Life Sciences Commons^™

Comparative Characteristics During Wilting For Forage Harvested By Maceration Vs. A Conventional Roller-Conditioner, Suwarno, K M. Wittenberg, W P. Mccaughey

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Two studies were conducted to monitor forage nutrient and microbial changes during wilting of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) forage in response to varying degrees of maceration at harvest. Early bloom alfalfa forage was harvested with either a roller conditioner (Control) or a macerator, with four degrees of maceration (Light, Light plus, Moderate and Severe) imposed. Macerated forage reached an 80% dry matter 10-27 hours sooner than roller-conditioned forage, the most rapid drying rates being associated with the more severely macerated treatments. Total bacteria and lactic acid bacteria populations tended (P < 0.07 and P < 0.08, respectively) to increase with maceration. Macerated forage, when exposed to precipitation, had lower (P < 0.05) crude protein and higher (P < 0.05) fiber concentration than roller-conditioned forage. Macerated forage, exposed to 2 cm precipitation during wilting without precipitation reached 80% DM sooner than conventionally cut alfalfa exposed to no precipitation.

The Addition And Cessation Of Inorganic Fertiliser Amendments In Long-Term Managed Grasslands: Impacts On Above And Below-Ground Communities, C. D. Clegg, P. J. Murray, R. Cook, T. Tallec

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In recent times, land use in the United Kingdom has undergone considerable changes because of social and economic pressures, leading to a fine balance between the demands of highly productive intensive systems and practices which are perceived to be more environmentally acceptable. Plant productivity is governed by the supply of nutrients from the soil, which in turn is dependent on the dynamics of organic matter decomposition driven by soil micro-, meso- and macro fauna. Considerable information is available concerning the impact of inorganic fertiliser additions on communities of macro-fauna and flora, but the effects on specific microbial communities in soils …

Effect Of Prompt-Delayed Packaging And Ensiling Time On Fermentation And Aerobic Stability Of Soybean Curd Residue, Ajmal Wali, Takeshi Tsuruta, Naoki Nishino

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Wet soybean curd residue (SCR) obtained from two tofu factories (F1 and F2) was anaerobically stored with or without added beet pulp (BP). Sealing was performed on the day of tofu production (prompt sealing [PS]) or 2 days after SCR was piled and unprocessed (delayed sealing [DS]). Predominant lactic acid fermentation was observed regardless of the sealing time and BP addition. Acinetobacter spp. were the most abundant (> 67%) bacteria in pre-ensiled SCR, regardless of the factory and sealing time. In PS silage, the abundances of typical lactic acid-producing bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Streptococcus spp. reached …

Soil Biodiversity, Root Herbivory And Carbon And Nitrogen Cycling In Grassland Soils, R. Cook, L. A. Dawson, A. C. Gange, S. J. Grayston, P. J. Murray, A. M. Treonis

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

This paper describes research on the relationships between grassland management practices and the diversity of biological communities in soil. Observations are being made in field trials with applications of nitrogen and lime and of insecticide to an original diverse sward and to a single species grass re-seed. The treatments are designed to produce different degrees of diversity in communities of soil animals and microbes. Assessments are being made over three years of the effects on the populations, activity and diversity of root-feeding animals, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, soil bacteria, fungi and micro fauna, including nonplant feeding nematodes. Associated laboratory experiments assess …

The Effect Of Different Types Of Inoculants On The Characteristics Of Alfalfa, Ryegrass And Red Clover-Ryegrass-Timothy Silage, Vilma Vrotniakiene, Jonas Jatkauskas

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Silage inoculants based on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have demonstrated improvements in energy and nutrient recovery from grass and legume silages by lowering the pH and shifting the fermentation towards lactic acid production, by reducing storage losses due to spoilage and by increasing the aerobic stability during feed-out. There are different mixtures of strains currently on the market.

The present study was conducted according to the Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft Guidelines for the testing of silage additives in order to assess which mixtures of lactic acid bacteria would have a greater potential to improve fermentation profile of alfalfa, perennial ryegrass and red …