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Animals
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Impacts of Silage-Based Forages on Ruminant Health and Welfare
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Impacts of Silage-Based Forages on Ruminant Health and Welfare

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1457

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Fulin Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
Interests: silage; rumen microbiota; methane reduction; forage processing; climate change; nutritional regulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Silage holds immense potential to enhance animal nutrition and production systems. Exploring the nutritional value of silage feed for ruminants is of great scientific significance for sustainable agricultural development.

We encourage studies exploring innovative silage preservation, processing techniques, and intricate interplay between silage composition, rumen fermentation dynamics, and subsequent nutrient absorption, emphasizing the enhancement of animal health, growth performance, and environmental sustainability. Studies focusing on optimizing silage quality, identifying key nutrients, and assessing the impact of silage-based diets on ruminant physiology, reproduction, and overall well-being are encouraged. This special issue aims to highlight the effects of silage on ruminant nutrition and how various silage-based forages affect ruminant health and performance, rather than concentrating solely on silage itself. We welcome original research articles and reviews that align with this focus.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Fulin Yang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • silage nutrition
  • ruminant production
  • sustainable agriculture
  • silage preservation techniques
  • rumen fermentation
  • nutrient absorption
  • animal health enhancement
  • growth performance
  • environmental sustainability
  • silage-based diets

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 1853 KiB  
Article
Fermentation Characteristics, Nutrient Content, and Microbial Population of Silphium perfoliatum L. Silage Produced with Different Lactic Acid Bacteria Additives
by Yitong Jin, Bao Yuan, Fuhou Li, Jiarui Du, Meng Yu, Hongyu Tang, Lixia Zhang and Peng Wang
Animals 2025, 15(13), 1955; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131955 - 2 Jul 2025
Viewed by 18
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different lactic acid bacteria additives (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum or Lentilactobacillus buchneri) on the fermentation quality, chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, bacterial community structure, and predictive function of S. perfoliatum silage feed. [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different lactic acid bacteria additives (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum or Lentilactobacillus buchneri) on the fermentation quality, chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, bacterial community structure, and predictive function of S. perfoliatum silage feed. Fresh S. perfoliatum was wilted overnight, then its moisture content was adjusted between 65 and 70%. The experiment was performed in three groups as follows: (1) the control group (CK group), which lacked a Lactobacillus preparation; (2) the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) group (LP group), which was inoculated with L. plantarum at 5 × 106 cfu/g FW; and (3) the Lentilactobacillus buchneri (L. buchneri) group (LB group), which was inoculated with L. buchneri at 5 × 106 cfu/g FW. The results showed that L. plantarum significantly reduced pH and increased lactic acid (LA) content in S. perfoliatum silage compared with the control. L. buchneri, on the other hand, excelled in reducing ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) content and significantly increased acetic acid (AA) content. At 60 days of fermentation, the CP content was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the LP and LB groups than in the CK group (19.29 vs. 15.53 and 15.87). At 60 days of fermentation, the ivCPD was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the LB group than in the CK and LP groups (57.80 vs. 54.77 and 55.77). The 60-day silage process completely altered the bacterial community of S. perfoliatum silage. In the fresh samples, the dominant genera were Weissella_A and Pantoea_A. Weissella_A and Pantoea_A were gradually replaced by Lentilactobacillus and Lactiplantibacillus after S. perfoliatum ensiling. After 45 days of fermentation, L. buchneri became the dominant strain in CK, LP and LB groups. Inoculation with L. plantarum altered the succession of the bacterial community from 7 to 15 days of fermentation of S. perfoliatum. In contrast, inoculation with L. buchneri affected the succession of the bacterial community from 30 to 60 days of S. perfoliatum fermentation. In S. perfoliatum silage aged 7 to 60 days, the amino acid metabolic pathway in the LB group remained upregulated. The experimental results revealed that inoculation with L. buchneri had a stronger effect on S. perfoliatum silage than inoculation with L. plantarum. Thus, L. buchneri should be selected as an additive for S. perfoliatum silage fermentation in practical production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Silage-Based Forages on Ruminant Health and Welfare)
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14 pages, 1243 KiB  
Article
Effects of Substituting Sweet Sorghum for Corn Silage in the Diet on the Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Rumen Microorganisms of Boer Goats in China
by Shuyang Wang, Fangzhu Guo, Yuchen Wang, Miaoyin Dong, Junkai Wang and Guoqing Xiao
Animals 2025, 15(10), 1492; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15101492 - 21 May 2025
Viewed by 357
Abstract
Due to its superior drought tolerance, high biomass yield, and stress resistance, sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) has emerged as an ideal candidate for sustainable forage production in arid, semi-arid, and mildly saline–alkaline regions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of [...] Read more.
Due to its superior drought tolerance, high biomass yield, and stress resistance, sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) has emerged as an ideal candidate for sustainable forage production in arid, semi-arid, and mildly saline–alkaline regions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing corn silage (CS) with either forage sorghum silage (FSS) or sugar sweet sorghum silage (SSS) on goat meat quality, the rumen microbial community, and meat composition. Thirty 3-month-old Boer goats (average body weight: 13.44 ± 1.67 kg) were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments; the control group contained 50% corn silage (CON), while the experimental groups contained 50% FSS (group I), 70% FSS (group II), 50% SSS (group III), or 70% SSS (group V), with each group receiving the same concentrate diet but different roughage sources. The results showed that compared to the CON group (50% CS), the experimental groups had a significantly increased average daily weight gain (ADG) (p < 0.05) and slaughter rate (SR). It is noteworthy that group III (50% SSS) showed a significant increase of 12.4% in SR (p < 0.01). Analysis of the silage characteristics and changes in the rumen microbial community revealed that feeding SSS and FSS increased the relative abundance of Ruminococcus in the rumen, further enhanced the degradation and conversion of silage neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and promoted the synthesis of fatty acids and amino acids. Specifically, FSS significantly increased the amino acid content in the meat, while SSS effectively improved the crude protein (CP) and crude fat (CF) contents. In conclusion, replacing 50% CS with FSS or SSS can effectively improve the meat quality and growth performance of Boer goats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Silage-Based Forages on Ruminant Health and Welfare)
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Graphical abstract

12 pages, 458 KiB  
Article
Effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria on Fermentation and Nutritional Value of BRS Capiaçu Elephant Grass Silage at Two Regrowth Ages
by Daiana Lopes Lelis, Mirton José Frota Morenz, Domingos Sávio Campos Paciullo, João Paulo Santos Roseira, Carlos Augusto de Miranda Gomide, Odilon Gomes Pereira, Jackson Silva e Oliveira, Fernando Cesar Ferraz Lopes, Vanessa Paula da Silva, Tâmara Chagas da Silveira and Fernanda Helena Martins Chizzotti
Animals 2025, 15(8), 1150; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15081150 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 499
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of lactic acid bacteria inoculation on the fermentation profile and nutritional value of BRS Capiaçu elephant grass silages harvested at two regrowth ages. The treatments were arranged in a 5 × 2 factorial [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of lactic acid bacteria inoculation on the fermentation profile and nutritional value of BRS Capiaçu elephant grass silages harvested at two regrowth ages. The treatments were arranged in a 5 × 2 factorial scheme, with five inoculants (I) and two regrowth ages (A, 90 and 105 days), in a completely randomized design, with three replicates. There were I × A interactions (p < 0.05) on pH, acetic acid, and water-soluble carbohydrates. The silage treated with Kera-Sil showed a lower pH compared with the control silage. The highest ammonia nitrogen content was recorded in the silage treated with Yakult®. There were I × A interactions (p < 0.05) on the dry matter (DM) content, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and in vitro digestibility of DM (IVDMD) and NDF (IVNDFD). Silages treated with Kera-Sil and Silo-Max at 90 days of regrowth showed a higher DM and higher IVDMD (p < 0.05). A higher NDF content and lower IVDMD and IVNDFD were recorded in silages produced with grass harvested at 105 days of regrowth (p < 0.05). The use of commercial microbial inoculants improved the fermentative and nutritional parameters of the silages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Silage-Based Forages on Ruminant Health and Welfare)
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