Is it true that the more mycelium grows in the middle layer of a fermentation bed, the better the effect?

In the practice of raising pigs on fermentation beds, it is often possible to observe microbial mycelium in the middle layer of the fermentation bed, that is,20 cmbelow that level. Some users believe that only the more mycelium grows, the better the effect of the fermentation bed. Farmers naturally have their reasons for thinking this way: because the more mycelium grows, the richer the microorganisms are, and the manure has all been converted into microbial cell protein, so when pigs eat this mycelium, it naturally saves more feed, and so on.

As the saying goes, "Laymen watch the excitement, experts watch the trick." In the eyes of farmers, microorganisms are mycelium, visible to the naked eye and truly tangible; but in the eyes of microbiology experts, it is not entirely like this, or rather, it is exactly the opposite: it is not that the more mycelium in the fermentation bed, the better. Too much mycelium is instead a bad phenomenon, a sign of degradation of the fermentation bed's function, and it causes rapid decomposition of the bedding material, requiring constant replenishment of bedding and increasing costs. Its function of decomposing manure is not the best either.

There are many kinds of microorganisms. Simply put, four major categories are commonly used, namely bacteria, actinomycetes, yeasts, and fungi. The ones that truly produce mycelium are only fungi, actinomycetes, and a small number of yeasts (such as Trichosporon cutaneum, Endomycopsis fibuligera, Candida, etc.). But you cannot say that bacteria and yeasts that do not grow mycelium are not cell protein.

The microbial strains in Huoli 99 fermentation agent contain relatively few actinomycetes and fungi, so the mycelium grown in a fermentation bed made with Huoli 99 is relatively somewhat less, but the microbial flora is rich, and the nutrients are more easily absorbed (in the later stage of use of the fermentation bed, there will be more and more, that is, the longer the use time, the more the mycelium in the fermentation bed will gradually increase; this is the result of accumulation during long-term use. After all, the fermentation bed is mainly an aerobic environment with not much moisture, which is favorable for fungal growth).

Although there is not much mycelium in the early stage, the fermentation bed made with Huoli 99 fermentation agent actually has a stronger function of decomposing manure, the pig house smells better, and more and better microbial cell protein is produced, which is more conducive to the pig's digestion and absorption. Why is this?

Because in Huoli 99 fermentation agent, the decomposition of manure and the production of microbial cell protein rely more on bacteria, yeasts, and a small amount of actinomycetes. Bacteria only produce colonies, not visible mycelium. Among yeasts, only ones such as Trichosporon cutaneum, Endomycopsis fibuligera, and Candida produce a little mycelium. At the same time, the Geotrichum candidum in Huoli 99 also produces a little mycelium, and a small amount of actinomycetes also produces a little mycelium. Therefore, overall, the fermentation bed made with Huoli 99 does not produce much mycelium.

But you cannot say that bacteria are not cell protein, and that only visible mycelium is cell protein! On the contrary, bacteria and yeasts have more advantages as protein, and it is often these invisible bacteria and yeasts that are the outstanding ones among cell proteins.

The protein content of bacteria is above 60%, the protein content of yeasts is above 50%, and the protein content of fungi (such as molds) and actinomycetes is between 40 and 50%. Therefore, in terms of protein content: bacteria > yeasts > fungi and actinomycetes.

In terms of the thickness and texture of the cell wall, fungi and actinomycetes have the thickest cell walls and are the most difficult to digest, while bacteria have the thinnest and the best permeability, and are the easiest to digest. Therefore, in terms of digestion and absorption, the digestibility and absorption rate of bacterial cell protein is the best. So in terms of digestibility, the order is also: bacteria > yeasts > fungi and actinomycetes.

In terms of protein quality, bacteria have the highest content of essential amino acids, such as lysine, methionine, and tryptophan, followed by yeasts. Therefore, in terms of protein quality, the order is still: bacteria > yeasts > fungi and actinomycetes.

Judging from the strains used in industrialized production of microbial cell protein at home and abroad, bacteria and yeasts are also mostly used to produce microbial cell protein, and it is rarely said that molds are used to produce microbial cell protein.

Therefore, in summary, which microbial cell protein is the best is clear at a glance. It is not that the cell protein of fungi that produce visible mycelium is the best.

A fermentation bed that produces a large amount of mycelium does not necessarily have the best function of decomposing manure.

Why is this? It is very simple: such a fermentation bed lacks cooperation among microorganisms. If the material layer is covered with mycelium, then this is a very domineering, exclusive growth mode, basically excluding the growth of other microorganisms (at least in the layer where dense mycelium is produced). Therefore, in this material layer there are only one or several kinds of microorganisms with similar functions that produce mycelium (such as actinomycetes, fungi, etc.). But we know that decomposing and assimilating manure is not the specialty of fungi. Assimilating small-molecule components in manure such as ammonia nitrogen and uric acid is often the specialty of bacteria, and of course also actinomycetes. In the final analysis, this requires division of labor and cooperation among various microorganisms, that is, forming a strong microecological balance environment, in order to most effectively decompose manure and assimilate the components in manure, and produce the most microbial cell protein. For example, bacteria mainly assimilate small-molecule nutrients in manure and synthesize their own cell protein; fungi and actinomycetes decompose a small amount of macromolecular substances (decomposing macromolecular substances such as starch, crude fiber, and protein is the specialty of fungi) and produce a small amount of organic nutrients to supply bacteria for use. Of course, under aerobic conditions, they can also assimilate some manure components. The role of yeasts is at an intermediate level, that is, they mainly secrete growth factors such as special vitamins, purines and pyrimidines, etc., to supply what bacteria need for growth and promote bacterial reproduction and growth. At the same time, yeasts themselves also have a relatively strong function of assimilating small-molecule substances in manure.