EFFECTS OF INOCULATION AND WILTING ON THE PRESERVATION AND UTILIZATION OF WHEAT FORAGE

Wheat forage was harvested at an early head stage of maturity and ensi led in 12 900-kg experimental silos at three percentages of DM (20.8% for direct-cut forage and 27.9 or 39.3% for wilted forage) either with or without application of a lactic acid bacterial inoculant. The obje ctive was to test the efficacy of the inoculant to alter silage fermen tation, preservation, and nutritive value of wheat forage ensiled at d ifferent moisture percentages because of wilting. Wilting enhanced DM preservation and decreased fermentation end products. Inoculation made the fermentation more homolactic but did not enhance DM preservation. Silage rations (80% DM as silage) were fed at 1.8% of BW/d to six rum inally and abomasally fistulated steers (350 kg) in an experiment with a Latin-square design and a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments . Digestive responses to silage diets were not influenced by inoculati on. Intake was depressed with direct-cut silage rations. Wilting impro ved fiber digestibility and was associated with changes in ruminal con tents and fermentation end products. Wilting appears to be more effect ive than inoculation as a postharvest management tool to improve small grain silage.