ISSN:
1365-2494
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
The suitability of freezing a large amount of grass from a single harvest for use in a series of experiments to investigate silage fermentation and its manipulation was examined. Perennial ryegrass, harvested in late June, was ensiled in sterile polythene bags inside an anaerobic cabinet; some was also stored frozen at -20°C for up to nine months before ensiling in a similar manner. The course of fermentation was followed using not only conventional chemical and microbiological analyses, but also by measuring microbial metabolic activity in vitro. Freezing and thawing affected the chemical composition and the microbial populations on the grass, and there were differences in the changes occurring in thawed grass during ensilage, probably related to damage to plant cells and impaired microbial activity associated with freezing and thawing. For both the grasses and the silages made from them, it was clear that the number of microorganisms present was not a reliable guide to microbial metabolic activity. Although the fermentation of frozen-and-thawed grass did not simulate precisely the fermentation occurring with fresh grass, it is concluded that, when used judiciously, the ensilage of thawed grass can be a useful experimental tool, particularly in the initial screening of manipulants of fermentation.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2494.1995.tb02297.x
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