The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of wilting and the application of bacterial enzymatic additive (BEA) or buffered propionic acid (BPA) on the fermentation characteristics and chemical composition of Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.) silage stored in big square bales wrapped with plastic sheet. The experimental treatments were: five forage dry matter contents (250, 350, 450, 550 and 650 g/kg DM) without BEA (WoA), three forage dry matter contents (250, 350 and 650 g/kg DM) with BEA (WA) and an wilted forage (650 g/kg DM) sprayed with BPA. Corn silage samples were taken after 0, 6 and 12 hours and 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 90 and 180 days of storage to assay for the fermentation and chemical characteristics time trends. The experimental design was completely randomized with three replications with a split plot feature of experimental treatments as main plots and fermentation times as split plot treatments. Wilting to 450 g/kg DM did improve fermentation parameters (pH, N-NH3 and buffering capacity) and chemical composition of Tifton grass silages. BPA addition did not improve the silage fermentation parameters neither chemical composition. The addition of BEA showed marginal benefits only in the high dry matter content silages (650 g/kg DM), with no significant changes in low dry matter silages (250 g/kg DM).
wilting; microbiological additive; propionic acid
