This study was carried out to determine the effects of different doses (10, 20 and 30%) of sumac shrub leaf substitution instead of corn silage in sheep rations on in vitro gas and methane production, metabolic energy (ME), net energy lactation (NEL) and organic matter digestion degree. Sheep ration consisting of corn silage (20%), alfalfa straw (22.5%), dry meadow grass (20%), and commercial feed (37.5%) constituted the control group. The experimental groups were formed by substituting 10 (S1), 20 (S2) and 30 (S3) percent sumac shrub leaves for corn silage in the control (C) group formed the experimental groups. The effect of sumac shrub leaf substitution on in vitro gas and methane production, metabolic energy, net energy lactation, and organic matter digestion degree was found to be significant. The 24-hour in vitro gas production values of rations ranged between 43.11- 46.77 ml/200 mg DM, methane production values 6.8-7.48 ml, metabolic energy values 8.91-9.41 MJ/kg DM, net energy lactation, 5.59-5.95 MJ/kg DM and organic matter digestion degree values found between 64.25 and 67.61%. As a result, it was determined that increasing doses of sumac shrub leaf substitute reduced gas and methane production. In addition, it was concluded that the data obtained should be supported by determining the microorganism counts, feed consumption amounts, and feed efficiency coefficients with in vivo studies.

This study was carried out to determine the effects of lactic acid bacteria+ enzyme (LAB+E) inoculants on the fermentation characteristics and feed values of silages prepared from alfalfa harvested at three maturity stages. Alfalfa was harvested at the early, middle and late flowering stages. Sil-All (Alltech, UK) were used as LAB+E inoculants. Inoculants were applied to the silages at the rates of 1×105, 5×105 and 1×106 cfu/g levels in 1 liter capacity plastic bags. The bags were stored at 20±2°C under the laboratory conditions. Three bags from each group were sampled for chemical and microbiological analyses on the 45th day after ensiling. The results showed that LAB+E inoculants reduced pH values and ammonia-nitrogen content, whereas increased lactic acid contents and lactobacillus count of alfalfa silages. High doses LAB+E inoculant decreased neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber content, increased in vitro organic matter digestibility and metabolic energy of alfalfa silages. It has been demonstrated that the most effective application dose of LAB+E inoculant to improve fermentation and feed value of alfalfa silage was 1×106 cfu/g, but 1x105 and 5×105 cfu/g level can also be considered as effective dose.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different doses of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) inoculation into triticale silage on fermentation, quality, feed value, and aerobic stability. This study used three doses of LP bacteria strains (MF098786 strain) isolated from homemade pickles as inoculants. As LP dose, 1×106, 1×108 and 1×109 cfu/mL levels were used. The LP inoculation was applied by spraying onto by using a sterile injector at 1 mL per 1 kg material. The prepared silages were incubated for 60 d. The treatment groups in the study consisted of triticale control (TC), 1×106 (LP6T), 1×108 (LP8T) and 1×109 cfu/kg DM (LP9T) LP inoculated triticale. The LP inoculation of triticale silage improved silage fermentation, chemical and microbiological properties, silage quality, and feed value, and aerobic stability of the product, regardless of dose application. This application did not change the silage's organic matter, ash, and hemicellulose contents but decreased the crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber contents. While there was no significant change in color parameters in all silages, a decrease in the ultimate pH value, and improvement in Flieg score and RFV were detected. The LP inoculation into triticale silage increased the number of lactic acid bacteria and decreased the number of yeast in the silages. This application improved the total digestible nutrient and energy values of LP9T silage compared with other silages. When LP doses were evaluated within themselves, it was determined that all doses gave almost similar results in terms of the parameters studied. However, when the data obtained from the research are evaluated as a whole, LP inoculation at the level of 1×109 cfu/mL can be recommended to triticale silage, because of the positive effects of silage on total digestible nutrient, digestible energy, metabolizable energy, and net energy contents.