Introduction Microbial inoculants are applied to forage at the time of ensiling to accelerate the decline of pH during the initial stage of silage fermentation, to preserve plant carbohydrates through homofermentation, and to preserve plant protein by decreasing proteolysis and deamination. Thus, inoculated silages are expected to improve animal performance. Whole crop barley has a low buffering capacity and abundant fermentable carbohydrates and is considered relatively easy to ensile. Results of previous experiments indicated that lactic acid bacteria-based inoculants have the potential to improve the ensilage of whole crop barley (Kung and Ranjit, 2001). The objective of the present study was to determine the chemical composition and in situ dry matter degradability of whole crop barley silage treated with one of two different types of inoculants (Lactobacillus plantarum or mixed with Pediococcus pentosaceus plus propionbacter freudenreichii as provide 1×105 CFU of lactic acid producing bacteria plus 1×104 CFU propionbacterium per g of DM).

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