Improvement of fermentation quality and cellulose convertibility of Napier grass silage by inoculation of cellulolytic bacteria from Tibetan yak ( <i>Bos grunniens</i> )
Junfeng Li, Xiaoyue Tang, Jie Zhao, S. Chen, Siran Wang, Tao Shao
Abstract
AIMS: To isolate and identify cellulolytic bacteria from yak rumen and further evaluate the effects of the isolates on the silage quality, structural carbohydrates degradation and cellulose convertibility of Napier grass silage. METHODS AND RESULTS: -N contents, the highest lactic acid content and lignocellulose degradation among all treatments. The isolates with or without Lp significantly (P < 0·01) increased water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), glucose, fructose and sucrose contents as compared with the control silage. Silages treated with JFL12 + Lp and JF85 + Lp had higher glucose yield and cellulose convertibility than the other silages. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the application of isolates (JFL12 and JF85) with Lp had synergistic effects on accelerating the degradation of structural carbohydrates and improving the silage quality. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Napier grass presents difficulty to ensiling due to its low WSC and high structural carbohydrates contents. The screened cellulolytic bacteria could be a candidate strain in improving fermentation quality and structural carbohydrates degradability of ensiled forages.