Effects of Storage Type and Inclusion of Sodium Propionate on Microbial Profile of Feed Ingredients Commonly Used in Pig Diets

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of storage type and inclusion of antifungal agent (sodium propionate) on microbial profile of feed ingredients commonly used in pig diets. Total of six feed ingredients (corn, wheat, soybean meal (SBM), corn DDGS, fish meal and poultry by-products) were stored in granary or feed bin with or without antifungal agent (0.30% sodium propionate) for 8 weeks period and microbial profile were investigated at the beginning of the experiment (week 0) and at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of storage. At the beginning of the experiment, microbial profile of all feed ingredients were not different (pu003e0.05) among ingredients stored in granary or feed bin with or without sodium propionate. Irrespective of storage type and addition of sodium propionate, salmonella was not detected in any of all feed ingredient during 8 weeks of storage period. Inclusion of sodium propionate reduced (p 0.05) on populations of staphylococci, clostridia, coliforms, total bacterial count, yeast and mold counts during any storage period. The results obtained in the present study indicated that microbial profile of feed ingredients was not affected by storage type (granary vs. feed bin), but the inclusion of sodium propionate improved the microbial profile of all feed ingredients commonly used in pig diets.