Fermentation Quality, In Vitro Digestibility, and Aerobic Stability of Total Mixed Ration Silage in Response to Varying Proportion Alfalfa Silage

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different proportions of alfalfa silage on the fermentation quality, in vitro digestibility, and aerobic stability of total mixed ration (TMR) silage. Three TMRs were prepared with different silage contents on a fresh matter basis: (1) 60% alfalfa silage (AS60), (2) 40% alfalfa silage (AS40), and (3) 20% alfalfa silage (AS20). The lactic acid in AS60 did not increase after 30 days of ensiling (p > 0.05). Butyric acid was detected in the AS20 group after 14 days of ensiling. The AS60 group showed significantly higher in vitro dry matter digestibility than the AS20 group (p < 0.05). The aerobic stability of TMR silage gradually increased with a decreasing percentage of alfalfa silage (p < 0.05). Unlike AS60, which directly gained an acidic environment from the alfalfa silage, AS40 developed a stable acidic environment during ensiling and further improved aerobic stability. However, when the percentage of alfalfa silage was reduced to 20%, a risk of clostridial spoilage occurred in the TMR silage. Therefore, the addition of 40% alfalfa silage to TMR is optimal and could achieve both good fermentation quality and considerable resistance to aerobic deterioration in TMR silage.