Fermentation Quality of Alfalfa and ltalian Ryegrass Silages Treated with Previously Fermented Juices Prepared from Both the Herbages

Two hundred grams of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) were macerated with 1l of water using a blender and filtered through cheese cloth. The filtrate was kept anaerobically for 2d with or without 2% sucrose (previously fermented juice; PFJ). Alfalfa PFJ with sucrose and Italian ryegrass PFJ without sucrose were used as silage additives. Both of them were added to alfalfa and Italian ryegrass prior to ensile at 2.5ml/kg as to inoculate 106/g of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Alfalfa used at the present study was not necessary to add PFJ for enhancing the silage fermentation. But the fermentation quality of Italian ryegrass silage was improved by the addition of alfalfa or Italian ryegrass PFJ and Italian ryegrass PFJ was a little more effective than alfalfa PFJ, suggesting that PFJ from other plant is available but that from the same plant to be ensiled is more effective as silage additive.