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Abstract Background Selenium is essential for livestock and human health. The traditional way of adding selenium to livestock diets has limitations, and there is a growing trend to provide livestock with a safe and efficient source of selenium through selenium-enriched pasture. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of selenium enrichment on fermentation characteristics, selenium content, selenium morphology, microbial community and in vitro digestion of silage alfalfa by using unenriched (CK) and selenium-enriched (Se) alfalfa as raw material for silage. Results In this study, selenium enrichment significantly increased crude protein, soluble carbohydrate, total selenium, and organic selenium contents of alfalfa silage fresh and post-silage samples, and it significantly decreased neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber contents (p

Abstract Feed shortage has hindered the development of the world’s livestock industry, and the rational use of non-conventional forages can help resolve this issue. To improve the fermentation quality of Caragana korshinskii silage, this study isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from fresh Caragana korshinskii and silage samples, as alternatives to traditional commercial LAB inoculants. Utilizing Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT) sequencing technology and metabolomics analysis, the microbial community structure and metabolome were examined after 60 days of fermentation to elucidate the mechanism by which isolated LAB affect the fermentation quality of Caragana korshinskii silage. After 60 days of ensiling, the dominant microbial population in the silage shifted from harmful bacteria such as Erwinia, Pantoea, and Enterobacter to LAB. Compared to commercial LAB, the isolated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum significantly reduced the microbial diversity of Caragana korshinskii silage. The species composition of LAB became simpler with Lentilactobacillus parakefiri dominating and achieving a higher relative abundance. By down-regulating Butanoate metabolism and the Pentose phosphate pathway and up-regulating the Ascorbate and aldarate metabolism pathway, the isolated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum significantly lowered the pH of the silage, increased the content of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and lactic acid (LA), reduced the neutral detergent fiber content (NDF), and improved in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD), thereby enhancing the fermentation quality of Caragana korshinskii silage. On the other hand, the isolated Limosilactobacillus fermentum had the opposite effect, with its ensiling outcome being less effective than that of commercial LAB. The results of the study indicate that the addition of the isolated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum improved the quality of Caragana korshinskii silage by regulating metabolic pathways and the composition of microbes within the ensiled feed. Graphical Abstract

Abstract The odor of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), the most extensively cultivated forage, can interfere with livestock feeding. This study used an electronic nose in conjunction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to examine the quality, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and metabolic pathways of alfalfa at budding (X), early flowering (C), and full flowering (S) stages. Results showed that terpenoids increased first and then decreased with growth and development, heterocyclic substances decreased continuously, and alcohols and ketones increased. The crude protein and ether extract decreased and were positively correlated with terpenoids, heterocycles, and nitrogen and sulfur compounds, while the dry matter content, soluble carbohydrates, and neutral detergent fiber increased and were positively correlated with alcohols and ketones. The VOCs were most accumulated in the early flowering stages, which had more sweet and fruity flavors, and the main substances that differed from the budding stage and the full flowering stage were methyl heptanoate, butyl butyrate, β-ionone, and other esters and terpenoids. The monoterpene, sesquiterpene, and triterpene pathways were up-regulated in the early flowering stage, and the phenyl-propylene synthesis pathway was up-regulated in the full flowering stage. These substances and pathways were key to further improving alfalfa odor, grade and utilization. Graphical Abstract

ABSTRACTDiet modulates the rumen microbiota, which in turn can impact the animal performance. The rumen microbiota is increasingly recognized for its crucial role in regulating the growth and meat quality of the host. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which the rumen microbiome influences the fatty acid and amino acid profiles of lambs in the grass feeding system remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different native grass-based diets on animal performance, meat quality, fatty acid compositions, amino acid profiles, and rumen microbiota of lamb. Seventy-two Ujumqin lambs were randomly assigned into three treatments according to the initial body weight (27.39 ± 0.51 kg) and age (6 months ± 6 days). The lambs received three diets: (i) non-pelleted native grass hay with 40% concentrate diet; the native grass and concentrate were fed individually; (ii) pelleted native grass hay with 40% concentrate diet (PHLC); (iii) pelleted native grass hay with 60% concentrate diet (PHHC). The results showed that among the three groups, the PHHC and PHLC diets had markedly (P < 0.05) higher average daily gain and pH45 min, respectively. All amino acid levels were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in the PHHC diet than in the PHLC diet. The principal coordinate analysis of the ruminal microbiota indicated the markedly distinct separation (P = 0.001) among the three groups. In addition, the correlation analysis showed that the Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Prevotellaceae_UCG-003, Succinivibrio, and Succiniclasticum were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with most of the fatty acid and amino acid profiles. The correlation analysis of the association of microbiome with the meat quality provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the composition and function of the rumen microbial community, and these findings will contribute to the direction of future research in lamb.IMPORTANCEDiet modulates the gut microbiome, which in turn impact the meat quality, yet few studies investigate the correlation between the rumen microbiome and the fatty acid profile of meat. Here, the current study develops an experiment to investigate the correlation of the rumen microbiome and fatty acid profile of meat: rumen microbiome responses to feed type and meat quality. The results indicated a unique microbiota in the rumen of lamb in response to diets and meat quality. Associations between utilization and production were widely identified among the affected microbiome and meat quality, and these findings will contribute to the direction of future research in lamb.

Abstract Background Lifestyle factors, such as diet, are known to be a driver on the meat quality, rumen microbiome and serum metabolites. Rumen microbiome metabolites may be important for host health, the correlation between rumen microbiome and production of rumen metabolites are reported, while the impact of rumen microbiome on the serum metabolome and fatty acid of meat are still unclear. This study was designed to explore the rumen microbiome, serum metabolome and fatty acid of meat in response to the grass diet and concentrate diet to lambs, and the relationship of which also investigated. Methods In the present study, 12 lambs were randomly divided into two groups: a grass diet (G) and a concentrate diet (C). Here, multiple physicochemical analyses combined with 16S rRNA gene sequences and metabolome analysis was performed to reveal the changes that in response to feed types. Results The concentrate diet could improve the growth performance of lambs compared to that fed with the grass diet. The microbiome composition was highly individual, compared to the concentrate group, the abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, F082_unclassified, Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, Bacteroidetes_unclassified, and Bacteroidales_UCG-001_unclassified were significantly (P

Silage quality and aerobic stability are the key factors affecting the utilization efficiency of silage feed, and ensiling density stands as the fundamental principle of silage making. The experiment presented here evaluates the effects of ensiling density on the silage quality and aerobic stability of alfalfa silage. In this experiment, alfalfa was harvested, wilted, chopped, and subsequently packed into 10 L laboratory silos. The ensiling densities were set to 800 g/L, 700 g/L, and 600 g/L, respectively, with three replicates in each group. Sampling and analysis were carried out at 45 days of silage and 8 days of aerobic exposure. The results showed that ensiling density significantly (p < 0.05) affected the content of ammonia nitrogen, Flieg score, the counts of yeast, and mold. After 45 days of ensiling, 800 g/L silage had the highest contents of dry matter, water-soluble carbohydrates, crude protein, lactic acid, and total organic acids, and the lowest pH and ammonia nitrogen compared to the 700 g/L and 600 g/L silage (p < 0.05). The Flieg score of 800 g/L silage was higher than those of the 700 g/L and 600 g/L silage. The counts of yeast and mold of 800 g/L silage was significantly lower than those of the 700 g/L and 600 g/L silage. During aerobic exposure, a consistent decrease in lactic acid and an increase in pH were observed among all silages. The aerobic stability of 800 g/L silage (156 h) was significantly higher than that in the 700 g/L (136 h) and 600 g/L silage (111 h). It was suggested that the increasing ensiling density above 800 g/L was an effective method to improve both the silage quality and the aerobic stability of alfalfa silage.

Hydraulic infrastructures are susceptible to deformation over time, necessitating reliable monitoring and prediction methods. In this study, we address this challenge by proposing a novel approach based on the combination of Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) methods for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) deformation monitoring and prediction modeling. The VMD method is utilized to decompose the complex deformation signals into intrinsic mode functions, which are then fed into a CNN method for feature extraction. The extracted features are input into an LSTM method to capture temporal dependencies and make predictions. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed VMD-CNN-LSTM method exhibits an improvement by about 75%. This research contributes to the advancement of deformation monitoring technologies in water conservancy engineering, offering a promising solution for proactive maintenance and risk mitigation strategies.

Lactuca indica L. cv. Mengzao (LIM), acknowledged as a pivotal “One Root of Medicine and Food”, boasts dual applications in both culinary and medicinal domains. This research delves into the influence of various harvest periods (vegetative, budding, blossom, and fruiting) on distinct medicinal parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds) of LIM, employing plant metabolomics to assess its chemical constituents. A total of 66 chemical constituents were identified in LIM, with 11 chemical components emerging as potential markers for distinguish medicinal parts. Notably, nutritional organs exhibited elevated levels of cichoric acid, rutin and chlorogenic acid. Specifically, leaves during the budding stage displayed the highest chicoric acid content at 11.70 mg·g−1. Conversely, reproductive organs showed heightened concentrations of cichoric acid, rutin and chlorogenic acid, with seeds exhibiting the peak cichoric acid content at 4.53 mg g−1. This study enriches our understanding of LIM by offering novel insights into quality assessment and the comprehensive utilization of its diverse parts.

Lactuca indica L. contains high amounts of flavonoids and phenolic acids. However, there is limited information on the composition of these compounds in different parts of the plant. The present study analyzed the secondary metabolite profiles of the stem, leaf, flower, and seed of Lactuca indica L.cv. Mengzao (LIM) using a widely targeted metabolomic approach. A total of 576 secondary metabolites were identified, including 218, 267, 232, 286, 302, and 308 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) in the stem_vs_leaf, stem_vs_flower, stem_vs_seed, leaf_vs_flower, leaf_vs_seed, and flower_vs_seed comparisons. In particular, considerable differences were detected in the flavonoids and phenolic acids, five flavonoids, five phenolic acids, one triterpenoid and one alkaloid being differentially accumulated in the four parts. Compared to the stem and flower, the leaf and seed had higher total flavonoid content and total phenolic content. Thses findings provide comprehensive insights into utilizing different parts of LIM in developing functional food products.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the fermentation quality, microbial community, and volatile metabolites of oat silage harvested at two different stages, while examining the correlation between microorganisms and volatile metabolites.MethodsOats were harvested at two growth stages (pre-heading [PRH] and post-heading [POH] stages), followed by 90 days of natural fermentation, with 6 replicates per treatment. Pre- and post-silage samples were randomly selected for nutrient composition, fermentation parameters, microbial population, and high-throughput sequencing analysis. Volatile metabolomics analysis was also performed on samples after 90 days of fermentation to detect differences in flavor quality after silage.ResultsThe effect of growth stage on the nutrient content of oats was significant, with pre-heading oats having higher crude protein and post-heading oats having higher water soluble carbohydrates content (p < 0.05). Following a 90-day fermentation period, the pH and ammonia nitrogen/total nitrogen levels in the PRH-90 (silage from pre-heading oats after 90 days of fermentation) group demonstrated a significant decrease (p < 0.05), whereas the lactic acid content was notably higher compared to the POH-90 (silage from post-heading oats after 90 days of fermentation) group (p 86%) and (> 87%), respectively. The differential volatile metabolites of the two treatment groups were dominated by esters and terpenoids, and the differences in flavor were mainly concentrated in sweet, green, and fruity odors. The results of Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated three major metabolic pathways: phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Specific microorganisms were significantly correlated with flavor indicators and flavor metabolites. Lactiplantibacillus was significantly positively correlated with flavor substances indicating sweet and fruity flavors, contributing to good flavor, while Enterococcus was significantly and positively correlated with flavor substances indicating bad flavors.ConclusionIn summary, growth stage had significant effects on nutritional components, fermentation parameters and flavor quality of oats, with the fermentation process dominated by Lactiplantibacillus leading to good flavor, while the fermentation process dominated by Enterococcus led to the development of poor flavor.

Nitrites are universally acknowledged natural toxic substances that frequently lead to poisoning in humans and animals. During fermentation, certain microorganisms utilize a portion of the nitrogen element and reduce nitrates to nitrites through specific metabolic pathways. In this study, a highly effective lactic acid bacterial strain, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A50, was isolated and screened from alfalfa silage for its remarkable ability to degrade nitrites. L. plantarum A50 exhibits exceptional nitrite removal capacity, with a degradation rate of 99.06% within 24 h. Furthermore, L. plantarum A50 demonstrates normal growth under pH values ranging from 4 to 9 and salt concentrations of 5%, displaying excellent tolerance to acidity, alkalinity, and salinity. Additionally, it undergoes fermentation using various carbon sources. Within the first 6–12 h of culture, L. plantarum A50 primarily achieves nitrite degradation through non-acidic processes, resulting in a degradation rate of 82.67% by the 12th hour. Moreover, the metabolites produced by L. plantarum A50 exhibit a synergistic interaction with acidity, leading to a nitrite degradation rate of 98.48% within 24 h. Notably, both L. plantarum A50 and MRS broth were found to degrade nitrites. Consequently, a non-targeted metabolomic analysis using LC-MS was conducted to identify 342 significantly different metabolites between L. plantarum A50 and MRS broth. Among these, lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, organic oxygen compounds, and organoheterocyclic compounds emerged as the main constituents. Lipids and lipid-like molecules, derivatives of glucose and galactose, amino acids and their derivatives, as well as organoheterocyclic compounds, are likely to play a role in nitrite elimination. Through the enrichment analysis of differential metabolic pathways using KEGG, nine distinct pathways were identified. These pathways provide essential nutrients, maintain cellular structure and function, participate in substance transport, regulate metabolic activities, and enhance resistance against pathogenic microorganisms in L. plantarum A50.

ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of different forage proportions in the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) on growth performance, muscle fatty acid profile, and rumen microbiota of lambs.MethodsThirty 6-month-old small tail Han sheep × Ujumqin lambs with initial body weight (BW) of 27.8 ± 0.90 kg were selected for the test and divided into two groups of 15 sheep in each treatment (three pens per treatment and five lambs per pen) according to the principle of homogeneity. Two isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets were formulated according to the NRC. The diet treatments were designed as (1) OH treatment containing 25% alfalfa hay and 35% oat hay, and (2) AH treatment containing 35% alfalfa hay with 25% oat hay. The forage-to-concentrate ratio for both diets was 65: 35 (DM basis). Three replicates were randomly selected from each treatment to determine growth performance, fatty acid profile and rumen bacterial communities in lambs.ResultsResults revealed no statistically significant (p > 0.05) differences in dry matter intake and average daily gain between the two diet groups. Cholesterol and intramuscular fat were significantly (p > 0.05) higher in the AH group, while no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was found in pH24 value. The muscle fatty acid compositions of lambs were obviously (p < 0.05) influenced by the diet treatments. Compared with the OH group, the C16:1, C17:0, and C20:3n6 contents were higher (p < 0.05) in the AH group, whereas the content of C18:1n9c, C20:1, C18:3n3, and C22:6n3 was obviously (p < 0.05) increased in the OH group. The monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents were significantly higher in the OH group, whereas no significant differences (p > 0.05) were detected in saturated fatty acid (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents among the two diet treatments. Bacterial composition was generally separated into two clusters based on principal coordinate analysis, and the OH group had a higher Shannon index. The relative abundance at the genes level of the Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group was obviously (p < 0.05) increased in the AH group and the relative abundances of Prevotella_1, Fibrobacter, and Bacteroidales_UCG_001_unclassified were obviously (p < 0.05) enriched in the OH group. Integrated correlation analysis also underscored a possible link between the muscle fatty acid compositions and significantly altered rumen microbiota.ConclusionOverall, oat-based roughage in FTMR could promote a beneficial lipid pattern in the Longissimus lumborum muscles of lambs. These findings provide a potential insight into diet effects on fatty acid profile and the rumen microbiome of lambs, which may help make decisions regarding feeding.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to isolate lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from native grasses and naturally fermented silages, determine their identity, and assess their effects on silage quality and bacterial communities of the native grasses of three steppe types fermented for 60 days.MethodsAmong the 58 isolated LAB strains, Limosilactobacillus fermentum (BL1) and Latilactobacillus graminis (BL5) were identified using 16S rRNA sequences. Both strains showed normal growth at 15- 45°C temperature, 3-6.5% NaCl concentration, and pH 4-9. Two isolated LAB strains (labeled L1 and L5) and two commercial additives (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lentilactobacillus buchneri; designated as LP and LB, respectively) were added individually to native grasses of three steppe types (meadow steppe, MS; typical steppe, TS; desert steppe, DS), and measured after 60 d of fermentation. The fresh material (FM) of different steppe types was treated with LAB (1 × 105 colony forming units/g fresh weight) or distilled water (control treatment [CK]).ResultsCompared with CK, the LAB treatment showed favorable effects on all three steppe types, i.e., reduced pH and increased water-soluble carbohydrate content, by modulating the microbiota. The lowest pH was found in the L5 treatment of three steppe types, at the same time, the markedly (p < 0.05) elevated acetic acid (AA) concentration was detected in the L1 and LB treatment. The composition of bacterial community in native grass silage shifted from Pantoea agglomerans and Rosenbergiella nectarea to Lentilactobacillus buchneri at the species level. The abundance of Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum increased significantly in L1, L5, LP, and LB treatments, respectively, compared with CK (p < 0.05).ConclusionIn summary, the addition of LAB led to the shifted of microbiota and modified the quality of silage, and L. fermentum and L. graminis improved the performance of native grass silage.

The work aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of soy sauce residue (SSR) replacement on chemical compositions, fermentation quality and in vitro digestibility of total mixed ration (TMR) silages. The experiment followed a completely randomised design, and four treatments were designed according to different mixing ration of SSR, Napier grass and concentrate (based on fresh weight): (1) 65% Napier grass + 35% concentrate (control); (2)15% SSR + 55% Napier grass + 30% concentrate (SS15); (3) 25% SSR + 50% Napier grass + 25% concentrate (SS25); (4) 35% SSR + 45% Napier grass + 20% concentrate (SS35). TMR was ensiled in a laboratory silo (10 L) after mixing. All silos were opened after 60 days of ensiling and then were sampled for chemical compositions, fermentation quality and in vitro digestibility analysis. All TMR silages were preserved well, as indicated by the low butyric acid (BA; 80.0). However, SS25 and SS35 significantly (P 0.05) difference in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility (IVNDFD) among all TMR silages. In conclusion, SS35 replacement was recommended for TMR silage making.Highlights Ensiling is an effective method to utilise soy sauce residue. Soy sauce residue replacement had no unfavourable effect on the fermentation quality of the total mixed ration. 35% soy sauce residue replacement improved the in vitro digestibility of total mixed ration silages.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of brewers’ spent grains (BSG) on the fermentation quality, chemical composition and in vitro parameters of mixed silage prepared with corn stalk, dried apple pomace and sweet potato vine. In the experiment, a ternary mixture of corn stalk, sweet potato vine and dried apple pomace (50/30/20) was ensiled with 0%, 10%, 15% and 20% BSG on a fresh weight (FW) basis for 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 30 days, respectively. The application of BSG significantly (p

Chemical additives have been widely used to restrain the growth of undesirable microorganisms, and they were ideal additives to well preserve silages. The work aimed at evaluating the effects of four chemical additives on fermentation quality, aerobic stability and in vitro ruminal digestibility of the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR). The TMR was treated with: (1) no additive (control); (2) sodium diacetate; (3) calcium propionate; (4) sodium benzoate (SB); (5) potassium sorbate (PS) on a fresh weight (FW) basis. After 60 days of ensiling, the silos were opened and sampled to determine fermentation quality, in vitro rumen parameters, and then the 60-day FTMR were subjected to a 9-day aerobic stability test. Chemical additives significantly (p

In this study, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) conditions of flavonoids from Lactuca indica L.cv. Mengzao (LIM) leaves was optimized, and the flavonoids content and their antioxidant potential in different parts were analyzed. The optimal extraction parameters to obtain the highest total flavonoids content (TFC) were a a ratio of liquid to solid of 24.76 mL/g, ultrasonic power of 411.43 W, ethanol concentration of 58.86% and an extraction time of 30 min, the average TFC of LIM leaves could reach 48.01 mg/g. For the yield of flavonoids, the UAE method had the best extraction capacity compared with solvent extraction and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). In general, the TFC in different parts of LIM followed the order flower > leaf > stem > root, the flowering period is the most suitable harvesting period. From ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS) quantification, the flower samples showed significantly higher six flavonoids and had the highest radical scavenging capacities compared to other samples. A high positive correlation was observed between the antioxidant activity and TFC, luteolin-7-O-glucoside and rutin were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with all antioxidant evaluations. This study provides valuable information for the development and utilization of flavonoids in Lactuca indica as ingredients in food, feed and nutritional health products.

Based on the low content of water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) attachment in oat raw materials, we assumed that the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of oat can be reduced by adding cellulase or xylanase. The concentration of metabolizable sugars will be increased, which will assist the oat’s bacterial community in fermentation and obtain a better quality of oat silage. After wilting the oat, it was treated as follows: (1) distributed water (CK); (2) silages inoculated with xylanase (X); and (3) silages inoculated with cellulase (C), ensiling for 3, 7, 14, 30, and 60 days. Cellulase and xylanase treatments both alter the fermentation and nutritional quality of ensiled oat, resulting in lower NDF, acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose, and hemicellulose contents, increased lactic acid and acetic acid contents, and a significant decrease in ensiling environment pH. The bacterial community undergoes significant changes with cellulase and xylanase treatments, with a significant increase in Lactobacillus abundance in the C_14, X_30, C_30, X_60, and C_60 treatment groups, while Weissella abundance gradually decreases with longer ensiling times. Two exogenous fibrolytic enzymes also alter the bacterial diversity of ensiled oat, with different bacterial species and abundances observed in different treatment groups. Ensiled oat treated with cellulase and xylanase experiences significant changes in its own bacterial community, particularly in the abundance of Lactobacillus. These changes result in improved fermentation and nutritional quality of oat, but the higher metabolism levels observed after 60 days of ensiling with cellulase treatment may lead to energy loss.

This study examined the impacts of growth stage and ensiling duration on the fermentation characteristics, nitrite content, and bacterial communities during the ensiling of alfalfa. Harvested alfalfa was divided into two groups: vegetative growth stage (VG) and late budding stage (LB). The fresh alfalfa underwent wilting until reaching approximately 65% moisture content, followed by natural fermentation. The experiment followed a completely randomized design, with samples collected after the wilting of alfalfa raw materials (MR) and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 15, 30, and 60 of fermentation. The growth stage significantly influenced the chemical composition of alfalfa, with crude protein content being significantly higher in the vegetative growth stage alfalfa compared to that in the late budding stage (p < 0.05). Soluble carbohydrates, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber content were significantly lower in the vegetative growth stage compared to the late budding stage (p < 0.05). Nitrite content, nitrate content, nitrite reductase activity, and nitrate reductase activity were all significantly higher in the vegetative growth stage compared to the late budding stage (p < 0.05). In terms of fermentation parameters, silage from the late budding stage exhibited superior characteristics compared to that from the vegetative growth stage. Compared to the alfalfa silage during the vegetative growth stage, the late budding stage group exhibited a higher lactate content and lower pH level. Notably, butyric acid was only detected in the silage from the vegetative growth stage group. Throughout the ensiling process, nitrite content, nitrate levels, nitrite reductase activity, and nitrate reductase activity decreased in both treatment groups. The dominant lactic acid bacteria differed between the two groups, with Enterococcus being predominant in vegetative growth stage alfalfa silage, and Weissella being predominant in late budding stage silage, transitioning to Lactiplantibacillus in the later stages of fermentation. On the 3rd day of silage fermentation, the vegetative growth stage group exhibited the highest abundance of Enterococcus, which subsequently decreased to its lowest level on the 15th day. Correlation analysis revealed that lactic acid bacteria, including Limosilactobacillus, Levilactobacillus, Loigolactobacillus, Pediococcus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Weissella, played a key role in nitrite and nitrate degradation in alfalfa silage. The presence of nitrite may be linked to Erwinia, unclassified_o__Enterobacterales, Pantoea, Exiguobacterium, Enterobacter, and Allorhizobium–Neorhizobium–Pararhizobium–Rhizobium.

Ensiling density has significant importance for the quality and preservation of silage. Appropriate ensiling density could improve the nutritional value, extend the storage time of silage and reduce the risk of mold and spoilage. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of ensiling densities on the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of rice straw. The rice straw was obtained after threshing, then chopped and ensiled into a 10 L laboratory silo with three ensiling densities (high density at 700 g/L, medium density at 600 g/L and low density at 500 g/L). Five silos per density were opened after 3, 5, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days of ensiling, and then, the fermentation quality and aerobic stability were analyzed. During ensiling, high density had the highest lactic acid content, and the lowest pH and ammonia nitrogen. There was no difference (p > 0.05) in the propionic acid, butyric acid and ethanol contents among all silage, and the contents of propionic acid and butyric acid were trace amounts. On day 60 of ensiling, the Flieg’s point of high density and medium density were higher than the low density. During aerobic exposure, the continuous lactic acid decrease and pH increase were observed in all silage. The aerobic bacteria and yeasts count in the high density and medium density were lower than that in the low density. The aerobic stability of the high density (26 h) and the medium density (24 h) were higher than that of the low density (13 h). It was suggested that if the ensiling density is higher than 600 g/L, it could effectively improve the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of rice straw.

IntroductionThis study aimed to investigate the effects of different growth stages (booting period-SYK; initial flowering-SCK; full flowering-SSK) on the fermentation quality, microbial community, metabolic pathways and metabolomic characteristics of Italian ryegrass silage.MethodsSingle molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) were used to analyze bacterial communities and metabolites, respectively.ResultsAfter 60 d of fermentation, SYK had the lowest pH and the highest lactic acid content, which were significantly different from the other groups. The bacteria with the highest abundance in SYK, SCK and SSK groups were Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (63.98%), Weissella minor (28.82%) and Levilactobacillus brevis (64.81%), respectively. In addition, among the main differential metabolites in different growth stages, the number of amino acids was the most, and the corresponding metabolic pathways were mainly amino acid metabolic pathways. The biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan was significantly enriched (p

IntroductionTo prepare high-quality silage, we studied the chemical composition, silage fermentation, characterization, and identification of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) associated with the silage fermentation of native grass on the Inner Mongolian Plateau.MethodsLAB were isolated from fresh native grass and their silage, and silages were prepared using a small-scale fermentation system with 2–3 cm length in plastic bags.ResultsThe dominant species of native grasses used were Stipa baicalensis, Leymus chinensis, Cleistogenes squarrosa, Melissilus ruthenicus and Pulsatilla turczaninovii, which contained 47.83–59.43 % moisture, 55.12–67.74 % neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and 8.72–14.55 crude protein (CP), and these nutrients did not change greatly during ensiling. Good preservation with a relatively low pH (below 4.44) and high (p 0.58) was obtained after ensiling. Based on the morphological and biochemical characteristics, these isolates were divided into 12 groups (A-L). All isolate strains were gram-positive and catalase-negative bacteria that produce lactic acid from glucose. Group A-K were cocci, while group L was rod-shaped. Group A-E formed D-lactic acid, but group H-K formed L-lactic acid, and other groups formed DL-lactic acid. Group A-E were heterofermentative, and Group F-L were homofermentative types of LAB. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis, strains were identified as genus Leuconostoc (A, B, and C), Weissellla (D, E), Pediococcus (F, G), Enterococcus (H, I, J and K), and Lactiplantibacillus (L). Enterococcus (E.) faecium (29.17%, percentage of total isolates) and Pediococcus (P.) acidilactici (18.75%) were the most frequently occurring dominant species.DiscussionThis study suggests that the native grasses contained abundant LAB species, and they can be used as good-quality silages in animal husbandry. In addition, the strains P. acidilactici and E. faecium were the most frequently isolated from native grass silages as dominant species which can be a potentially excellent inoculant for native grass silage.

Most oat forage has low water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), which may be the main limited factor for silage fermentation safely, but oat is rich in cellulose and hemicellulose; therefore, we assume that xylanase and cellulase as additives can reduce the content of cellulose and xylan in oat silage, increase the microbial fermentable sugar content, and improve the fermentation quality of the silage. After wilting, oats were treated as follows: (i) distributed water (CK); (ii) silages inoculated with xylanase (X); (iii) silages inoculated with cellulase (C), ensiling for 3 days (early stage of silage) and 60 days (late stage of silage), respectively, after ensiling 60 days for a 5-day aerobic exposure study. The pH, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were significantly reduced by xylanase and cellulase treatment during the late stage of silage, and the concentration of lactic acid, acetic acid, and ammonia nitrogen increased remarkably. The WSC content reached its peak with xylanase treatment during the late stage of silage. The content of crude protein (CP) was not affected by additives but by the silage period; CP and ether extract (EE) significantly increased during the late stage of silage compared to the early stage. After ensiling, the bacterial community showed that xylanase and cellulase treatment increased the relative abundance of lactic acid bacteria. Lactobacillus has a higher relative abundance with cellulase treatment after 60 days of ensiling; this can effectively reduce the pH of silage and ensure long-term, stable storage of silage. Cellulase and xylanase increased bacterial diversity during aerobic exposure and improved the aerobic stability of silage significantly. This study indicated that different additives and silage periods had significant effects on chemical compositions, fermentation quality, and bacterial community; meanwhile, both additives improved the aerobic stability of silage. In summary, when the WSC of oat is low, cellulase and xylanase have good effects as silage additives, and the comprehensive effect of cellulase is more prominent.

There is little information regarding the dynamics of fermentation products and the bacterial community in silage prepared with alfalfa (MS), perennial ryegrass (LP), and their mixture in the karst region. In this study, we explored the effects of combining MS with LP in different ratios (100% MS, 70% MS + 30% LP, 50% MS + 50% LP, 30% MS + 70% LP and 100% LP; fresh matter basis) on silage chemical composition, fermentation quality, bacterial communities and predicted functions during the ensiling process. Each treatment was prepared in triplicate and stored at room temperature (22–25°C) for 7, 15, and 45 days. The dry matter (DM) and water-soluble carbohydrate content of the silages increased as the LP proportion in the mixed silage increased; at 45 days, the 70% MS + 30% LP, 50% MS + 50% LP and 30% MS + 70% LP silages contained higher (p

Diet is a major factor in influencing the growth performance and the microbial community of lambs. This study aimed to investigate how diverse diets influence their growth performance and rumen microbiota. Ninety male lambs were randomly allocated into three groups in a completely randomized design with equal lambs: non-pelleted native grass hay (HA) as the control diet and pelleted native grass hay (GP) and pelleted native grass hay with concentrate (GPC) as experimental diets. The rumen fluid samples of the lambs in the HA, GP, and GPC groups were used to study rumen microbiota diversity through 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. In the present study, the final body weight, dry matter intake, and average daily gain differed significantly (p < 0.05) among the HA, GP, and GPC groups. Compared to the HA group, higher final body weight, dry matter intake, and average daily gain were found in the GP group. Similarly, better animal performance was observed in the GPC group than in the GP group. The principal coordinates analysis displayed that the composition of the rumen microbiota in the three groups was distinctly separated from each other. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant members of the community in the HA and GP groups, while Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria became the predominant members in the GPC group. The comparison among these groups showed significant (p < 0.05) differences in Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Prevotella_1, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, and Succiniclasticum. These results suggest that the GP and GPC diets are more beneficial for growth performance than the HA diet and also indicate that the rumen microbiota varied in response to different feed types. In conclusion, these results could provide strategies to influence rumen microbiota for better growth and a healthier ecosystem on the Mongolian Plateau and lay the theoretical groundwork for feeding the pelleted native grass diet.

Bioaugmentation of native grass ensiling with Lactobacillus plantarum or Lactobacillus buchneri or Pediococcus pentosaceus on the ensiling performance and bacterial community was investigated after 30 days of the fermentation process. The native grass was inoculated with distilled water, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus buchneri, and Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus buchneri, and Pediococcus pentosaceus as the CON treatment, T1 treatment, T2 treatment, and T3 treatment, respectively. The addition of lactic acid bacteria was added at a total of 1 × 106 colony-forming unit/g of fresh weight. As expected, the markedly (p < 0.05) lower water-soluble carbohydrate content was tested in the T2 and T3 treatments compared to the CON and T1 treatments. Compared to the CON and T1 treatment, significantly (p < 0.05) higher crude protein content, and lower acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber contents were found in the T2 and T3 treatments. Compared to the CON treatment, the pH significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculated silage, and the lowest pH was measured in the T3 treatment. Similarly, significantly higher lactic acid and acetic acid contents were also found in the T3 treatment compared to those in other treatments. After 30 days of ensiling, the Shannon and Chao1 indexes in silages decreased compared to that in the fresh materials (FMs). The principal coordinate analysis indicated that both FM and silage were distinctly separated in each treatment with no interactions on the confidence ellipse (R = 0.8933, p = 0.001). At the phylum level, the dominant phylum was shifted from Proteobacteria to Firmicutes after the fermentation process. Interestingly, Weissella dominated the fermentation in the CON treatment and Lactobacillus dominated the fermentation in all inoculated LAB silages at the genus level. Results of functional prediction analyses showed that the metabolism of amino acid, cofactors, and vitamins, and membrane transport was reduced, while the metabolism of nucleotide and majority carbohydrates was increased after ensiling. The complex LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus buchneri, and Pediococcus pentosaceus) exhibited the potential possibility to decrease pH and enhance the relative abundance of LAB in response to obtaining high-quality silage by the synergistic effects. These results suggested that the complex LAB could improve the ensiling performance of native grass silage, and lay a theoretical basis for inoculant application in native grass.

Silage exposed to air is prone to deterioration and production of unpleasant volatile chemicals that can seriously affect livestock intake and health. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), and a combination of LP and LB (PB) on the quality, microbial community and volatile chemicals of Leymus chinensis silage at 0, 4, and 8 days after aerobic exposure. During aerobic exposure, LP had higher WSC and LA contents but had the least aerobic stability, with more harmful microorganisms such as Penicillium and Monascus and produced more volatile chemicals such as Isospathulenol and 2-Furancarbinol. LB slowed down the rise in pH, produced more acetic acid and effectively improved aerobic stability, while the effect of these two additives combined was intermediate between that of each additive alone. Correlation analysis showed that Actinomyces, Sphingomonas, Penicillium, and Monascus were associated with aerobic deterioration, and Weissella, Pediococcus, Botryosphaeria, and Monascus were associated with volatile chemicals. In conclusion, LB preserved the quality of L. chinensis silage during aerobic exposure, while LP accelerated aerobic deterioration.

In this study, we analyzed the fermentation quality, microbial community, and metabolome characteristics of ryegrass silage from different harvests (first harvest-AK, second harvest-BK, and third harvest-CK) and analyzed the correlation between fermentative bacteria and metabolites. The bacterial community and metabolomic characteristics were analyzed by single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), respectively. After 60 days of ensiling, the pH of BK was significantly lower than those of AK and CK, and its lactic acid content was significantly higher than those of AK and CK. Lactiplantibacillus and Enterococcus genera dominate the microbiota of silage obtained from ryegrass harvested at three different harvests. In addition, the BK group had the highest abundance of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (58.66%), and the CK group had the highest abundance of Enterococcus faecalis (42.88%). The most annotated metabolites among the differential metabolites of different harvests were peptides, and eight amino acids were dominant in the composition of the identified peptides. In the ryegrass silage, arginine, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate biosynthesis had the highest enrichment ratio in the metabolic pathway of KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Valyl-isoleucine and glutamylvaline were positively correlated with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. D-Pipecolic acid and L-glutamic acid were positively correlated with Levilactobacillus brevis. L-phenylalanyl-L-proline, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(2-methoxybenzoyloxy) oxane-2-carboxylic acid, and shikimic acid were negatively correlated with Levilactobacillus brevis. In conclusion, this study explains the effects of different harvest frequencies on the fermentation quality, microbial community, and metabolites of ryegrass, and improves our understanding of the ensiling mechanisms associated with different ryegrass harvesting frequencies.

ObjectiveTo assess the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics for progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa).Methods191 patients with prostate cancer confirmed by puncture biopsy or surgical pathology were included in this retrospective study, including 133 in the training group and 58 in the validation group. All patients underwent T2WI and DWI serial scans. Three radiomics models were constructed using univariate logistic regression and Gradient Boosting Decision Tree(GBDT) for feature screening, followed by Cox risk regression to construct a mixed model combining radiomics features and clinicopathological risk factors and to draw a nomogram. The performance of the models was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve and decision curve analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied for survival analysis.ResultsCompared with the radiomics model, the hybrid model consisting of a combination of radiomics features and clinical data performed the best in predicting PFS in PCa patients, with AUCs of 0.926 and 0.917 in the training and validation groups, respectively. Decision curve analysis showed that the radiomics nomogram had good clinical application and the calibration curve proved to have good stability. Survival curves showed that PFS was shorter in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group.ConclusionThe hybrid model constructed from radiomics and clinical data showed excellent performance in predicting PFS in prostate cancer patients. The nomogram provides a non-invasive diagnostic tool for risk stratification of clinical patients.

The application of fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) is an effective method to prolong the use time of feed, but the understanding of the interaction mechanism between fungal microorganisms and silage quality and aerobic stability in FTMR is still limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay to oat (Avena sativa L.) hay ratios on chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, and fungal communities during aerobic exposure of fermented total mixed ration (FTMR). The supplement levels of oat were as follows: 200 g/kg oat hay (LO), 300 g/kg oat hay (MO), and 400 g/kg oat hay (HO). The water content of the three treatments was adjusted to 50% using a sprayer. After 60 days of ensiling, the bags were opened, and the chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, and fungal communities were measured after 3, 6, 9, and 12 days of aerobic exposure. The results suggested that the LO treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased the aerobic stability than that in other treatments. The crude protein and lactic acid content in the three treatments were significantly decreased with the extension of the aerobic exposure period. Additionally, there was a remarkable (p < 0.05) higher lactic acid content observed in the LO treatment than that in the HO treatment during the aerobic stage. The PCoA showed that the compositions of the fungal community in the HO treatment were distinctly separated from the other two treatments. Compared with HO and LO treatments, the MO treatment observed relatively higher OTU, Shannon, and Chao1 indexes. Compared with LO and MO treatments, the abundances of the genes Saccharomyces and Wallemia were greater increased and decreased in the HO treatment, respectively. Integrated correlation analysis also underscores a possible link between the fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability, and significantly altered fungal community. This study suggested that the use of FTMR in production might prolong aerobic storage time when alfalfa was fermented in a mixture with ≤30% oat.

In this study, the triterpenoids in the leaves of Lactuca indica L.cv. Mengzao (LIM) were extracted via microwave-assisted ethanol extraction, and the optimum extraction conditions for triterpenoids were determined through single-factor experiments and the Box–Behnken method. The effects of three factors (solid–liquid ratio, microwave power and extraction time) on the total triterpenoids content (TTC) were evaluated. The TTC of different parts (roots, stems, leaves and flowers) of LIM in different growth stages was studied, and the scavenging effects of the highest TTC parts on DPPH, ABTS and hydroxyl free radicals were investigated. The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions for microwave-assisted extraction of total triterpenoids from LIM leaves were as follows: solid–liquid ratio of 1:20 g/mL; microwave power of 400 W; and extraction time of 60 min. Under these conditions, the TTC was 29.17 mg/g. Compared with the fresh raw materials, the TTC of the materials increased after freeze drying. The leaves of LIM had the highest TTC, and the flowering stage was the best time. The triterpenoids from the leaves had a strong ability to eliminate DPPH and ABTS free radicals, and the elimination effect of dried leaves was better than that of fresh leaves, while the elimination effect of hydroxyl free radicals was not obvious. The tested method was used to extract total triterpenoids from LIM using a simple process at low cost, which provides a reference for developing intensive processing methods for L. indica.

Objective The study aimed to evaluate the effect of storage time and formic acid (FA) on fermentation characteristics, epiphytic microflora, carbohydrate components and in vitro digestibility of rice straw silage. Methods Fresh rice straw was ensiled with four levels of FA (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% of fresh weight) for 3, 6, 9, 15, 30, and 60 d. At each time point, the silos were opened and sampled for chemical and microbial analyses. Meanwhile, the fresh and 60-d ensiled rice straw were further subjected to in vitro analyses. Results The results showed that 0.2% and 0.6% FA both produced well-preserved silages with low pH value and undetected butyric acid, whereas it was converse for 0.4% FA. The populations of enterobacteria, yeasts, moulds and aerobic bacteria were suppressed by 0.2% and 0.6% FA, resulting in lower dry matter loss, ammonia nitrogen and ethanol content (p0.05). Conclusion The 0.2% FA application level promoted lactic acid fermentation while 0.6% FA restricted all microbial fermentation of rice straw silages. Rice straw ensiled with 0.2% FA or 0.6% FA improved its nutrient preservation without affecting digestion, with the 0.6% FA level best.

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical compositions and microbial communities of salt-tolerant alfalfa silage. Salt-tolerant alfalfa was ensiled with no additive control, and cellulase for 30 and 60 to 90 days. In this study, the dry matter (DM) content of the raw material was 29.9% DM, and the crude protein (CP) content of the alfalfa was 21.9% CP. Results After 30 days of fermentation, the DM content with the cellulase treatment was reduced by 3.6%, and the CP content was reduced by 12.7%. After 60 days of fermentation, compared with alfalfa raw material, the DM content in the control group (CK) was reduced by 1%, the CP content was reduced by 9.5%, and the WSC (water-soluble carbohydrates) content was reduced by 22.6%. With the cellulase, the lactic acid content of the 30- and 60-day silages was 2.66% DM and 3.48% DM. The content of Firmicutes in salinized alfalfa raw material was less than 0.1% of the total bacterial content. Before and after ensiling, the microbes had similar composition at the phylum level, and were composed of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. The abundance of Pantoea was dominant in fresh alfalfa. In the absence of additives, after 30 days and 60 days of silage, the dominant lactic acid bacteria species became Lactococcus and Enterococcus. Conclusions The results showed that LAB (Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, and Pediococcus) played a major role in the fermentation of saline alfalfa silage. It also can better preserve the nutrients of saline alfalfa silage. The use of cellulase enhances the reproduction of Lactobacillus. The fermentation time would also change the microbial community of silage fermentation.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of replacing alfalfa with native grass on growth performance, meat quality, and rumen microbiota of lambs. Forty-five 6-month-old Ujimqin lambs with live body weight (BW) of 29.50 ± 0.26 kg were used for the experiment, and the lambs were assigned to three diet treatments (three pens per treatment and five lambs per pen) with 30 square meters per pen in semi-open housing based on similar BW. The lambs have received 30% alfalfa (HA, high alfalfa percentage group), 20% alfalfa (MA, moderate alfalfa percentage group), and 10% alfalfa (LA, low alfalfa percentage group) diets, respectively (dry matter basis). The diet treatments had a significant (P < 0.05) influence on the dry matter intake of lambs and the dry matter intake increased with the increasing percentages of native grass hay, while the significantly (P < 0.05) lower final BW and average daily gain were observed in the MA and LA groups compared with that in the HA group. The diet had a significant (P < 0.05) difference in meat pH value, water loss rate, cooked meat rate, moisture, and intramuscular fat, while no significant (P > 0.05) difference was found in protein. As native grass hay percentages increased in the diet, the contents of palmitic (C16:0) and palmitoleic (C16:1 cis-9) in the HA and MA groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in the LA groups, and compared with the HA group, the contents of elaidic (C18:1 trans-9), oleic (C18:1 cis-9), and linoleic (C18:2 cis-9–cis-12) were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the MA and LA groups. The content of α-linolenic (C18:3n3) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the LA group than that in the HA and MA groups. The principal coordinate analysis profile displayed that the composition of the bacterial community of these groups was distinctly separated from each other. No significant (P > 0.05) difference was observed in the dominant rumen bacteria at the phyla and genus levels. In conclusion, the meat quality and fatty acid profile analysis revealed that replacing alfalfa hay with native grass hay is more beneficial for Mongolian lambs, and the meat from LA diet treatment is better than the others. In addition, correlation analysis of the association of rumen microbiome with growth performance, meat quality, and fatty acid profile provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the composition and function of rumen microbiota. These findings could provide knowledge of how the diet affects the animal performance, meat quality of lambs, and microbiota of the rumen, laying a theoretical basis for replacing alfalfa with native grass.

During aerobic exposure of silage, the fatty acid and amino acid composition may alter the quality and palatability, resulting in economic losses in livestock production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP), Lenti Lentilactobacillus buchneri (LB), and a mixture of LP and LB (PB) on the fatty acids, amino acids, and antioxidant capacity of Leymus chinensis silage during aerobic exposure. The lactic acid bacteria were added at 1 × 106 CFU/g. The silage treatments were opened after 60 days of fermentation, and sampled on days 0, 4, and 8 of aerobic exposure. The LB group had higher total fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid content, and less decrease in amino acid content and antioxidant capacity, while the LP group had a higher monounsaturated fatty acid content but a larger decrease in all indicators after exposure. Correlation analysis showed that Lactobacillus, Cryptococcus, Penicillium, and Thermoascus were more correlated with fatty acid changes, and that Lactobacillus, Actinomyces, Clostridium, and Penicillium were more correlated with amino acid changes. In conclusion, Lentilactobacillus buchneri could effectively improve the antioxidant capacity and fatty acid and amino acid contents of Leymus chinensis silage during aerobic exposure, while Lactiplantibacillus plantarum could effectively improve the content of each index of Leymus chinensis silage at opening, but deterioration was faster during aerobic exposure.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum or cellulase on the fermentation characteristics and bacterial community of mixed alfalfa (Medicago sativa L., AF) and Leymus chinensis (LC) silage. The harvested alfalfa and Leymus chinensis were cut into 1–2 cm lengths by a crop chopper and they were thoroughly mixed at a ratio of 3/2 (wet weight). The mixtures were treated with no addition (CON), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP, 1 × 106 cfu/g fresh material), cellulase (CE, 7.5 × 102 U/kg fresh material) and their combination (LPCE). The forages were packed into triplicate vacuum-sealed, polyethylene bags per treatment and ensiled for 1, 3, 5, 7 and 30 d at room temperature (17–25 °C). Compared to the CON groups, all the additives increased the lactic acid content and decreased the pH and ammonia nitrogen content over the ensiling period. In comparison to the other groups, higher water-soluble carbohydrate contents were discovered in the CE-inoculated silages. Compared to the CON groups, the treatment with LPCE retained the crude protein content and reduced the acid detergent fiber content. The principal coordinate analysis based on the unweighted UniFrac distance showed that individuals in the AF, LC, CON and LPCE treatment could be significantly separated from each other. At the genus level, the bacterial community in the mixed silage involves a shift from Cyanobacteria_unclassified to Lactobacillus. Lactobacillus dominated in all the treatments until the end of the silage, but when added with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, it was more effective in inhibiting undesirable microorganisms, such as Enterobacter, while reducing microbial diversity. By changing the bacterial community structure after applying Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and cellulase, the mixed silages quality could be further improved. During ensiling, the metabolism of the nucleotide and carbohydrate were enhanced whereas the metabolism of the amino acid, energy, cofactors and vitamins were hindered. In conclusion, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the mixed silage increased with the addition of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and cellulase, which also improved the fermentation quality.

Silage of native grasses can alleviate seasonal forage supply imbalance in pastures and provide additional sources to meet forage demand. The study aimed to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), and Lactobacillus plantarum in combination with Lactobacillus buchneri (PB) on the nutritional quality, fermentation quality, and microbial community of native grass silage at 2, 7, 15, and 60 days after ensiling and at 4 and 8 days after aerobic exposure. The results showed that dry matter content, crude protein content, the number of lactic acid bacteria, and lactic acid and acetic acid content increased and pH and ammonia nitrogen content decreased after lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculation compared with the control group (CK). LP had the lowest pH and highest lactic acid content but did not have greater aerobic stability. LB maintained a lower pH level and acetic acid remained at a higher level after aerobic exposure; aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, yeast, and molds all decreased in number, which effectively improved aerobic stability. The effect of the compound addition of LAB was in between the two other treatments, having higher crude protein content, lactic acid and acetic acid content, lower pH, and ammonia nitrogen content. At the phylum level, the dominant phylum changed from Proteobacteria to Firmicutes after ensiling, and at the genus level, Lactiplantibacillus and Lentilactobacillus were the dominant genera in both LAB added groups, while Limosilactobacillus was the dominant genus in the CK treatment. In conclusion, the addition of LAB can improve native grass silage quality by changing bacterial community structure. LP is beneficial to improve the fermentation quality in the ensiling stage, LB is beneficial to inhibit silage deterioration in the aerobic exposure stage, and compound LAB addition is more beneficial to be applied in native grass silage.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cellulase (CE) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on Caragana korshinskii silage by analyzing the fermentation parameters, chemical composition, and bacterial community. The Caragana korshinskii was harvested at the fruiting period and treated with cellulase and LAB alone as a control treatment with no additive (CK). The ensiling performance and bacterial community were determined after 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days of fermentation process. Compared with the CK group, the pH, dry matter loss, and ammonia nitrogen content were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the LAB and CE treatments. Compared with the CK and LAB group, the contents of acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin in the CE group decreased significantly (p < 0.05), and the water-soluble carbohydrates, acetic acid, and lactic acid concentrations increased significantly (p < 0.05). At the genus level of microorganisms, the addition of cellulase and LAB significantly reduced the microbial diversity. Compared with the CK group (78.05%), the relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus in the CE group (90.19%) and LAB group (88.40%) significantly (p < 0.05) increased. The relative abundance of Pediococcus in the CE group (3.66%) and LAB group (2.14%) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that in the CK group (14.73%). Predicted functional profiling of 16S rRNA genes revealed that the addition of cellulase and LAB increased the pyruvate metabolic pathway during Caragana korshinskii silage, thereby increasing the accumulation of lactic acid concentration. The addition of cellulase expressed a better advantage in the biosynthetic capacity of lysine. In summary, the addition of cellulase and LAB could adjust the bacterial community to improve the silage quality of Caragana korshinskii, and the addition of cellulase exhibited better results than the LAB additives.

Ensiling native grass is an effective method to protect the nutritional quality of forage and alleviate feed shortages in the cold winter of the Inner Mongolian Plateau. To improve the usability of native grass resources as feed in China, the effects of lactic acid bacteria and molasses additions on the microbial population, fermentation quality, and nutritional quality of native grass during silage were investigated. Treatments were a control treatment with no additive (CK), lactic acid bacteria (L), molasses (M), and lactic acid bacteria in combination with molasses (L+M), all of which were stored at ambient temperature (17–28°C) for 7, 14, 30, and 60 days. The results showed that all additives improved nutritional value and fermentation quality with low pH and ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N) and high crude protein (CP) and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) than control silage over the ensiling period. Compared with L or M silage, the L+M silage combination improved fermentability, as evidenced by higher LA content and a faster pH drop during the first 7 days of ensiling. With prolonged ensiling time, the combined addition of L and M could increase the count of desirable Lactobacillus, decrease microbial diversity, and inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganism, such as Clostridia, Escherichia, and Enterobacter abundance compared with silage treated with CK, L. or M. Application of L together with M could further improve the silage quality of native grass by altering bacterial community structure. In summary, the addition of lactic acid bacteria and molasses increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus of native grass silage and improved fermentation quality.

Objective To improve the utility of native grass resources as feed in China, we investigated the dynamics of protein and carbohydrate fractions among Inner Mongolian native grasses, during ensiling and the aerobic stage, using the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. Methods Silages were prepared without or with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculant. We analyzed the protein and carbohydrate fractions and fermentation quality of silages at 0, 5, 15, 20, 30, and 60 d of ensiling, and the stability at 0.5, 2, 5, and 10 d during the aerobic stage. Results Inner Mongolian native grass contained 10.8% crude protein (CP) and 3.6% water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) on a dry matter basis. During ensiling, pH and CP and WSC content decreased (p1.0% of FM). During the aerobic stage, CP, extract ether, WSC, lactic acid, acetic acid, PB1, PB2, true protein degraded slowly (PB3), CHO, CA, CB1, and CB2 content decreased significantly in all silages, whereas pH, ammonia-N, PA, and bound true protein (PC) content increased significantly. Conclusion Control and LAB-treated silages produced similar results in terms of fermentation quality, aerobic stability, and protein and carbohydrate fractions. Inner Mongolian native grass produced good silage, nutrients were preserved during ensiling and protein and carbohydrate losses largely occurred during the aerobic stage.

This study aimed to isolate and identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from the native grass and naturally fermented silage from the Mongolian Plateau. The effect of selected strains on bacterial community and quality of native grass silage was also studied. Strains XM2, 265, and 842 could grow normally at 15°C–30°C, pH 4.0–8.0, and NaCl 3 and 6.5%; they were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Latilactobacillus graminis, by sequencing 16S rRNA, respectively. The three strains (XM2, 265, and 842) and one commercial additive (L) were used as inoculants and singularly added to the native grass. Compared to the control, the dry matter content was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in L and XM2 groups. The water-soluble carbohydrate content was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in control than in other groups. Compared with the control, the crude protein and ammonia nitrogen contents were significantly (p < 0.05) higher and lower in the LAB-treated groups, and the acid and detergent fiber contents were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the L and XM2 groups than those in other groups. There was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in the pH value, lactic acid content, and lactic acid-to-acetic acid ratio in L and XM2 groups than in other groups. Compared with the control, the number of LAB was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in LAB-treated silages, whereas no significant (p > 0.05) differences were observed in yeast and aerobic bacteria in all groups. Compared to the control, the Shannon index was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced. Simpson and Chao1 were significantly (p < 0.05) increased. Principal coordinate analysis based on the unweighted UniFrac distance showed clear separation of the bacterial community in fresh materials and LAB-treated silages. Besides, compared to the control, the principal coordinate analysis of LAB-treated silages was also separate. After 30 days of fermentation, the relative abundance of Firmicutes increased and was the primary phylum in all silages. Compared with the control, the abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteriawas significantly (p < 0.05) higher and lower in L and XM2 groups. In contrast, no significant differences were observed among control, 265, and 842 groups. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Enterobacter, Pediococcus, and Weissella was increased and dominated the native grass fermentation. Compared with the control, the abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in L, XM2, and 842 groups, while no significant (p > 0.05) differences were observed between the control and 265 groups. The abundance of Pediococcus was higher than that in other groups. Consequently, the results demonstrated that LAB significantly influenced silage fermentation by reconstructing microbiota, and Lactobacillus was the dominant genus in the native grass silages. Furthermore, the results showed that strain XM2 could effectively improve the silage quality, and it is considered a potential starter for the native grass silage.

This study investigated the fermentation quality of alfalfa grown in different salt stress regions in China. Following the production of silage from the natural fermentation of alfalfa, the interplay between the chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, and microbiome was examined to understand the influence of these factors on the fermentation quality of silage. The alfalfa was cultivated under salt stress with the following: (a) soil content of

ObjectivesTo evaluate the predictive value of radiomics features based on multiparameter magnetic resonance imaging (MP-MRI) for peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) in patients with ovarian cancer (OC).MethodsA total of 86 patients with epithelial OC were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent FS-T2WI, DWI, and DCE-MRI scans, followed by total hysterectomy plus omentectomy. Quantitative imaging features were extracted from preoperative FS-T2WI, DWI, and DCE-MRI images, and feature screening was performed using a minimum redundancy maximum correlation (mRMR) and least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) methods. Four radiomics models were constructed based on three MRI sequences. Then, combined with radiomics characteristics and clinicopathological risk factors, a multi-factor Logistic regression method was used to construct a radiomics nomogram, and the performance of the radiomics nomogram was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis.ResultsThe radiomics model from the MP-MRI combined sequence showed a higher area under the curve (AUC) than the model from FS-T2WI, DWI, and DCE-MRI alone (0.846 vs. 0.762, 0.830, 0.807, respectively). The radiomics nomogram (AUC=0.902) constructed by combining radiomics characteristics and clinicopathological risk factors showed a better diagnostic effect than the clinical model (AUC=0.858) and the radiomics model (AUC=0.846). The decision curve analysis shows that the radiomics nomogram has good clinical application value, and the calibration curve also proves that it has good stability.ConclusionRadiomics nomogram based on MP-MRI combined sequence showed good predictive accuracy for PC in patients with OC. This tool can be used to identify peritoneal carcinomatosis in OC patients before surgery.

This study aimed to screen and identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains from the Stipa grandis and naturally fermented silage, and assess their effects on the silage quality and bacterial community of Stipa grandis after 60 days of the fermentation process. A total of 38 LAB were isolated, and strains ZX301 and YX34 were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus using 16S rRNA sequences; they can normally grow at 10−30 °C, with a tolerance of pH and NaCl from 3.5 to 8.0 and 3 to 6.5%, respectively. Subsequently, the two isolated LAB and one commercial additive (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) were added to Stipa grandis for ensiling for 60 days and recorded as the ZX301, YX34, and P treatments. The addition of LAB was added at 1 × 105 colony-forming unit/g of fresh weight, and the same amount of distilled water was sprayed to serve as a control treatment (CK). Compared to the CK treatment, the ZX301 and YX34 treatments exhibited a positive effect on pH reduction. The water-soluble carbohydrate content was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in ZX301, YX34, and P treatments than in CK treatment. At the genus level, the bacterial community in Stipa grandis silage involves a shift from Pantoea to Lactiplantibacillus. Compared to the CK treatment, the ZX301, YX34, and P treatments significantly (p < 0.05) increase the abundance of Pediococcus and Lactiplantibacillus, respectively. Consequently, the results indicated that the addition of LAB reconstructed microbiota and influenced silage quality. The strain ZX301 could improve the ensiling performance in Stipa grandis silage.

The use of the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) is a promising approach for the preservation of feedstuff, but the effect of FTMR on the between growth performance and ruminal microflora of lambs are still limited. This study aimed to assess the effects of different roughage types in the FTMR on growth performance and rumen microbiota of lambs. Forty-five six-month-old Small tail Han sheep × Ujumqin male lambs were randomly allocated into three groups (three pens per treatment and five lambs per pen) with the initial body weight (BW) of 28.50 ± 1.50 kg. The three treatments were as follows: the low oat percentages group (LO) contained 200 g/kg oat hay + 400 g/kg alfalfa hay, the medium oat percentages group (MO) contained 300 g/kg oat hay + 300 g/kg alfalfa hay, and the high oat percentages group (HO) contained 400 g/kg oat hay + 200 g/kg alfalfa hay. The result revealed that the dry matter intake and average daily gain were markedly (p < 0.05) higher in the MO treatment than in the LO and HO treatments, whereas no significant difference (p > 0.05) was found in the final body weight. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences on the Shannon and Simpson index among the three treatments. The PCoA score plot illustrated the individual separation in the LO, MO, and HO treatments. At the phylum level, the presence of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes belonging to the dominant phyla is widely described in rumen communities among the three treatments. The relative abundances of Prevotella, Fibrobacter, and Succinivibrio in the level of the genes were remarkably higher (p < 0.05) in MO treatment than that in LO and HO treatments, while the relative abundance of Sediminispirochaeta was remarkably higher (p < 0.05) in LO treatment than that in MO and HO treatments. These results indicated that the MO treatments could more effectively improve growth performance than the LO and HO treatments, and also revealed that the different forage types in diets reshaped the compositions and function of the rumen microbiota. Consequently, the findings presented in this study provide a reference for the application of FTMR in animal production and the understanding of the interaction between diet, animal performance, and ruminal microbiota.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important source of livestock feed used to address the imbalance between livestock and forage production in China. However, much of the grasslands have a high salt content, which seriously affects the quality and yield of alfalfa. There are many kinds of fungi that play an important role in alfalfa growth and nutrient synthesis. The response of the fungi of alfalfa to salinity is poorly understood. In this study, the physiological characteristics and the fungal community composition of alfalfa under different salt stress conditions were investigated. Salt stress had a great impact on the physiological characteristics and the fungal community composition of alfalfa. The activity of invertase increased significantly under salt stress; the content of water and starch decreased; and the content of crude protein (CP) and soluble sugar increased under mild salt stress. With the increase in salt stress, the relative abundance of Ascomycetes increased, while the relative abundance of basidiomycetes decreased. This showed that the changes in the fungal community may be related to the adaptability of alfalfa plants to salt stress. These findings contribute to a better understanding of alfalfa physiological characteristics and nutrient synthesis under salt stress and deepen our understanding of alfalfa–fungi interactions in the saline soil environment of grasslands.

Soil erosion by wind is a serious problem that threatens ecological security and damages the ecological environment, thereby hindering the sustainable development of agriculture and animal husbandry in arid and semiarid areas. Using the northern piedmont of the Yinshan Mountains in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China as a study area, this study explores the spatiotemporal variation in soil loss by wind erosion and its impact on soil nutrients from 1990 to 2015. Various approaches, including remote sensing technology, the revised wind erosion equation model, the fallout cesium-137 tracing technique, and the geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis technique, were jointly used in the present study. From 1990 to 2015, the soil loss by wind erosion obviously decreased, with a slope of −0.59 t/ha/a, in the study area. Affected by factors such as regional topography and wind direction, the wind erosion modulus is high in the northwest and low in the south and southeast of the northern piedmont of the Yinshan Mountains. The soil nutrient content decreased overall from 1990 to 2015, including a severe loss from 1990 to 2005 and a relatively low nutrient enrichment from 2005 to 2015. The decline in the sand-dust storm frequency and wind speed protected the soil from wind erosion. Implementing ecological management projects has played an important role in slowing wind erosion and enhancing the regional ability to resist wind erosion and fix sand. To improve soil quality and the regional ecological environment, ecological restoration projects should be further promoted in the study area.

Harvest time and storage time had significant effects on nutrient quality and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) of alfalfa. The objective of this study was to use headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) to analyze alfalfa at different harvest periods (budding stage, early blooming, full blooming), and storage for 0 d, 90 d, 180 d, 270 d, and 360 d, the dynamic changes in VOCs and nutritional quality. Results indicated that ketones, aldehydes, alcohols and esters were the main volatile components of alfalfa VOCs, accounting for 87.41%, 88.57% and 90.85% of the total volatile components at budding stage, early blooming and full blooming, respectively. VOCs and nutrient quality of alfalfa varied significantly in different harvest periods; delayed harvesting significantly reduced alfalfa aldehydes, alcohols, crude protein (CP), and total digestible nutrients (TDN) and significantly increased ketone, dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents (p < 0.05). After Comprehensive consideration ofthe yield, nutritional quality and VOCs of alfalfa, the best harvest time was determined to be the budding stage. The VOCs and nutrient quality of alfalfa were significantly different at different storage durations, and ketones, ADF and NDF were significantly increased and significantly reduced DM, CP and TDN (p < 0.05). Ketone content and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content had a significant positive correlation, (NDF F = 5.5, p = 0.024). Storage 360 d 2-methylbutyraldehyde (musty), 1-octen-3-one (earthy musty odor) content increased. These may be the key compounds that causes the smell of fresh alfalfa to fade away and a musty smell to emerge.