After chopping, each forage portion (derived from a single location) was separated into four piles and treated as follows
(as fed basis): no additives (C), Lactobacillus brevis DSM 23231 at 2 × 105 cfu/g (Lb), Lactobacillus kefiri DSM 19455 at
2 × 105 cfu/g (Lk), Lactobacillus brevis DSM 23231 at 1 × 105 cfu/g plus Lactobacillus kefiri DSM 19455 at 1 × 105 cfu/g (Lb + Lk) (Biomin, Herzogenburg, Austria).
Inoculant doses were adjusted based on actual counts measured prior to ensiling, using
the procedures described for the enumeration of lactic acid bacteria