The results of using lactic acid bacteria in ensiling has been conflicting. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of microbially inoculated corn plant for silage production on total digestibility in wethers. Eight wethers were assigned to a cross-over design, with two periods (8 animals/treatment) and treatments were: control corn silage (28.6% DM and 9.6% CP, on average) or under inoculation with Pioneer 1174 product (Streptococcus faecium and Lactobacillus plantarum). Each period extended for twenty-one days, the last five used for feces and urine collection. The inoculation did not influence total digestibility of DM (inoculated = 64.5% vs. control = 64.6%), CP (56.0% vs. 54.4%), FNE (69.2% vs. 70.2%), CF (56.3% vs. 54.6%), NDF (49.0% vs. 52.2%), ADF (48.2% vs. 48.6%), starch (98.8% vs. 98.7%), TDN (65.1% vs. 65.1%), N retention (0.59 vs. 0.65 g of N/animal/day) or DM intake (2.13 vs. 2.28% of BW), but there was a tendency (P=0.0878) of increasing digestibility of EE (86.7% vs. 85.0%). Present data does not support to recomend lactic acid bacteria for inoculation of corn crop for silage production.
digestion; sheep; Zea mays
