Inoculant (1177 in one trial) and non-protein nitrogen (LSA-100 in two
trials) silage additives were evaluated with whole-plant forage sorghum silage.
Steers fed LSA-100 silage gained faster than steers fed control silage
supplemented with soybean meal (4.8% in trial 1; 12% in trial 2). Feed conversion
was improved 11% in trial 1 and was similar to the control silage in trial 2.
Silage inoculated with 1177 supported rates and efficiencies of gain similar to
the control silage.
Of the nitrogen added from LSA-100, 90.9% in trial 1 and 86.2% in trial 2
was recovered from the concrete stave silos. Dry matter recoveries averaged 6.0
percentage units less for LSA-100 silages than controls, however 1177 increased
recovery by 2.65 units. In general, silage from the bottom half of each silo was
far more stable in air than that from the top half. The additives did not
consistently affect aerobic stability.
