EFFECTS OF AN INOCULANT OF LACTIC-ACID BA CTERIA ON FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS AND FEEDING VALUE OF GRASS-SILAGE FOR DAIRY-COWS

The effect of an inoculant of lactic acid bacteria on grass silage fer mentation and its feeding value for dairy cows was investigated. The i noculant decreased pH-values mainly as a result of stimulated lactic a cid formation. The aerobic stability of the inoculated silage was redu ced to app. 50 hrs. Two longtime feeding trials in lactating cows (I r esp. 2) using mixed roughage/concentrate rations resulted in 7 % to 10 % higher DM-intakes of inoculated grass silage, positively (1) or neg atively (2) affected milk yields, lower milk fat percentages (1 + 2) a nd lower (1) or unaffected (2) milk protein contents. The lactational response of cows may have been influenced by interactions between sila ge treatment and concentrate composition.