Influence of an inoculant containing Lentilactobacillus hilgardii, Lentilactobacillus buchneri, and Pediococcus pentosaceus on the aerobic stability and nutrient degradability of whole-plant corn ensiled at different dry matter levels

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of an inoculant containing Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM-I-4785, Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788, Pediococcus pentosaceus NCIMB 12455, β-glucanase, and xylanase on the fermentation profile, aerobic stability, and nutrient degradability of whole-plant corn silage. In Experiment 1, a brown midrib corn hybrid was harvested at 35.4 % dry matter (DM) and ensiled for 14 and 90 d. In Experiment 2, a conventional corn hybrid was harvested at either a low DM content (26.2 %) or a high DM content (39.7 %) and ensiled for 30, 60, 120, and 180 d. In Experiment 1, inoculation increased acetic acid concentrations at both 14 and 90 d and markedly improved aerobic stability at 90 d (+ 360 h). In Experiment 2, inoculation increased acetic acid concentrations at 60, 120, and 180 d in both DM levels and at 30 d only in low DM. Inoculation improved aerobic stability at 30 (+ 30 h), 120 (+111 h), and 180 d (+ 89 h) across both DM levels. At 60 d, the increase in stability by inoculation was greater in low DM (+ 58 h) than in high DM silage (+ 36 h). Inoculation enhanced starch degradability by 9.8 %age points at 90 d in Experiment 1, and by 4.7 and 2.7 %age points at 120 and 180 d, respectively, in Experiment 2. Overall, the inoculant effectively enhanced aerobic stability and starch degradability across two hybrids and three distinct DM levels.