Microorganism storage feed method for marigold straw and corn straw

Abstract

The invention provides a method for preparing a feed from marigold straw and corn straw through micro-storage, which comprises the following steps: respectively harvesting and crushing marigold straw and corn straw, uniformly mixing the crushed marigold straw and corn straw, uniformly spraying water, inoculating a compound microorganism bacterium solution, and uniformly mixing to obtain a fermented material; and adding fermentation auxiliary materials into the obtained fermentation material, uniformly mixing, and carrying out anaerobic fermentation to obtain the marigold straw and corn straw micro-storage feed. The invention further provides application of the marigold straw and corn straw micro-storage feed prepared by the method, and the marigold straw and corn straw micro-storage feed is used for improving intestinal health of ruminants. The tagetes erecta straw and the corn straw which are wide in source are used as raw materials, efficient feed utilization of agricultural waste is achieved, the method is simple in process and low in cost, and the prepared feed enhances the nutritional value while improving palatability and digestibility and is beneficial to promoting ingestion of livestock and poultry and promoting healthy development of animal husbandry.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of feed resource development and utilization technology, specifically relating to a method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw as feed. Background Technology

[0002] In animal husbandry, herbivores consume large amounts of forage, making forage a significant expense. Developing feed from agricultural byproducts of cash crops is considered a key approach to alleviating this problem. Marigolds are a widely cultivated cash crop, primarily used for extracting lutein, producing ornamental flowers, or as a traditional Chinese medicine. Their cultivation is concentrated in provinces such as Yunnan, Xinjiang, and Shandong in my country. Harvesting the flowers generates a large amount of straw, which was previously mostly burned or discarded, wasting resources and polluting the environment. Now, resource utilization has become a key focus for the industry.

[0003] Marigold stalks are highly lignified, hard in texture, low in moisture (around 5%–10%), high in crude fiber, and have poor palatability, making them unsuitable for direct feeding to livestock. To address the issues of high crude fiber content, the presence of anti-nutritional factors, and the susceptibility of fresh stalks to decay and spoilage, requiring additional processing during storage and transportation to maintain their value, further research is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to address the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw as feed. This method uses marigold straw and corn straw, which are widely available, as raw materials, and realizes the efficient utilization of agricultural waste as feed. The method is simple and low-cost, and the palatability and digestibility of the prepared feed are improved, while also enhancing its nutritional value, which is conducive to promoting livestock and poultry feeding and driving the healthy development of animal husbandry.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw as feed, the method being as follows: S1. Straw harvesting and crushing: S101. Harvest marigold stalks, crush them, and obtain marigold stalk crushed material; S102. Harvest corn stalks, crush them, and obtain corn stalk crushed material; S2. After mixing the marigold straw powder obtained in S101 and the corn straw powder obtained in S102 evenly, a fermentation substrate is obtained. S3. Adjusting the moisture content and inoculating the bacterial solution: After spraying water evenly into the fermentation substrate obtained in S2, a water-containing fermentation substrate is obtained. The compound microbial solution is then inoculated into the water-containing fermentation substrate and mixed evenly to obtain the fermentation material. The microorganisms in the compound microbial solution include Lactobacillus, Geotrichum candidum, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S4. Add fermentation aids: Add fermentation aids to the fermentation material obtained in S3, mix evenly, and obtain the material to be fermented; S5. After anaerobic fermentation of the material to be fermented in S4, marigold straw and corn straw micro-silage feed is obtained.

[0006] Preferably, the harvesting position in S101 is 15cm to 20cm from the ground; the moisture content of the marigold straw is 5% to 10%; and the length of the marigold straw crushed material is 2cm to 5cm.

[0007] Preferably, the corn stalks in S102 are after the seeds have been removed during the waxy maturity stage; the moisture content of the corn stalks is 65% to 70%; and the length of the crushed corn stalks is 2cm to 5cm.

[0008] Preferably, the mass fraction of marigold straw crushed material in the fermentation substrate in S2 is 10% to 50%.

[0009] Preferably, the mass fraction of marigold straw crushed material in the fermentation substrate in S2 is 30%.

[0010] Preferably, the water content of the fermentation substrate in S3 is 60% to 70%; the mass ratio of the compound microbial inoculum in S3 to the fermentation substrate in S2 is 1:1000.

[0011] Preferably, the microbial content in the composite microbial solution in S3 is: Lactobacillus ≥ 1.5 × 10⁻⁶. 7 CFU / mL, *Geotrichum candidum* ≥ 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ 5 CFU / mL, Bacillus subtilis ≥2.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Saccharomyces cerevisiae ≥1.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Geotrichum candidum ≥1.0×10 5 CFU / mL.

[0012] Preferably, the mass ratio of the fermentation adjuvant in S4 to the fermentation substrate in S2 is 4:1000; the fermentation adjuvant in S4 is composed of the following raw materials in mass fractions: 50% bentonite, 37.5% urea, and 12.5% ​​salt; the anaerobic fermentation time in S5 is 60 days.

[0013] Preferably, the marigold and corn stalk silage in S5 contains 36.88%–47.05% neutral detergent fiber, 10.42%–20.10% acid detergent fiber, 7.25%–9.99% crude fat, 8.15%–8.63% crude protein, 11.97%–14.23% crude ash, and 37.21%–38.40% dry matter.

[0014] The present invention also provides the application of the marigold straw and corn straw micro-silage prepared by the above method, wherein the marigold straw and corn straw micro-silage is used to improve the intestinal health of ruminants.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: This invention addresses the problem of large quantities of marigold straw being discarded and not effectively utilized in the fields. Using readily available marigold straw and corn straw as raw materials, it achieves efficient feed utilization of agricultural waste. Addressing the issues of high fiber content and coarse, hard texture in existing straw, it employs compound microbial fermentation technology to effectively reduce pH and fiber content while increasing lactic acid and crude protein content. The method is simple, low-cost, and produces feed with improved palatability and digestibility, enhanced nutritional value, and improved feed intake by livestock and poultry, thus promoting the healthy development of animal husbandry and further realizing the resource utilization of agricultural waste, resulting in significant ecological and economic benefits.

[0016] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Example 1 This embodiment describes a method for micro-storing marigold straw and corn straw as feed. The method is as follows: S1. Straw harvesting and crushing: S101. Marigold stalks with a moisture content of 8% are harvested manually at a distance of 18cm from the ground. After being shredded by a chaff cutter, the length is 3cm, and marigold stalk shreds are obtained. S102. Corn stalks with a moisture content of 65% after deseeding during the waxy maturity stage are manually harvested, and then crushed with a chaff cutter to a length of 4cm to obtain corn stalk crushed material. S2. After mixing the marigold straw crushed material obtained in S101 and the corn straw and marigold straw crushed material obtained in S102 evenly in the pit, a fermentation substrate is obtained. The mass fraction of marigold straw powder in the fermentation substrate is 30%. S3. Adjusting the moisture content and inoculating the bacterial solution: Evenly spray water onto the fermentation substrate obtained in S2 to adjust the moisture content to 65%, thus obtaining a water-containing fermentation substrate; inoculate the obtained water-containing fermentation substrate with a compound microbial solution, mix evenly, and then obtain the fermented material. The mass ratio of the composite microbial inoculum to the fermentation substrate is 1:1000; The microbial content in the compound microbial inoculum is: Lactobacillus ≥ 1.5 × 10⁻⁶. 7 CFU / mL, *Geotrichum candidum* ≥ 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ 5 CFU / mL, Bacillus subtilis ≥2.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Saccharomyces cerevisiae ≥1.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Geotrichum candidum ≥1.0×10 5 CFU / mL; all raw materials were purchased from the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center. S4. Add fermentation aids: Add fermentation aids to the fermentation material obtained in S3, mix evenly, and obtain the material to be fermented; The mass ratio of the fermentation adjuvant and the fermentation substrate in S2 is 4:1000; The fermentation adjuvant is composed of the following raw materials in the indicated mass fractions: bentonite 50%, urea 37.5%, and salt 12.5%; purchased from Xinjiang Jiegao Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd. S5. Compact the material to be fermented obtained in S4 in the pit, seal it with plastic sheeting and carry out anaerobic fermentation. After 60 days, marigold straw and corn straw micro-silage feed is obtained.

[0018] Example 2 The method for micro-storing marigold straw and corn straw as feed in this embodiment is as follows: S1. Straw harvesting and crushing: S101. Use a small harvester to harvest marigold stalks with a moisture content of 5%, harvesting position 15cm from the ground, and then crush them with a chaff cutter to obtain marigold stalk crushed material with a length of 2cm. S102. Corn stalks with a moisture content of 68% after deseeding during the waxy maturity stage are manually harvested, shredded using a chaff cutter, and then crushed to a length of 5cm to obtain corn stalk shredded material. S2. After mixing the marigold straw crushed material obtained in S101 and the corn straw crushed material obtained in S102 evenly in the pit, a fermentation substrate is obtained. The mass fraction of marigold straw powder in the fermentation substrate is 10%. S3. Adjusting the moisture content and inoculating the bacterial solution: Evenly spray water onto the fermentation substrate obtained in S2 to adjust the moisture content to 70%, thus obtaining a water-containing fermentation substrate; inoculate the obtained water-containing fermentation substrate with a compound microbial solution, mix evenly, and then obtain the fermented material. The mass ratio of the composite microbial inoculum to the fermentation substrate is 1:1000; The microbial content in the compound microbial inoculum is: Lactobacillus ≥ 1.5 × 10⁻⁶. 7 CFU / mL, *Geotrichum candidum* ≥ 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ 5 CFU / mL, Bacillus subtilis ≥2.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Saccharomyces cerevisiae ≥1.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Geotrichum candidum ≥1.0×10 5 CFU / mL; all raw materials were purchased from the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center. S4. Add fermentation aids: Add fermentation aids to the fermentation material obtained in S3, mix evenly, and obtain the material to be fermented; The mass ratio of the fermentation adjuvant and the fermentation substrate in S2 is 4:1000; The fermentation adjuvant is composed of the following raw materials in the indicated mass fractions: bentonite 50%, urea 37.5%, and salt 12.5%; purchased from Xinjiang Jiegao Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd. S5. Wrap the material to be fermented in S4 with straw film to isolate it from the outside air. After 60 days of sealed fermentation, marigold straw and corn straw micro-silage feed is obtained.

[0019] Example 3 S1. Straw harvesting and crushing: S101. Manually harvest marigold stalks with a moisture content of 10% at a distance of 20cm from the ground. After being shredded by a chaff cutter, the length is 5cm, resulting in marigold stalk shredded material. S102. Corn stalks with a moisture content of 70% after deseeding during the waxy maturity stage are manually harvested, and then crushed with a chaff cutter to a length of 2cm to obtain corn stalk crushed material. S2. After mixing the marigold straw crushed material obtained in S101 and the corn straw crushed material obtained in S102 evenly in the pit, a fermentation substrate is obtained. The mass fraction of marigold straw powder in the fermentation substrate is 50%. S3. Adjusting the moisture content and inoculating the bacterial solution: Evenly spray water onto the fermentation substrate obtained in S2 to adjust the moisture content to 60%, thus obtaining a water-containing fermentation substrate. Inoculate the obtained water-containing fermentation substrate with a compound microbial solution, mix evenly, and then obtain the fermented material. The mass ratio of the composite microbial inoculum to the fermentation substrate is 1:1000; The microbial content in the compound microbial inoculum is: Lactobacillus ≥ 1.5 × 10⁻⁶. 7 CFU / mL, *Geotrichum candidum* ≥ 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ 5 CFU / mL, Bacillus subtilis ≥2.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Saccharomyces cerevisiae ≥1.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Geotrichum candidum ≥1.0×10 5 CFU / mL; all raw materials were purchased from the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center. S4. Add fermentation aids: Add fermentation aids to the fermentation material obtained in S3, mix evenly, and obtain the material to be fermented; The mass ratio of the fermentation adjuvant and the fermentation substrate in S2 is 4:1000; The fermentation adjuvant is composed of the following raw materials in the indicated mass fractions: bentonite 50%, urea 37.5%, and salt 12.5%; purchased from Xinjiang Jiegao Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd. S5. Compact the material to be fermented obtained in S4 in the pit, seal it with a special plastic film for greenhouses, and carry out anaerobic fermentation. After 60 days of anaerobic fermentation, marigold straw and corn straw micro-silage feed is obtained.

[0020] Example 4 This embodiment is a determination of the nutritional components and fermentation quality of the marigold straw and corn straw silage prepared in Examples 1-3.

[0021] The marigold and corn stalks used in this experiment were sourced from Shache County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The feed preparation method for the control group was the same as in Example 1, except that only marigold stalks were harvested in step S1, and only marigold stalks were used as the fermentation substrate in step S2. The experimental group consisted of marigold and corn stalk silage obtained in Examples 1-3, with six replicates for each treatment. Samples were collected after fermentation, and the contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and crude fat (EE) before and after fermentation were determined according to national standards. The contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) before and after fermentation were determined using the VanSoest method. The pH of the fermentation broth was measured using a precision pH meter, and the pH was calibrated using standard buffer solutions with pH values ​​of 4.01 and 6.86 before measurement. The ammonia nitrogen content was determined using the phenol-sodium hypochlorite colorimetric method. The lactic acid (LA) content was determined using liquid chromatography.

[0022] (1) Nutritional composition determination: As shown in Table 1, the feed of Example 1 exhibits significant characteristics in core nutritional indicators: the fiber content is within the optimal range for rumen digestion, improving digestive efficiency while ensuring rumen health; the crude protein meets requirements and has a high digestibility and absorption rate; the dry matter to crude ash ratio is reasonable, balancing storage stability and mineral supply. Compared to Example 2, the nutritional indicators of Example 1 are closer to the physiological metabolic patterns of ruminants, avoiding the health risks that extreme indicators may cause; compared to Example 3, its digestibility and palatability are superior, making it more suitable for large-scale feeding applications. Therefore, the marigold straw and corn straw silage feed prepared in Example 1 has the best overall quality and is more valuable for promotion in actual production.

[0023] Table 1. Determination of nutrient composition in feed for control and experimental groups. Note: Lowercase letters indicate that different letters in the superscript of data in the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05), while the same letter indicates no significant differences (P>0.05).

[0024] (2) Fermentation quality determination: As shown in Table 2, the fermentation quality of the marigold straw and corn straw silage prepared by this invention is significantly better than that of marigold straw silage alone (control group). Example 1 exhibits the best fermentation quality: a pH of 4.44 ensures feed stability while avoiding the risk of acid-base imbalance; ammonia nitrogen meets the metabolic needs of rumen microorganisms; and lactic acid provides dual protection for intestinal health. Compared to Example 2, the pH of Example 1 is closer to the physiological tolerance range of ruminant intestines, reducing the risk of excessive acid stress; compared to Example 3, it has higher lactic acid content and more suitable ammonia nitrogen. Compared to the control group, Example 1 has a lower pH, higher lactic acid content, and moderately higher ammonia nitrogen content, fully demonstrating the advantages of the mixed fermentation process. It also proves that the raw material ratio and fermentation parameters of Example 1 better meet the requirements for high-quality silage production and have more significant application value in improving the intestinal health of ruminants.

[0025] Table 2. Determination of feed fermentation quality in control and experimental groups. Note: Lowercase letters indicate that different letters in the superscript of data in the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05), while the same letter indicates no significant differences (P>0.05).

[0026] In summary, the marigold and corn stalk silage prepared by this invention significantly reduces the digestive burden on the intestines compared to marigold silage alone, shortens rumen emptying time, and avoids intestinal motility disorders caused by excessive crude fiber. Simultaneously, the fiber structure is more easily degraded by intestinal microorganisms after fermentation, providing metabolic substrates for beneficial bacteria and promoting intestinal flora balance. The crude protein content provides a high-quality nitrogen source for intestinal mucosal repair and immune cell synthesis, enhancing intestinal barrier function. The crude fat content is maintained at an appropriate level of 7.25%–9.99%, providing stable energy for intestinal metabolism while avoiding intestinal inflammation caused by excessive fat, thus ensuring the activity of intestinal digestive enzymes. After anaerobic fermentation, the feed pH drops to around 4.44, and the lactic acid content increases to 8.22 mmol / L, creating an acidic intestinal environment that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria such as Escherichia coli while promoting the colonization of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus. The moderately increased ammonia nitrogen concentration provides a suitable environment for rumen microbial nitrogen metabolism, indirectly optimizing the intestinal microecological structure, reducing intestinal toxin production, and thus effectively improving the intestinal health of ruminants. Compared with marigold straw alone, the mixed fermentation process of this invention can significantly improve the nutritional value of feed. The changes in key nutritional indicators are mainly reflected in the following four aspects: ① The moderate increase in ammonia nitrogen concentration maintains a suitable nitrogen metabolism environment for rumen microorganisms; ② The increase in crude protein content not only provides a high-quality nitrogen source for protein synthesis in ruminants, but also effectively enhances feed palatability and promotes feed intake growth; ③ The decrease in the content of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber directly improves the overall digestibility and utilization efficiency of the feed. This change helps to shorten rumen emptying time and increase the total nutrient intake per unit time; ④ The reasonable reduction in pH value can effectively extend the storage time of fermented feed and improve feed palatability. Therefore, the marigold straw and corn straw silage prepared by this invention can be used to improve the intestinal health of cattle and sheep ruminants.

[0027] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. Any simple modifications, alterations, and equivalent changes made to the above embodiments based on the inventive essence shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw as feed, characterized in that, The method is as follows: S1. Straw harvesting and crushing: S101. Harvest marigold stalks, crush them, and obtain marigold stalk crushed material; S102. Harvest corn stalks, crush them, and obtain corn stalk crushed material; S2. After mixing the marigold straw powder obtained in S101 and the corn straw powder obtained in S102 evenly, a fermentation substrate is obtained. S3. Adjusting the moisture content and inoculating the bacterial solution: After spraying water evenly into the fermentation substrate obtained in S2, a water-containing fermentation substrate is obtained. The compound microbial solution is then inoculated into the water-containing fermentation substrate and mixed evenly to obtain the fermentation material. The microorganisms in the compound microbial solution include Lactobacillus, Geotrichum candidum, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S4. Add fermentation aids: Add fermentation aids to the fermentation material obtained in S3, mix evenly, and obtain the material to be fermented; S5. After anaerobic fermentation of the material to be fermented in S4, marigold straw and corn straw micro-silage feed is obtained.

2. The method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The harvesting position in S101 is 15cm to 20cm from the ground; the moisture content of the marigold straw is 5% to 10%; and the length of the marigold straw crushed material is 2cm to 5cm.

3. The method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The corn stalks mentioned in S102 are those that have been deseeded at the waxy maturity stage; the moisture content of the corn stalks is 65% to 70%; and the length of the crushed corn stalks is 2cm to 5cm.

4. The method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass fraction of marigold straw crushed material in the fermentation substrate described in S2 is 10% to 50%.

5. The method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mass fraction of marigold straw crushed material in the fermentation substrate described in S2 is 30%.

6. The method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water content of the fermentation substrate in S3 is 60% to 70%; the mass ratio of the compound microbial inoculum in S3 to the fermentation substrate in S2 is 1:1000.

7. The method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microbial content in the compound microbial solution described in S3 is: Lactobacillus ≥ 1.5 × 10⁻⁶. 7 CFU / mL, *Geotrichum candidum* ≥ 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ 5 CFU / mL, Bacillus subtilis ≥2.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Saccharomyces cerevisiae ≥1.0×10 6 CFU / mL, Geotrichum candidum ≥1.0×10 5 CFU / mL.

8. The method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass ratio of the fermentation adjuvant in S4 to the fermentation substrate in S2 is 4:1000; the fermentation adjuvant in S4 is composed of the following raw materials in the following mass fractions: 50% bentonite, 37.5% urea, and 12.5% ​​salt; the anaerobic fermentation time in S5 is 60 days.

9. A method for micro-storage of marigold straw and corn straw according to claim 1, characterized in that, The marigold and corn stalk silage described in S5 contains 36.88%–47.05% neutral detergent fiber, 10.42%–20.10% acid detergent fiber, 7.25%–9.99% crude fat, 8.15%–8.63% crude protein, 11.97%–14.23% crude ash, and 37.21%–38.40% dry matter.

10. An application of marigold straw and corn straw silage prepared by the method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The marigold and corn stalk silage feed is used to improve the intestinal health of ruminants.

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