The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of three types of Chestnut Meals (CM) on chemical composition and rumen fermentation characteristics of the fermented diet. The inoculants consisted of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, and Sacaromyces cerevisiae and were applied to three different types of CM; Whole Chestnut (WC), endodermis (EN), and kernel (KE). All types of CMs were ensiled at 39°C for 0, 1, 2, 4, or 6 days. After ensiling, the fermented CMs were sub-sampled for laboratory assays. On day six of fermentation, counts of the lactic acid-producing Bacillus subtilis, and yeast were higher (P<0.05) in WC than in the other CM types. On day four, KE had higher (P<0.05) crude protein content but lower (P<0.05) neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber contents than the other treatments. In terms of rumen digestibility, KE had the highest (P<0.05) in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDMD), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD), total volatile fatty acid (VFA), propionate, butyrate concentrations, and total gas volume, as well as the lowest (P<0.05) acetate concentration. On the other hand, EN had the highest (P<0.05) pH and ammonia-N concentration in the rumen. In the rumen, even though WC application produced the highest microbial count and fermentation characteristics, it did not have a beneficial effect on rumen digestibility. Therefore, this study concluded that application of KE could be recommended due to the observed improvements in IVDMD and IVNDFD.

This study aimed to estimate the effect of inoculant application level on chemical composition and bacterial count of fermented chestnut meal (FCM), and its rumen fermentation characteristics. The inoculant contained Lactobacillus acidophilus (1.2 x 1010 cfu/g), Bacillus subtilis (2.1 x 1010 cfu/g), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2.3 x 1010 cfu/g). The chestnut meal mixed with molasses, double distilled water, and inoculant at 1 kg, 3 g, 480 mL, and 20 mL ratio for the basal chestnut meal diet. The double distilled water from basal chestnut meal diet was substituted with bacterial inoculant at a level of 0 (Control), 20 (Medium), and 40 mL (High) in the experimental diets. The mixed experimental diets were incubated at 39°C for 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively. On 7 days of FCM incubation, the contents of crude protein (CP) (quadratic, P=0.043) and neutral detergent fiber (quadratic, P=0.071) decreased by increases of inoculant application levels, whereas bacterial count (quadratic, P=0.065) and rumen NH3-N (linear, P=0.063) increased. By increases of inoculant application levels on 14 days of FCM incubation, the increases were found on dry matter (DM) (quadratic, P=0.085), CP (quadratic, P=0.059), acid detergent fiber (quadratic, P=0.056), in vitro DM digestibility (linear, P=0.002), rumen total volatile fatty acid (VFA) (linear, P=0.057), and rumen iso-butyrate (linear, P=0.054). However, the decreases were found on bacterial count (linear, P=0.002), propionate (linear, P=0.099), and butyrate (quadratic, P=0.082). On 21 days of FCM incubation, in vitro DM digestibility (linear, P=0.002) and total VFA (linear, P=0.001) increased by increases of inoculant application levels, whereas the contents of CP (quadratic, P=0.034) and neutral detergent fiber (quadratic, P=0.047) decreased. These results indicate that the FCM with a medium level of inoculant application and 14 of fermentation had beneficial effects by increasing DM digestibility and rumen total VFA content, without altering bacterial count.