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Abstract
Alfalfa-bermudagrass baleage technology may be used to improve forage nutritive value, minimize the need for livestock supplementation, and minimize risks associated with weather, but producing and maintaining high quality baleage poses a concern for many producers. The objectives of this research were to: 1) compare the forage yield and quality of Tifton 85 bermudagrass fertilized with N (T85) and Tifton 85 bermudagrass interseeded with Bulldog 805 alfalfa (T85+Alf), 2) determine the effect of storage length on nutritive value, 3) evaluate commercially available microbial inoculants for improved fermentation, and 4) determine the potential of a ferulic acid esterase (FAE)-producing microbial inoculant for improved fermentation and fiber digestibility in alfalfa-bermudagrass harvested and stored as baleage in the Southeast. Studies were conducted on alfalfa-bermudagrass mixtures in Tifton and Watkinsville, GA between 2016 and 2018. T85+Alf produced greater cumulative yield as well as increased CP, IVDMD, and TDN compared with T85. Further, during storage, CP, TDN, and IVDMD of T85+Alf did not decrease beyond the 9-month time point and in T85 parameters decreased between harvest and 6-weeks, but not thereafter. Therefore, these data suggest that forage can be stored longer than the current feeding recommendations without decreasing nutritive value. Upon treatment with one of five commercially available inoculants, fermentation characteristics were affected by the ensiling period, however fermentation was not affected by inoculant treatment. Further, fermentation characteristics, digestibility, gas production, and ruminal pH were not impacted by the addition of a microbial inoculant containing an FAE-producing bacteria.