The aerobic stability of silages influenced by metabolites of lactic acid bacteria.

The stability of silages after opening the silo depends strongly on the products formed by the microorganism flora present during the conservation process. A silage additive developed at IFA-Tulln showed best results on different crops. In the starting phase of silage fermentation, acetic acid was formed by the heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria L. brevis from sugars. In the later stages, L. buchneri converts also lactic acid into acetic acid. Several trials involving different formulations of starters with varying amounts of single homo- and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria were tested in laboratory and clump silos. Finally, an optimum composition of lactic acid bacteria, which reliably increases aerobic stability of silages and still guaranties highest quality, was evaluated.