THE EFFECT OF PROBIOTIC-ENZYMATIC ADDITIV ES ON THE ENSILAGING OF WILTED GRASS (LOLIUM-MULTIFLORUM LAM X FESTUCA-PRATENSIS HUDS) AND ALFALFA (MEDICAGO-SATIVA L)

The effect of probiotic-enzymatic additives on the course of beginning stages of ensilaging of a wilted new variety of Italian ryegrass PERU N (Lolium multiflorum Lam. x Festuca pratensis Huds.) and alfalfa (Med icago sativa L.) was studied. Three laboratory experiments for both pl ants were carried out. Twenty-four hours wilted cut plants (on the ave rage 25 mm long pieces prepared by a Jaguar Class cutter) were spread in the thin layer and sprayed with water (blank) or with the solutions of probiotic-enzymatic and/or probiotic additives. The additives were diluted so that 1 kg of plants were treated with 1 ml of solution con taining 10 mg of dried bacteria or 0.1 ml of enzyme. The silage sample s were prepared untreated and treated with Bactozym (Medipharm CZ, s. r. o.), containing an enzyme complex of cellulase, hemicellulase and g lucose oxidase with an inoculant of lactic acid bacteria or treated wi th Microsil (Medipharm CZ, s. r. o.), which contains inoculant microor ganisms only. The amounts of 200 g of samples of treated and untreated silages were vacuum packed into the plastic packs (PETP12/PE50/Al). F ermentation was carried out at laboratory temperature. During the four beginning days of fermentation the following parameters were studied: pH value, content of glucose, fructose (HPLC), acetic, lactic, butyri c and gluconic acid (capillary isotachophoresis), composition of perma nent gases (oxygen content) (GC). In addition to chemical parameters t he changes of lactic acid bacteria and moulds were followed as well. T he use of probiotic-enzymatic additives in silage is recommended for t he following effect on the course of fermentation: Additives facilitat e the cleavage of polysaccharides to yield the monosaccharides, which are utilizable by the subsequent enzymatic reaction and/or are used as a substrate of lactic acid bacteria. The oxygen content is decreased in the beginning stages of fermentation. Glucose oxidase catalyses for mation of gluconic acid, which allows to acidify substrate. Hydrogen p eroxide produced by the enzymatic oxidation of glucose inhibits clostr idia. The results of our experiments confirmed some of these expectati ons. In the samples treated with Bactozym the oxygen content decreased significantly faster than in those with Microsil and control samples. The lowering of aerobic conditions inside the ensilaged samples suppo rted the growth of lactic acid bacteria and inhibited growing of mould s. However too fast reduction of oxygen content at the beginning stage s of fermentation at the pH above 4.1 could stimulate the growth of cl ostridia. Another negative consequence of glucose oxidase presence in samples was slower production of lactic acid and a slight increase in formation of butyric acid, especially in the case of alfalfa. It can b e concluded that the addition of glucose oxidase contained in probioti c-enzymatic preparation during the processing of the both plant sample s has a positive effect on the course of fermentation of silages, espe cially due to the reduction of oxygen content, inhibition of moulds an d lowering of production of acetic acid. The addition of glucose oxida se has a negative effect on the content of butyric acid in alfalfa sil age.