Grape
pomace is one of the most abundant solid by-products generated during
winemaking. It holds significant relevance in terms of use in animal nutrition,
as many of the bioactive substances present in grapes, which have beneficial
functional properties and positive technical applications. This study aimed to
characterise the preservation of white grape pomace (WGP) through baled silage
under commercial-scale conditions over six months, with emphasis on its
potential application in ruminant feeding. Fermentation parameters, microbial
dynamics, nutrient composition, and antioxidant activity were monitored and
compared with untreated grape pomace. It was hypothesised that baled silage
would allow this winery by-product to retain its nutritional and sensory attributes
for at least six months, offering practical advantages over other ensiling
systems due to its lack of infrastructure requirements, strong compaction,
airtight sealing, and ease of handling. WGP from wineries under the PDO “Vino
de Alicante” was sampled at days 0, 7, 14, 35, 60, and 180, collecting
representative subsamples from both silage bales and untreated grape pomace.
Silage was produced using an Agronic MR 820 rotary baler, wrapped with netting
and layers of plastic film, while untreated pomace was stored in bulk under
Mediterranean environmental conditions. Results showed a marked increase in
lactic acid bacteria in silage (6.57 → 8.22 log₁₀ cfu/g FM, P < .05) and the
disappearance of Enterobacteriaceae and moulds after day 35, whereas untreated
grape pomace reached 8.07 and 8.50 log₁₀3 cfu/g FM, respectively (P < .001).
Lactic acid accumulation (26.02 g/kg DM) and stable pH (~4.0) confirmed
successful fermentation, contrasting with the pH rise to 8.42 in untreated
grape pomace (P < .05). Nutritional composition in silage remained stable
(DM ~441 g/kg; OM ~887 g/kg DM; CP ~109 g/kg DM; EE ~681 g/kg DM; NDF ~491 g/kg
DM), while untreated pomace deteriorated markedly. Bioactive properties were
preserved in silage, with total phenolics (~8–9 mg GAE/g DM) and antioxidant
activity (423–596 mg Trolox eq/g DM) remaining stable, whereas untreated pomace
declined to near-zero values by day 180 (P < .05). Overall, WGP silage
achieved fermentation stability by day 35 and remained stable for six months,
maintaining nutritional and bioactive quality. Baled silage proved to be an
effective and economically advantageous preservation strategy, supporting the
sustainable valorisation of winery by-products in ruminant feeding systems.
Author(s) Details
Marina Galvez-Lopez
Institute of
Agri-Food and Agro-Environmental Research (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández
University of Elche, Ctra. De Beniel, Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Spain.
Alfonso Navarro
Technical Support
Service for Teaching and Research (SATDI-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of
Elche, Ctra. De Beniel, Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Spain.
Raquel Muelas
Technical Support
Service for Teaching and Research (SATDI-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Ctra. De Beniel, Km 3.2, 03312
Orihuela, Spain.
Amparo Roca
Technical Support
Service for Teaching and Research (SATDI-UMH), Miguel Hernández University of
Elche, Ctra. De Beniel, Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Spain.
Cristófol Peris
Institut de Ciència
I Tecnologia Animal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camí de Vera, S/N,
46022 València, Spain.
Gema Romero
Institute of
Agri-Food and Agro-Environmental Research (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández
University of Elche, Ctra. De
Beniel, Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Spain.
José Ramón Díaz
Institute of
Agri-Food and Agro-Environmental Research (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández
University of Elche, Ctra. De Beniel, Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Spain.
Please see
the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/fsarh/v5/6883
