Table 2 Organic acid contents, pH and microbial population of ensiled sugarcane tops (n = 3)

Dry matter (g/kg FM)

CK

318

313

312

323

2.34

NS

NS

NS

1%PA

330

312

334

317

2%PA

342

324

325

315

pH

CK

4.72^bA

4.51^bB

4.27^C

4.09^D

0.05

^**

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NS

1%PA

4.77^bA

4.48^bB

4.21^C

4.03^D

2%PA

4.88^aA

4.70^aB

4.37^C

4.05^D

Lactic acid (g/kg DM)

CK

7.13^aC

10.9^aB

14.8^aA

12.2^aA

1.00

^**

^*

NS

1%PA

4.47^bB

6.65^abB

8.89^bA

10.2^bA

2%PA

1.71^cC

1.75^bC

4.69^cB

8.33^bA

Acetic acid (g/kg DM)

CK

1.47^bB

2.00^bB

2.34^bB

4.01^bA

0.23

^**

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NS

1%PA

2.26^aB

2.63^aB

2.95^aB

5.24^aA

2%PA

2.58^aB

2.89^aB

3.33^aB

6.13^aA

Butyric acid (g/kg DM)

CK

ND

ND

ND

ND

—

—

—

—

1%PA

ND

ND

ND

ND

2%PA

ND

ND

ND

ND

Lactic acid bacteria (Log₁₀ CFU/g FM)

CK

8.41^aA

8.39^aA

8.02^A

7.40^B

0.08

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^**

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1%PA

8.25^aB

8.47^aA

8.22^B

7.27^C

2%PA

7.41^bB

7.84^bAB

8.17^A

7.39^C

Molds (Log₁₀ CFU/g FM)

CK

4.14

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

0.18

NS

NS

NS

1%PA

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

2%PA

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

Yeasts (Log₁₀ CFU/g FM)

CK

5.21^A

4.98^B

3.88^C

 < 2.00^D

0.09

^**

NS

^**

1%PA

5.03^A

5.20^A

4.86^B

 < 2.00^C

2%PA

4.84^B

5.10^A

4.59^B

 < 2.00^C

Coliform bacteria (Log₁₀ CFU/g FM)

CK

5.22

3.66

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

1.00

NS

NS

NS

1%PA

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

2%PA

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

 < 2.00

Ammonia-N (g/kg TN)

CK

0.47^aC

0.80^aB

0.94^aB

1.19^aA

0.06

^**

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^**

1%PA

0.21^bD

0.45^cC

0.63^bB

1.00^bA

2%PA

0.12^cD

0.18^cC

0.30^cB

0.67^cA