Effect of kernel breakage on the fermentation profile, nitrogen fractions, and in vitro starch digestibility of whole-plant corn silage and ensiled corn grain

Abstract

In this experiment, whole corn plants were harvested, and ears were separated from the forage portion and shelled. Corn kernels were either left intact or broken manually using a hammer. The remaining forage portion of the corn plants was chopped. Samples of the intact and broken kernels were stored for 0 or 30 d in quadruplicate vacuum pouches. Remaining intact and broken kernels were each reconstituted with the chopped forage portion of the corn plant to simulate whole-plant corn forage and were also stored for 0 or 30 d. Kernels separated from reconstituted whole-plant corn silage were analyzed for 7-h ruminal in vitro starch digestibility. It was observed that 7-h ruminal in vitro starch digestibility increased with ensiling only in kernels that were broken. Highlights• Fermentation was unaffected by kernel breakage in whole-plant corn silage.• Starch digestibility increased with ensiling in broken but not intact kernels.• Nitrogen fractions increased to a greater extent in broken kernels ensiled alone.• Fermentation of ensiled corn grain was enhanced in broken kernels ensiled alone.

Inoculation with Lentilactobacillus buchneri alone or in combination with Lentilactobacillus hilgardii modifies gene expression, fermentation profile, and starch digestibility in high-moisture corn

“…The digestibility of HMC can be improved by increasing the degradation of the starch-protein matrix of the corn kernels either physically or chemically. For example, grinding the corn kernels can increase total tract starchD (Saylor et al, 2021). Chemical degradation of the starch-protein matrix in silage occurs through proteolysis driven mostly by bacterial activity (Junges et al, 2017).…”