Fermentation Quality and Microbial Community of Corn Stover or Rice Straw Silage Mixed with Soybean Curd Residue

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Soybean curd residue (SCR) is a potential ruminant feed, offering a rich source of fiber, protein, and lipids. However, the excessively high water content of SCR may lead to difficulty in its storage. For ruminants, corn stover and rice straw are common sources of roughage, but these are often restricted because of their low digestibility. Mixed ensiling of SCR with corn stover (CS) or rice straw (RS) may provide a solution to the problem of the SCR being difficult to preserve. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical constituents, fermentation quality, and microbial community of CS or RS silage mixed with SCR. Such mixing with SCR increased the lactic acid and protein contents and decreased the pH value, the content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF), ammonia nitrogen concentration, and bacterial diversity in both CS and RS silage mixtures and improved their nutritional value and fermentation quality as well. ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to investigate the fermentation quality and microbial community of corn stover (CS) or rice straw (RS) silage mixed with soybean curd residue (SCR). In this study, SCR and CS or RS were mixed at ratios of 75:25, 70:30, and 65:35, respectively, and measured for nutrient content, fermentation indices, and bacterial diversity after 30 days of ensiling. The results showed an increase in lactic acid (LA) concentration (p < 0.01) and crude protein (CP) content (p < 0.0001), a decrease in pH value (p < 0.01), the content of NDF (p < 0.01) and ADF (p < 0.01), and ammonia nitrogen (AN) concentration (p < 0.01) as the proportion of SCR in raw materials (CS or RS) increased. The addition of SCR to silage led to a decrease in bacterial diversity and contributed to an increased relative abundance of beneficial microorganisms, such as Lactobacillus, and a corresponding decrease in the relative abundance of undesirable microorganisms, such as Clostridium and Enterobacter. Collectively, the mixed silage of soybean curd residue with corn stover or rice straw preserved more nutrients and helped improve fermentation quality.