Effect of maturity stage, grain processing, bacterial inoculants and length of storage on the corn silage quality

• Grant number: 18/21568-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2020
• End date: August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Andrade Reis
• Grantee: Ricardo Andrade Reis
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carlos Henrique Silveira Rabelo

Abstract

In study 1, corn hybrids will be harvested with approximately 28 and 35% dry matter (DM), using or not a grain breaker coupled to the forage harvester and later silage silage with application of L. buchneri bacteria in all the treatments. This study will evaluate two maturity stages, with or without the use of coupled grain breaker. In study 2, the maize will be harvested with approximately 35% DM using or not a grain breaker coupled to the forage harvester and later ensiled with and without the L. buchneri bacterium in mini-silos. In studies 1 and 2 the corn silages will be evaluated to determine their chemical composition, fermentation profile, loss of total DM, aerobic stability and bacterial diversity (study 1). Both will be conducted in a completely randomized design, four replicates per treatment with factorial arrangement (2x2) and repeated measures in time (0, 90, 150, 240 and 360 days of storage). In study 3, the maize hybrid will be harvested with approximately 28 and 35% MS with a grain breaker coupled to the forage harvester ensiled with or without the L. buchneri bacterium and stored for 360 days. Forty-eight lambs will be used in the feeding program and will be kept in confinement. Eight lambs will be slaughtered after the adaptation phase to determine carcass weight. Performance and feed efficiency of these animals will be evaluated after 65 days of feedlot. Eight cannulated lambs in the rumen will be used in the evaluation of digestibility, ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis. The performance assay will be conducted in a randomized block design under a factorial arrangement 2 (bacterial inoculation or not) x 2 (maturity stages), with 10 replicates per treatment. The assay for determination of ruminal parameters will be conducted in a double 4x4 Latin square, with repeated measures in time (ruminal liquid collection times). In study 4, the maize hybrid will be harvested with approximately 28 and 35% DM throughout the plant. After harvesting, corn shall be ensiled with or without L. buchneri at a concentration of 1x105 and 5x105 cfu / g forage. Mini silos will be used in quadruplicate per treatment. Subsequently, the mini silos will be sealed and stored at room temperature for 60, 120 and 240 days. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design under a factorial arrangement 2 (two stages of maturity) x 3 (doses of inoculant) x 4 (four storage times), with four replications per treatment. The chemical composition, fermentation profile, loss of total DM and aerobic stability of the silages will be evaluated. In study 5, the corn hybrid will be harvested with approximately 35% DM throughout the plant. After harvesting, corn shall be ensiled with or without L. buchneri (1x105 and 5x105 cfu / g forage). The surface silos will be sealed with tarpaulin and will remain closed for 120 days. After opening the silos will determine the fermentation losses, chemical composition and aerobic stability of the silages. For the animal performance test will be used 36 bulls of the Nelore breed and average initial body weight of 450 kg. Three diets based on the silages described above will be evaluated: control (silage without inoculant), silage inoculated with L. buchneri (1x105 cfu / g of forage) and silage inoculated with L. buchneri (5x105 cfu / g of forage). The evaluated diets will be composed of 40% of the respective silages and 60% of concentrate. For the ruminal parameters test, six Nellore bulls, cannulated in the rumen, will be used to evaluate digestibility and ruminal fermentation. The conduction of the performance experiment will be performed in a completely randomized design with three replicates per treatment (bay as experimental unit). In the evaluation of the ruminal parameters, the 3x3 Latin double-delineate will be used. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ROSSI, LUIS G.; ANDRADE, MARINA E. B.; RABELO, CARLOS H. S.; SIQUEIRA, GUSTAVO R.; VICENTE, EDUARDO F.; SILVA, WILTON L.; SILVA, MATHEUS M.; REIS, RICARDO A.. Flint corn silage management: influence of maturity stage, inoculation with Lentilactobacillus buchneri, and storage time on fermentation pattern, aerobic stability, and nutritional characteristics. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 14, p. 14-pg., 2023-07-18. (18/21568-9, 17/00696-6, 16/00446-7)