Rapid fermentation for ensiling of poultry intestines

The influence of two temperatures (26±2°C and 37°C) and inoculation of 5% (w/w) pre-fermented silage as starter culture on hastening the process of fermentation of poultry intestine with 10% (w/w) molasses and 0·5% (v/w) propionic acid under microaerophilic condition was studied. The pH values, reducing sugar contents, standard plate counts, lactic acid bacteria and yeast and mould numbers were lower in mixtures fermented at 37°C than in those at 26±2°C. The microbiologically safe silage pH of 4·2 was reached in 24, 6 and 5 h in samples fermented at 26±2°C, 37°C, both without starter culture and at 37°C with starter culture, respectively. Correspondingly, the staphylococci and enterococci were absent in samples at 48, 24 and 12 h onwards and coliforms and Escherichia coli at 48, 12, and 12 h onwards. Thus, the ensiling of poultry intestine with 10% (w/w) molasses and 0·5% (v/w) propionic acid was considerably accelerated by inoculating with 5% (w/w) prefermented silage as starter culture and fermenting at 37°C under microaerophilic conditions.