Abstract
Experiments were conducted to (i) compare most-probable-number (MPN) procedures with roll tube procedures for enumeration of forage anaerobic bacteria and (ii) evaluate the efficacy of using ethylene oxide to sterilize wet herbage. Alfalfa, corn, and alfalfa-orchardgrass silages and alfalfa and orchardgrass herbages were analyzed for total anaerobic bacteria (medium pH, 6.8) and acid-tolerant anaerobic bacteria (medium pH, 4.5) by both roll tube and MPN procedures. No difference was found between the roll tube and MPN procedures for total bacteria; however, higher counts were obtained for acid-tolerant bacteria when the MPN procedure was used. Although MPN procedures require less time to obtain an estimate of bacterial numbers, isolation and identification of the microbial population is not possible. Alfalfa herbage was treated with ethylene oxide for 12, 24, or 36 h, incubated for 7 days at 37 degrees C with or without addition of a bacterial inoculant, and analyzed for total bacteria by MPN procedures. Microbial growth after inoculation of ethylene oxide-treated herbage indicated that there was insufficient residual ethylene oxide to inhibit subsequent microbial growth. The results also indicated that 24 h was required to adequately sterilize fresh herbage. Thus, ethylene oxide can be used to sterilize wet herbage for use as a substrate for pure cultures of silage bacteria.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Roll tube and MPN procedures gave similar total anaerobic bacterial counts.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“No difference was found between the roll tube and MPN procedures for total bacteria”
Claim · model-written summary
MPN gave higher acid-tolerant bacterial counts than roll tubes.
Verbatim
e0“higher counts were obtained for acid-tolerant bacteria when the MPN procedure was used”
Claim · model-written summary
MPN procedures required less time to estimate bacterial numbers.
Verbatim
e0“MPN procedures require less time to obtain an estimate of bacterial numbers”
Claim · model-written summary
MPN procedures did not allow microbial isolation and identification.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“isolation and identification of the microbial population is not possible”
Claim · model-written summary
Ethylene oxide treated alfalfa herbage supported microbial growth after inoculation.
- Taxon
- herbagee0
- Treatment
- ethylene oxide-treated herbagee0
- Outcome
- Microbial growthe0
- Comparator
- inoculatione0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
t0“Forage Sterilization”
e0“Microbial growth after inoculation of ethylene oxide-treated herbage indicated that there was insufficient residual ethylene oxide to inhibit subsequent microbial growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Twenty-four hours of ethylene oxide treatment adequately sterilized fresh herbage.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“24 h was required to adequately sterilize fresh herbage”