EFFECT OF NACL-TOLERANT LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA AND NACL ON THE FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS AND AEROBIC STABILITY OF SILAGE

NaCl-tolerant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains LC-10 (Lactobacillus casei) and LP-15 (Lact. plantarum) and NaCl were used as additives to sorghun (Sorghum bicolor). Numbers of LAB were significantly (P < 0.05 ) higher in all the additive-treated silages than in the control silag e at an early stage of ensiling. During the fermentation process, addi tion of NaCl or LAB effectively inhibited the growth of aerobic bacter ia and clostridia, but not yeasts. All the additive-treated silages ha d significantly (P < 0.05) lower pH, ammonia nitrogen content, dry mat ter loss and gas production but significantly (P < 0.05) higher lactic acid content and residual water soluble carbohydrates compared with t he control silage. The improvement in silage quality was in the order: LAB > NaCl > control. Yeast counts were high in all additive-based si lages and they increased during the exposure of the silages to air. As a result, these silages suffered aerobic deterioration, whereas the c ontrol silage was stable. The results confirmed that the NaCl or LAB i mproved fermentation quality but did not prevent aerobic deterioration of the silage.