The effects of epiphytic microbiota and chemical composition of Italian ryegrass harvested at different growth stages on silage fermentation

Effect of grassland cutting frequency, species mixture, wilting and fermentation pattern of grass silages on in vitro methane yield

Mitigating enteric methane (CH₄) emissions is crucial as ruminants account for 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. We hypothesised that less frequent harvesting, use of crops with lower WSC concentration, ensiling at low crop dry matter (DM) and extensive lactic acid fermentation would reduce in vitro CH₄ production. Timothy (T), timothy + red clover mixture (T + RC) or perennial ryegrass (RG), cut either two or three times per season, was wilted to 22.5% or 37.5% DM and ensiled with or without formic acid-based additive. Silages were analysed for chemical composition and fermentation products. In vitro CH₄ production was measured using an automated gas in vitro system. Methane production was, on average, 2.8 mL/g OM lower in the two-cut system than in the three-cut system (P < 0.001), and 1.9 mL/g OM lower in T than in RG (P < 0.001). Silage DM did not affect CH₄ production (P = 0.235), but formic acid increased CH₄ production by 1.2 mL/g OM compared to the untreated silage (P = 0.003). In conclusion, less frequent harvesting and extensive silage fermentation reduce in vitro CH₄ production, while RG in comparison to T resulted in higher production of CH₄.