TABLE 2.
Microbiological analysis of the fresh forage crops
| Forage | Mean (SD) count (log CFU g of FM−1) of viable microorganisms
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lactobacilli | Enterococci | Leuconostocs | Pediococci | Clostridia | Aerobic bacteria | Mold and yeast | |
| Corn | 3.8 (0.4) | 5.0 (1.1) | 5.7 (0.8) | 3.1 (0.6) | NDa | 6.0 (0.5) | 3.5 (0.2) |
| Sorghum | 3.0 (0.6) | 3.5 (0.8) | 4.8 (1.2) | ND | 3.5 (0.3) | 6.8 (0.6) | 4.3 (0.5) |
| Alfalfa | ND | 3.2 (0.5) | 5.2 (0.7) | 3.6 (0.7) | 3.3 (0.5) | 5.3 (0.5) | 2.8 (0.3) |
| Italian ryegrass | ND | 4.0 (1.3) | 3.6 (0.3) | ND | ND | 5.9 (0.7) | 4.2 (0.5) |
| Guinea grass | 3.2 (1.2) | 4.2 (0.9) | 4.5 (0.4) | 3.5 (1.5) | 3.0 (0.2) | 6.2 (0.7) | 3.5 (0.3) |
a
ND, not detected.