Table 2 Effects of inoculant on fermentation characteristic of WCC silage during ensiling

pH

CON

4.27

3.76

3.71

3.67

3.70

0.026

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

LS

3.78

3.75

3.70

3.57

3.56

WA

3.68

3.62

3.59

3.61

3.52

Dry matter (g/kg fresh weight)

CON

274

266

252

236

234

2.408

0.453

0.001

0.262

LS

255

258

255

239

230

WA

257

242

246

250

240

Lactic acid (g/kg dry matter)

CON

56.5

70.8

94.7

130

143

4.265

0.427

 < 0.001

0.217

LS

81.5

83.4

90.3

98.5

119

WA

73.9

91.3

110

124

120

Acetic acid (g/kg dry matter)

CON

7.03

5.62

7.20

9.59

13.0

1.879

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

LS

22.1

28.9

29.7

39.9

50.8

WA

13.1

15.0

16.5

18.1

16.9

Lactic acid/acetic acid

CON

8.07

12.7

13.2

13.5

11.2

0.241

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

LS

3.69

2.89

3.02

2.47

2.32

WA

5.63

6.15

6.70

6.84

7.05

Propionic acid (g/kg dry matter)

CON

0.27

0.23

0.29

0.56

4.06

0.241

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

LS

0.82

0.68

1.63

3.44

5.85

WA

1.08

1.16

1.27

1.16

1.60

Butyric acid (g/kg dry matter)

CON

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

–

–

–

–

LS

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

WA

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

1,2-Propanediol (g/kg dry matter)

CON

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

–

–

–

–

LS

ND

ND

ND

ND

2.08

WA

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

Ethanol (g/kg dry matter)

CON

1.93

3.07

8.68

17.5

17.4

0.747

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

LS

3.27

2.49

3.29

3.50

4.02

WA

2.70

3.45

7.47

8.48

8.49

Water-soluble carbohydrates (g/kg dry matter)

CON

179

168

157

131

101

3.093

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

LS

176

168

158

147

125

WA

167

163

152

143

141

Ammonia nitrogen (g/kg total nitrogen)

CON

41.6

52.6

57.9

70.9

81.4

2.325

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

0.702

LS

30.6

42.8

47.0

55.3

64.0

WA

23.2

31.8

37.1

45.7

55.5