Short Communication: Prognostic Values of a Multiparametric Risk Score in Maize Silage Undergoing Different Ensiling Conditions

Abstract

We studied the effects of the use of Lactobacillus buchneri (Lb) and the maize pre-ensiling composition on the aerobic silage stability in a panel of 88 maize ensiled 60 days in 21 L buckets. Lb was dispensed at three dosages and compared to a control (pure water). The prognostic multiparametric risk score was used to find the risk factors related to the chemical composition of the fresh plant, associated with the onset of aerobic instability in maize silage. A multivariable Akaike’s Information Criterion in the backward Cox proportional hazard regression was estimated for pre-ensiled maize chemical traits. A Multiple Factorial Analysis (MFA) was calculated. The hazard ratios were 1.02, 1.34, 0.66, 0.65, 1.57, and 1.06 for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), aNDF, lignin (sulfuric acid, sa), and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), respectively (p < 0.05, DM, p = 0.15). At the MFA, ash, CP, aNDF, ADF, and lignin (sa) were grouped with a positive Dim-1, while DM, EE, and starch were grouped with a negative coordinate; WSC stood alone with Dim-1 close to zero. CP, EE, aNDF, lignin (sa), and WSC resulted in the most relevant traits and were used to build the nomogram. The use of strains of Lb improved the aerobic stability for maize harvested at <300 g/kg of DM.