Abstract
Abstract: The objectives of this work were to evaluate the effects of mixed silage of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap in initial bloom stage and alfalfa on silage quality, investigate a way of the silage of juicy alfalfa without additive, and provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of A. sparsifolia Shap. 100% of alfalfa (Ⅰ, as a control group) , 100% of A. sparsifolia Shap in initial bloom stage (Ⅱ) , or mixtures of their different percentages (Ⅲ: 30% of A. sparsifolia Shap + 70% of alfalfa, Ⅳ: 50% of A. sparsifolia Shap + 50% of alfalfa, Ⅴ: 70% of A. sparsifolia Shap + 30% of alfalfa) were used in this experiment and each treatment had three replicates. After 90 d of ensiling, silages were sampled, and sensory quality and fermented products (pH, lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric, methanol, ethanol, propanol and ammonia nitrogen) were evaluated. Chemical components (dry matter, crude protein, water soluble carbohydrate, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber), lactobacillus and yeast living cells were determinated for both fresh forages and silages.The results showed that the contents of dry matter (DM), water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) in mixed forages (as raw material to make silage) were higher than in alfalfa (P<0.05); the maximum of DM content was 26.48% in mixed forages and the minimum was 19.52% in alfalfa; and the maximum of WSC content was 6.27% in mixed forages and the minimum was 4.60% in alfalfa. The numbers of lactic acid bacteria living cells in mixed forages were higher than in alfalfa (P<0.05); the maximum in mixed forages was 7.2×105 (Ⅴ), and the minimum was 3.3×104 in alfalfa (Ⅰ). The quantities of yeast living cells in mixed forages were lower than in alfalfa (P<0.05); the maximum was 5.0×1011 in alfalfa (Ⅰ) , and the minimum of yeast living cells was 2.5×1010 in mixed forages (Ⅲ). After 90 d of ensiling, the lactobacillus living cells in silage was more than in forage at harvest (P<0.05); the numbers of lactobacillus in the silage of different treatments were 5.1×105 (Ⅰ), 1.5×1011 (Ⅱ), 3.5×106 (Ⅲ), 3.5×107 (Ⅳ), and 6.5×107 (Ⅴ), respectively, and those in forage at harvest were 3.3×104, 5.5×106, 6.5×104, 7.3×104, and 7.2×105, respectively. The numbers of yeast living cells in silage were 3.3×104 (Ⅰ), 5.5×106 (Ⅱ), 6.5×104 (Ⅲ), 7.3×104 (Ⅳ) and 7.2×105 (Ⅴ), respectively, while those in forage at harvest (P<0.05) were 3.5×105, 6.5×103, 4.5×105, 1.5×105 and 6.5×104, respectively. The pH values of the groupⅡwas minimum (3.72); compared with that of the control group (4.32), adding A. sparsifolia Shap could significantly reduce the pH value. Lactic acid (LA) contents were higher in mix-silage (Ⅲ, Ⅳ, and Ⅴ were 4.70 %, 5.25 %and 6.12 %, respectively) than in alfalfa silage (Ⅰwas 3.73%, P<0.01). The contents of propionic acid (PA), butyric acid (BA), isovaleric, methanol, ethanol, propanol were lower in mixed silage than in alfalfa silage (P<0.05); PA and BA contents in alfalfa silage were 0.43% and 1.347%, respectively, and the minimums of PA and BA contents in mixed silage were 0.26% (Ⅳ) and 0.357% (Ⅴ), respectively. Meanwhile, PA and BA contents were higher in mixed silage than in A. sparsifolia Shap silage (it's traces). The maximum of isolaleric content was 0.42% inⅠ and the minimum was 0.20% in Ⅴ. The contents of methanol, ethanol, propanol in mixed silage (Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ) were at trace level or not detectable. The ammonia nitrogen contents of mixed silage were significantly decreased compared with that of alfalfa silage (P<0.05), the maximum was 10.16% and the minimum was 4.76% of ratio of ammonia nitrogen to total nitrogen in Ⅰ and Ⅲ, respectively.In conclusion, mixed silage improves silage quality of alfalfa, and also softens camel thorn spiny of A. sparsifolia Shap in initial bloom stage. Mixed silages are excellent in sensory and fermented quality. To improve the quality of the silage, A. sparsifolia Shap should account for no less than 30% of mixed silage.
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