Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment
Recycling broiler litter (BL) nutrients is an important strategy for sustainable forage production. However, BL can contain <i>Clostridia</i> bacteria that can contaminate forages at harvest, resulting in poor ensilage quality and botulism-related animal health risks. A better understand...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/4/701 |
| _version_ | 1827695782314115072 |
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| author | Annesly Netthisinghe Paul Woosley Naomi Rowland Todd Willian Becky Gilfillen Karamat Sistani |
| author_facet | Annesly Netthisinghe Paul Woosley Naomi Rowland Todd Willian Becky Gilfillen Karamat Sistani |
| author_sort | Annesly Netthisinghe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recycling broiler litter (BL) nutrients is an important strategy for sustainable forage production. However, BL can contain <i>Clostridia</i> bacteria that can contaminate forages at harvest, resulting in poor ensilage quality and botulism-related animal health risks. A better understanding of the effects of BL amendment on alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) production and ensiling is beneficial for promoting manure-based alfalfa production. This 2-year study examined the effects of high-level BL (HBL) at 112 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> and low-level (LBL) at 56 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> on alfalfa forage production, fermentation characteristics, and <i>Clostridium botulinum</i> concentrations in silage and haylage produced from 350 g dry matter (DM) kg<sup>−1</sup> forage and 500 g DM kg<sup>−1</sup> forage respectively, and soil characteristics compared to a control treatment (CT). Results showed that the application of BL did not affect forage production (12.8–13.1 MG ha<sup>−1</sup>) and nutritive value. The alfalfa produced high forage yield with superior ensilabilty in the second year. The BL application increased soil NH<sub>4</sub>-N, Ca, Fe, and B, but did not affect fermentation characteristics or <i>Clostridium botulinum</i> concentrations in ensilage. Silage had superior fermentation quality, and <i>Clostridium botulinum</i> concentration was found to be higher than in haylage. Broiler litter fertilization for alfalfa is environmentally safe and has forge production, ensilage fermentation quality, and botulism risks similar to CT. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:33:54Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:33:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-79cf68ae96204229b45441ec189a7af42023-11-21T14:27:45ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-04-0111470110.3390/agronomy11040701Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter AmendmentAnnesly Netthisinghe0Paul Woosley1Naomi Rowland2Todd Willian3Becky Gilfillen4Karamat Sistani5Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USADepartment of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USADepartment of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USADepartment of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USADepartment of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USAFood Animal Environmental Systems Research, USDA-ARS, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USARecycling broiler litter (BL) nutrients is an important strategy for sustainable forage production. However, BL can contain <i>Clostridia</i> bacteria that can contaminate forages at harvest, resulting in poor ensilage quality and botulism-related animal health risks. A better understanding of the effects of BL amendment on alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) production and ensiling is beneficial for promoting manure-based alfalfa production. This 2-year study examined the effects of high-level BL (HBL) at 112 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> and low-level (LBL) at 56 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> on alfalfa forage production, fermentation characteristics, and <i>Clostridium botulinum</i> concentrations in silage and haylage produced from 350 g dry matter (DM) kg<sup>−1</sup> forage and 500 g DM kg<sup>−1</sup> forage respectively, and soil characteristics compared to a control treatment (CT). Results showed that the application of BL did not affect forage production (12.8–13.1 MG ha<sup>−1</sup>) and nutritive value. The alfalfa produced high forage yield with superior ensilabilty in the second year. The BL application increased soil NH<sub>4</sub>-N, Ca, Fe, and B, but did not affect fermentation characteristics or <i>Clostridium botulinum</i> concentrations in ensilage. Silage had superior fermentation quality, and <i>Clostridium botulinum</i> concentration was found to be higher than in haylage. Broiler litter fertilization for alfalfa is environmentally safe and has forge production, ensilage fermentation quality, and botulism risks similar to CT.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/4/701alfalfabroiler litterforage productionensilingsoil properties<i>Clostridia</i> |
| spellingShingle | Annesly Netthisinghe Paul Woosley Naomi Rowland Todd Willian Becky Gilfillen Karamat Sistani Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment Agronomy alfalfa broiler litter forage production ensiling soil properties <i>Clostridia</i> |
| title | Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment |
| title_full | Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment |
| title_fullStr | Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment |
| title_short | Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment |
| title_sort | alfalfa forage production and nutritive value fermentation characteristics and hygienic quality of ensilage and soil properties after broiler litter amendment |
| topic | alfalfa broiler litter forage production ensiling soil properties <i>Clostridia</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/4/701 |
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