The Effects of Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 and Pediococcus pentosaceus R1094 on the Fermentation of Corn Silage

The effect of inoculating whole-plant corn at the time of harvest with Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 (4 × 105 cfu/g of fresh forage) combined with Pediococcus pentosaceus R1094 (1 × 105 cfu/g) on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage (37% dry matter) through 361 d of ensiling was investigated. Dry matter recovery was similar between treatments throughout the study except at one early time point (14 d), when treated silage had a lower recovery than untreated silage. The concentration of lactic acid was unaffected by inoculation but inoculated silages had greater concentrations of 1,2-propanediol and acetic acid from 56 to 361 d of storage. In general, inoculation decreased the concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates but increased the concentration of ethanol. The numbers of yeasts was lower in inoculated silage at 42, 56, 70, and 282 d of ensiling. However, inoculation did not consistently improve the aerobic stability of silage, suggesting that microbes other than yeasts may have been responsible for aerobic instability in this study. Even after prolonged storage (361 d), silage treated with L. buchneri 40788 and P. pentosaceus R1094 had normal silage fermentation characteristics.