Effect of Addition of Liquid or Dry Inoculant of Lactic Acid Bacteria Containing Different Starches on the Fermentation Quality and in Vitro Nutrient Digestibility of King Grass Silage

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are found as epiphytes on growing plants. In standing crops, however, LAB populations are low or variable, especially in the tropics. LAB inoculant must be added to improve silage quality. This study was carried out to evaluate the nutritive value and fermentation characteristics of king grass silage treated with liquid or dry LAB inoculant containing different starches as a substrate. The five treatments were as follows: (A) king grass without LAB inoculant as the control; (B) king grass + 30 ml liquid LAB inoculant/kg fresh forage; (C) king grass + 30 g dry LAB inoculant containing cassava starch/kg fresh forage; (D) king grass + 30 g dry LAB inoculant containing sago starch/kg fresh forage; (E) king grass + 30 g dry LAB inoculant containing sago and cassava starches/ kg fresh forage. All LAB inoculants contained more than 1.0 × 106 cfu/g fresh weight. Plastic silos, each containing about 500 g of silage material, were stored at room temperature (28-30°C) for 30 days. Our results showed that silage treated with LAB inoculants B, C, D, and E had lower (P < 0.01) pH, NH3 -N, and total VFA concentrations than those of the control silage (A). Silage treated with dry LAB inoculant containing cassava starch (C) had the best fermentation quality, indicated by the highest concentrations of lactic acid and in vitro dry matter, the best organic matter digestibility, and the lowest pH value and butyric acid concentrations.