 h of incubation. There was no difference among enzyme mixtures nor was there an enzyme×dose interaction for the studied parameters. Because of the greatest numerical effect on NDF disappearance and the least cost price, enzyme mixture E2 at 4 µl/g of diet DM was selected for the Rusitec experiment. The enzyme did not impact (P>0.05) DM, N, NDF or ADF disappearance after 48 h of incubation nor daily ammonia-N, volatile fatty acids or CH4 production. However, enzyme application increased (P<0.05) microbial N production in feed particle-associated (loosely-associated) and silage feed particle-bound (firmly associated) fractions. With A. gayanus silage diets, degradation may not be limited by microbial colonization, but rather by the ability of fibrolytic enzymes to degrade plant cell walls within this recalcitrant forage.

The potential availability of forage feed is high, but in reality this potential has not been able to meet the requirement of feed both in sustainable quantity and quality. Silage made with the use of liquid fermentation additive (FA) can be a solution for those problems. The use of different levels of FA and addition of Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria as well as formic acid were expected to improve the nutritive quality of napier grass silage. The first experiment was designed to measure the fermentative quality of napier grass silage. The treatments used were the levels of FA, L. plantarum, and formic acid supplementations. The experiment used a completely randomized design with a 3x2x2 factorial arrangement with 3 replications. The first factor was the level of liquid FA (5%, 7.5%, and 10%), and the second factor was the inoculation of L. plantarum (without and with inoculation of the L. plantarum), and the third factor was the addition of formic acid (without and with the addition of 0.15% formic acid). The second experiment was aimed to evaluate chemical and microbiological characteristics, and in vitro digestibility of selected napier grass silage. The results showed that napier grass silage from all treatments showed good qualities. There were interactions between FA, L. plantarum, and formic acid on DM content (P<0.05) and ammonia production (P<0.01). The use of FA showed an interaction (P<0.01) with the addition of L. plantarum and formic acid in Fleigh point. Ammonia production in rumen (P<0.01), total VFA (P<0.05), and in vitro digestibility (P<0.01) were significantly affected by the treatments. The optimal level of liquid FA was 7.5%. Based on the nutritive quality of silage, L. plantarum addition was as effective as control treatment to improve nutritive quality of napier grass silage through the increased of fermentation characteristics i.e., low pH, high DM product, high fermentation product (VFA), and digestible on rumen. Formic acid reduced ammonia production during ensiling and fermentation in rumen, but it was less effective in inhibiting the fermentation process when it was combined with L. plantarum.

Olive cake (OC) is a wet by-product of olive processing that may be used as animal feedstuff. Our objective was to investigate the impact of adding OC on fermentation and aerobic stability of maize and grass silages. Whole-crop maize (326 g dry matter (DM)/kg as fed) and 4 h-wilted elephant grass (229 g DM/kg as fed) were ensiled without (untreated) or with fresh OC (5% as fed basis). Ensiling was performed in experimental silos (n = 3), which remained stored for 99 d. As results, fermentative losses were unaffected by OC (P = 0.17), while the lactic acid concentration decreased (P = 0.02) by 33.7% in silages with OC. The pH of grass silage increased (P < 0.001) by adding OC (4.43 vs. 4.01 in the control), but it did not change the pH in maize silage. The concentration of acetic acid (P = 0.01) decreased by 15.2% in maize silage with OC and increased by 19.4% in grass silage with OC. The ether extract concentration increased (P = 0.02) in maize silage with OC compared to the control, and it was similar between grass silage without and with OC. After feedout, silage aerobic stability was not altered (P ≥ 0.18) by the addition of OC in maize and grass silages. Therefore, a possible fate for OC is to ensile it together maize forage, because there is no impairment of fermentation and aerobic stability of silages. Ensiling OC with grass is not recommended as it worsened the fermentation pattern. RESUMO: A torta de oliva (TO) é um subproduto úmido oriundo do processamento da oliva para produção de azeite. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o efeito da adição de TO sobre a fermentação e estabilidade aeróbia das silagens de milho e capim. A planta inteira de milho (32,6% de matéria seca (MS)) e o capim elefante pré-emurchecido por 4 horas (22,9% de MS) foram ensilados sem (controle) ou com TO fresca (5% com base na matéria natural). A ensilagem foi realizada em silos experimentais de PVC (n = 3), os quais permaneceram fechados por 99 dias. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado sob arranjo fatorial 2 × 2, e os dados foram analisados pelo procedimento MIXED do SAS a P ≤ 0,05. As perdas fermentativas não foram influenciadas pela TO (P = 0,17). No entanto, a concentração de ácido lático diminuiu 33,7% em silagens com TO (P = 0,02). Houve uma interação entre TO e culturas para pH, ácido acético e extrato etéreo (EE). O pH da silagem de capim aumentou (P < 0,001) devido a adição de TO (4,43 vs. 4,01 para o controle), enquanto o pH da silagem de milho não foi alterado pela TO. A concentração de ácido acético diminuiu 15,2% na silagem de milho com TO e aumentou 19,4% na silagem de capim com TO (P = 0,01). O EE foi maior (P = 0,02) na silagem de milho com TO comparado ao controle e similar entre a silagem de capim (com e sem TO). A estabilidade aeróbia das silagens de milho e capim não foram alteradas pela TO (P ≥ 0,18). Portanto, um possível destino para a TO é utiliza-la na ensilagem do milho, pois não houve prejuízo sobre o padrão de fermentação e estabilidade aeróbia desta silagem. A ensilagem de capim com TO não é recomendada, pois piorou o padrão de fermentação desta silagem.

The results of adding Lactobacillus buchneri to silages from 43 experiments in 23 sources reporting standard errors were summarized using meta-analysis. The effects of inoculation were summarized by type of crop (corn or grass and small grains) and the treatments were classified into the following categories: 1) untreated silage with nothing applied (LB0), 2) silage treated with L. buchneri at ≤100,000 cfu/g of fresh forage (LB1), and 3) silage treated with L. buchneri at>100,000 cfu/g (LB2). In both types of crops, inoculation with L. buchneri decreased concentrations of lactic acid, and this response was dose-dependent in corn but not in grass and small-grain silages. Treatment with L. buchneri markedly increased the concentrations of acetic acid in both crops in a dose-dependent manner. The numbers of yeasts were lower in silages treated with LB1 and further decreased in silages treated with LB2 compared with untreated silages. Untreated corn silage spoiled after 25h of exposure to air but corn silage treated with LB1 did not spoil until 35h, and this stability was further enhanced to 503h with LB2. In grass and small-grain silages, yeasts were nearly undetectable; however, inoculation improved aerobic stability in a dose-dependent manner (206, 226, and 245h for LB0, LB1, and LB2, respectively). The recovery of DM after ensiling was lower for LB2 (94.5%) when compared with LB0 (95.5%) in corn silage and was lower for both LB1 (94.8%) and LB2 (95.3%) when compared with LB0 (96.6%) in grass and small-grain silages.

The experiment investigated the digestion of lipids from different forage silages in beef steers. Six Hereford x Friesian steers prepared with rumen and duodenal cannulas were given ad libitum access to a high-sugar grass silage, control grass silage, red clover silage, or mixtures of the red clover and each of the grass silages (50:50, DM basis). The experiment was conducted as an incomplete 5 x 5 Latin square, with an additional randomly repeated sequence. Total fatty acid and C18:3n-3 concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) for the high-sugar grass silage than the control grass silage or the red clover silage. Dry matter and total fatty acid intake were less (P < 0.05) for steers fed the control grass silage than for steers fed the other diets. Duodenal flow of C18:3n-3 was greater (P < 0.05), and flows of C18:0 and total C18:1 trans were less (P < 0.05), for the red clover silage compared with the 2 grass silage diets, with the mixtures intermediate. These results were supported by a reduction (P < 0.05) in biohydrogenation of C18:3n-3 for the red clover silage, with the mixtures again being intermediate. Flows of total branched- and odd-chain fatty acids were greater (P < 0.05) for the high-sugar grass silage diet, possibly as a result of greater microbial flow, because these fatty acids are associated with bacterial lipid. Duodenal flows of the chlorophyll metabolite, phytanic acid, were greater (P < 0.05) for animals fed the high-sugar grass silage treatments compared with the other treatments. These results confirm the potential for modifying the fatty acid composition of ruminant products by feeding red clover silage.