Silage inoculants, crucial in modern silage production, comprise beneficial microorganisms, primarily lactic acid bacteria (LAB), strategically applied to forage material during ensiling. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of various inoculants produced by different companies. Five treatments were evaluated, including a control group: T1 (Lactobacillus plantarum), T2 (Lactobacillus plantarum + Pediococcus pentosaceus), T3 (Lactobacillus plantarum + Pediococcus pentosaceus + Lactobacillus buchneri), T4 (Lactobacillus plantarum + Lactobacillus acidophilus + Lactobacillus bulgaricus), and T5 (Lactobacillus plantarum + Pediococcus pentosaceus + Enterococcus faecium). Italian ryegrass was harvested at the heading stage and treated with these silage inoculants. Samples were collected over a 60-day ensiling period. Co-inoculation with L. plantarum and P. pentosaceus (T2) resulted in significantly higher CP compared to the control group co-inoculation exhibited with resulted in Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus in the T2 treatment exhibited higher CP content of 106.35 g/kg dry matter (DM). The T3 treatment, which included heterofermentative bacterial strains such as Lactobacillus buchneri, exhibited an increase in acetic acid concentration (11.15 g/kg DM). In the T4 treatment group, which utilized a mixed culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, the NH3-N/TN content was observed to be the lowest (20.52 g/kg DM). The T5 containing Enterococcus faecium had the highest RFV (123) after 60 days. Expanding upon these findings, the study underscores not only the beneficial effects of particular inoculant treatments on silage quality but also underscores the potential of customized inoculation strategies in maximizing nutrient retention and overall silage preservation.

Corn silage is extensively utilized in ruminant feeding on a global scale, with substantial research efforts directed towards enhancing its nutritional worth and managing moisture content. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of normal cutting height and elevated cutting height on whole-crop corn silage. Corn was harvested at heights of 15 cm and 45 cm above the ground, respectively, 45 days after heading. The harvested corn was cut into 2-3 cm lengths and packed into 20-liter plastic silos in triplicate. The results showed that dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of C45 were significantly higher than those of the control, while the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was significantly lower in C45 (p<0.05). The C15 had higher yields than C45 (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the total digestible nutrients (TDN) yield of whole-crop corn silage. The increase in cutting height resulted in a larger change in moisture content and NDF per centimeter. After 60 days-ensiling, C45 showed significantly lower NH3-N concentrations. Moreover, C45 had significantly higher lactic acid concentration, lactic acid/acetic acid ratio, and lactic acid bacteria count compared to the control. Mold was not detected and the yeast count was less than 2 log10 cfu/g fresh matter in both control and C45. In summary, C45 improved the feeding value and fermentation quality of whole-crop corn silage at the expense of forage productivity.