Microorganisms in the high-moisture corn grain silage with different proportions of the cob

Abstract

This experiment was carried out in the Microbiology Laboratory of UNESP-Jaboticabal, to evaluate the different species of microorganisms in high-moisture corn grain silage. The treatments were five percentages of corn cob in the silage (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% DM) and four sampling periods after the opening of the silos (0, 2, 4 and 6 days), using a factorial arrangement in randomized block design with three replications. The growth of Lactobacillus was higher (P < 0.01) in the silage prepared only with grains in relation to the other treatments. The presence of Clostridium differed (P < 0.01) among the treatments, with values ranging from 1.30 and 3.32 log CFU/g of silage. It was concluded that the population of Lactobacillus was satisfactory to obtain a good fermentation of the silages, and the presence of corn cob facilitated the development of Clostridium and also of yeast and Enterobacteriaceae after the silos were opened.