The objective of this study was to evaluate chemical additive and microbial inoculants effectiveness on fermentative changes that lead to the inhibition of the ethanol production and reduction of dry matter losses in sugarcane silages. Silos were made in 20 liter plastic buckets provided with a Bunsen type valve that allows gas to escape and a device to collect effluents. The applied additives were urea (1% of fresh forage); microbial additive Lalsil cana®, that has heterolactic bacteria Lactobacillus buchneri (NCIMB 40788), 3.65 × 10(5) CFU g-1 of fresh forage, and a non-commercial additive with homolactic bacteria Pedioccocus pentosassus and Lactobacillus buchneri (1 × 10(6) CFU g-1 FM) supplied by Lallemand Inc. (Montreal, Quebec). Sampling occurred after 110 days of fermentation. Urea and mainly the additive Lactobacillus buchneri and Pediococcus were efficient on the reduction of ethanol production (1.30 and 2.75% versus 8.27% in the control treatment), on the reduction of dry matter losses (47 and 60%) and soluble carbohydrates (22 and 56%), and increase in vitro dry matter digestibility (14,7 and 12,3%) when compared to the control silages, respectively. Despite the high values of acetic acid in all silages, mainly in silages inoculated with homo and heterolactic bacteria, it was not verified effects on yeast population. The silage with urea had greater values of pH and lactic acid compared to control silage. Silages with L. buchneri had, in this experiment, the largest ethanol production (11.53% vs 8.27% from control silage), resulting in greater losses and lower dry matter recovery. In addition, these silages also showed lower digestibility because of soluble carbohydrates losses and NDF accumulation, similar to the silages without additive.
Lactobacillus buchneri; Pedioccocus pentosassus; urea; yeasts
