Inoculants to Enhance the Energy and Protein Balance of Cool-Season Grass Hay.

Inoculants to Enhance the Energy and Protein Balance of Cool-Season Grass Hay

M.E. Thomas, J.L. Foster, R.W. Duncan, A.M. Franks, L.A. Redmon, K.C. McCuistion, and R.W. Jessup

The purpose of this study was to determine if application of fibrolytic enzymes (xylanase: cellulase; XC) or bacterial (Promote ASB [Lactobacillus buchneri and L. plantarum]; PRO) inoculants would reduce the fiber fraction in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) or oat (Avena sativa L.). Reduction in the fiber fraction should enhance the energy and protein balance of the hay. This completely randomized factorial experiment compared the effect of maturity and inoculant application to wheat cultivars ‘Fannin’ and ‘TAM 203’ and oat cultivars ‘TAMO 606’ and ‘Harrison’. Forage was harvested twice during the tillering stage, the first being 83 days after planting and second with 49 days of regrowth to a 5-cm stubble height.  A forage sample was taken, divided, and sprayed with either 40 ml distilled water (control), or 0.268 ml kg^-1 XC or 3.3 mg kg^-1 PRO in 40 ml distilled water. Mean yield between the two species was not significantly different (P < 0.10) and the first harvest had a greater (P < 0.01) yield than the second (3700 and 2200 ± 220 Kg ha^-1, respectively).  Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations were lesser (P < 0.01) for oats than wheat (39.5 and 44.7 ± 0.8% NDF [DM basis]; 27.91 and 30.99% ± 0.72% ADF [DM basis]; respectively). The NDF and ADF concentrations were not different (P < 0.87) among cultivars, however, forage from the second harvest had lesser (P < 0.01) NDF and ADF concentrations.  There was no difference (P < 0.81) between inoculant treatments. Application of fibrolytic enzymes or bacterial inoculants did not reduce the fiber fraction in wheat or oat hay at the maturity harvested in this study.