ADDITIVES CONTAINING BACTERIA AND ENZYMES FOR ALFALFA SILAGE

First-cutting alfalfa was wilted, harvested from alternate rows, left untreated or treated with additives containing lactic acid bacteria an d enzymes (cellulase, amylase, and pectinase), and ensiled in bag silo s. Inoculation increased lactic acid bacteria from 5 x 10(4) to 1 x 10 (6) cfu/g of forage. Because treatments were bagged consecutively, the DM of treated silages was higher than that of untreated silage. Howev er, after 4 d of ensiling, the pH of treated silage, about 4.3, was lo wer than that of untreated silage, 4.7, and remained lower throughout the ensiling period. After 177 d of ensiling, total lactate was about 25% higher, and ammonia N was about 40% lower, in treated silage. In a ddition, NDF and ADF contents were lower in treated than in untreated silage. Between 51 and 177 d of storage, glucose content increased in treated silage, but not in untreated silage, suggesting that some plan t cell-wall hydrolysis occurred during prolonged storage. In vitro dig estion of NDF did not differ among treatments during early incubation, but the extent of digestion after 36 and 48 h was lower in treated th an in untreated silage. The microbial and enzyme silage additives used in this study improved fermentation characteristics and reduced fiber content of silage but decreased the in vitro digestibility of fiber.