Assessing the impact of various ensilage factors on the fermentation of grass silage using conventional culture and bacterial community analysis techniques
Abstract
AIMS: Grass silage is an important ruminant feedstuff on farms during winter. The ensilage of grass involves a natural lactic acid bacterial fermentation under anaerobic conditions, and numerous factors can influence the outcome of preservation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dry matter concentration, ensiling system, compaction and air infiltration on silage bacterial community composition. METHODS AND RESULTS: The impact of these factors was examined using conventional methods of microbial analysis and culture-independent Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP). Silage fermentation was restricted in herbage with a high dry matter concentration, and this was reflected in a shift in the bacterial population present. In contrast, ensiling system had little effect on bacterial community composition. Air infiltration, in the absence of compaction, altered silage bacterial community composition and silage pH. CONCLUSIONS: Dry matter concentration and the absence of compaction were the main factors affecting silage microbial community composition, and this was reflected in both the conventional culture-based and T-RFLP data. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: T-RFLP proved a useful tool to study the factors affecting ensilage. Apart from monitoring the presence or absence of members of the population, shifts in the relative presence of members could be monitored.
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- Authors
- McEniry, J., O’Kiely, P., Clipson, N. J. W., Forristal, P. D., & Doyle, E. M.
- Affiliations
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Teagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Doyle, E.M.
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Microbiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2010-05
- Volume
- 108
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1584-1593
- ISSN
- 1364-5072 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2672
- OpenAlex
- W1992858063
- Cited by
- 38
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 1.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Teagasc
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Keywords
- grass silage, silage fermentation, lactic acid bacteria, bacterial community composition, dry matter content, silage compaction, air leakage, silage pH, T-RFLP, ruminant feed
- MeSH terms
- Air, Analysis of Variance, Bacteria, Fermentation, Poaceae, Silage, Bacterial Physiological Phenomena, Biodiversity
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