Vol. 11, Special Issue 10 (2022)

Author(s):
SY Belim, HH Savsani, MR Chavda, JA Chavda, NK Ribadiya, DG Vaghamsi, RB Makwana, YG Kansagara, BK Kansagara, PH Agravat, SD Patel and SM Kalam

Abstract:
The present investigation was conducted with the objective to study various combinations of biological and chemical additives on silage quality of wheat straw and green maize silage. Different silages were prepared using green maize fodder and wheat straw as such in the proportion of 10:0 & 7:3 ratio in plastic jar of 3 kg capacity by adding common salt @ 0.5%, urea @1% and molasses @ 1.5% in each silages with seven different treatments viz. Control (only green maize), WS (green maize and wheat straw in 7:3 ratio), X (WS added with Xylanase), LP (WS added with L. plantarum), LF (WS added with L. fermentum), LPLF (WS added with both bacterial inoculants) and XLPLF (WS added with Xylanase and both bacterial inoculants). Xylanase, L. plantarum and L. fermentum were used @ 1500 IU/g, 1 x 10⁶ cfu/g and 2 x 10⁶ cfu/g, respectively. All silages were evaluated in terms of pH, proximate composition and cell wall constituents after 45 days of ensiling. Ensiling significantly (p<0.05) reduced dry matter (DM) content in all additive inoculated silages except for Xylanase treated and WS silage. The pH values of different experimental silages were recorded significantly (p<0.01) lower as compared to control treatment. DM content was significantly (p<0.01) lowered in all additive inoculated silages except for Xylanase inoculated silage as compared to WS silage. OM (Organic matter) content was found to be significantly (p<0.01) higher in LP, LF and LPLF inoculated silages. L. plantarum significantly (p<0.05) increases crude protein (CP) content in silage. Xylanase added silage showed significantly (p<0.05) higher EE content. CF content was found to be significantly (p<0.05) lower in L. fermentum treated and control silage. Total ash (TA) content was found significantly (p<0.01) lower in LP, LF and LPLF inoculated silages. Nitrogen free extract (NFE) content was found to be significantly (p<0.05) higher in L. fermentum inoculated silage. The result showed that Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content was found to be significantly (p<0.05) lower in Xylanase and L. fermentum inoculated silages. Acid detergent fibre (ADF) content was also found to be significantly (p<0.05) lower in Xylanase treated silage. Cellulose content was found to be significantly higher in combination of both bacterial inoculants (LPLF) inoculated silages. Hemicellulose content did not differ significantly (p>0.05). Thus, it is concluded that bacterial inoculants alone and in combination with xylanase improves the nutrient composition among which xylanase significantly increases ether extract content with reduced NDF and ADF content.