Effects of air infiltration and additives on fermentation characteristics and dry-matter losses of red clover-grass silage contaminated with clostridia

• Grant number: 19/01708-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2019
• End date: June 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Gustavo Nussio
• Grantee: Larissa Maniero Nazato
• Supervisor: Elisabet Nadeau
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara (SLU), Sweden
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/15489-9 - In situ digestibility of NDF and starch in corn silages produced with different particle sizes, BP.IC

Abstract

Clostridia fermentation causes large dry-matter losses during storage of the silage and causes problems during the cheese-making process. The objective of the project is to evaluate the effects of air infiltration, additives and their interaction on clostridia counts, fermentation characteristics, dry-matter losses and aerobic stability of low dry-matter red clover-grass silage contaminated with clostridia. The project was initiated in 2018 by Dr. Elisabet Nadeau's team at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The forage was ensiled with or without additives, using inoculants, salt-based additives and acids. Half of the silos was sealed immediately after filling whereas the other half of the silos was exposed to air for 24 hours before being sealed. The intern will participate at the opening of the silos, calculation of dry-matter losses, analysis of the clostridia spore counts, aerobic stability and the pH of the silage and get an understanding of the chemical analyses of silage fermentation products. (AU)