Table 2 Effects of different growth stages on chemical components and microbial compositions during Italian ryegrass ensiling

Dry matter (g/kg FM)

FSN

220^Ba

217^Bab

213^Babc

210^Bbc

211^Bbc

205^Bc

12.97

 < 0.001

0.001

0.228

DSN

369^A

375^A

370^A

354^A

348^A

357^A

Water-soluble carbohydrates (g/kg DM)

FSN

125^Aa

71.9^Ab

55.8^Ac

46.4^Acd

38.3^Ade

31.5^Ae

5.039

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

DSN

48.7^Ba

40.5^Bab

36.2^Bbc

31.0^Bbcd

25.7^Bd

28.5 ^cd

Ammonia nitrogen (g/kg TN)

FSN

39.0^c

55.1^b

67.7^a

75.2^a

75.4^Aa

74.6^a

2.374

0.039

 < 0.001

0.810

DSN

40.0^c

51.7^b

64.4^a

72.6^a

70.9^Ba

71.5^a

Lactic acid bacteria (Log₁₀ cfu/g FM)

FSN

8.96^Bab

9.90^a

9.49^Aa

8.11^b

6.03^c

6.91^c

0.214

0.272

 < 0.001

0.005

DSN

9.55^Aa

9.18^ab

8.96^Bab

8.22^bc

7.23^c

7.15^c

Enterobacteria (Log₁₀ cfu/g FM)

FSN

7.20^Ba

4.88^Bb

ND

ND

ND

ND

0.007

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

0.067

DSN

7.54^Aa

6.20^Ab

ND

ND

ND

ND

Aerobic bacteria (Log₁₀ cfu/g FM)

FSN

8.95^Ba

7.90^Bab

6.06^Bc

6.74^Bbc

6.04^Bc

5.81^c

0.217

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

0.859

DSN

9.57^Aa

8.97^Aa

7.20^Ab

7.34^Ab

6.79^Ab

6.66^b

Yeasts (Log₁₀ cfu/g FM)

FSN

7.07^Ba

4.99^b

4.75^bc

3.90^bc

4.03^bc

3.36^c

0.268

0.004

 < 0.001

0.904

DSN

7.56^Aa

6.11^ab

5.41^bc

4.54^bc

ND

4.02^c