In a series of studies undertaken at Hillsborough involving both small scale and production experiments with growing cattle and dairy cattle, an inoculant based on a single strain of Lactobacillus plantarum (Ecosyl), has produced considerable benefits in terms of silage intake and animal performance. The present studies were designed to evaluate the same inoculant using difficult to ensile herbage due to the use of high rates of nitrogen application and the use of permanent pasture.

Nine silages were harvested using double chop forage harvesters from the second regrowth of three swards, namely permanent pasture which had received 100 kg N/ha (PP) and perennial ryegrass which had received either 100 (100) or 150 (150) kg N/ha. Herbages from each sward were treated with either no additive (C), formic acid (F) (2.5 1/t) (850 g/kg Add-F) or the inoculant (I) (3 1/t) (Ecosyl) (10-6C.F.U/g grass) and were ensiled in 126 mini silos of 0.7 t capacity. The silages were offered to 36 three month old Friesian entire male calves (mean initial liveweight 130 kg) in a change-over design experiment consisting of three 3 week periods.