The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different wet grain preservation methods on the concentrations of b-carotene, xanthophyll, a-tocopherol (α-T), b-tocopherol (β-T), g-tocopherol (g-T) and d-tocopherol (d-T). Wet oat, triticale, barley and maize grain was dried at temperatures of 60⁰C or 110⁰C and ensiled without additives or with 0.5% addition of propionic acid (+PA) or formic acid (+FA). Dried and ensiled maize grain had a higher content of β-carotene, xanthophyll, α-T, β-T, g-T, d-T, total tocopherols and vitamin E equivalent (Vit. EEq) than dried and ensiled oat, triticale and barley grain (P£0.01). In dried cereal grain, the average losses of β-carotene, xanthophyll, α-T, β-T, g-T, d-T, total tocopherols and Vit. EEq were 57, 35, 84, 65, 67, 52, 74 and 81%, respectively, compared with their concentrations in wet grain ("0"). The content of xanthophyll, total tocopherols and Vit. EEq in grain decreased with an increase in drying temperature (P£0.01). In ensiled cereal grain, the average losses of β-carotene, xanthophyll, α-T, β- T, g-T, d-T, total tocopherols and Vit. EEq were 52, 30, 83 50, 78, 63, 75 and 79%, respectively. Additives +PA and +FA affected only the β-T content (P£0.01) of cereal silage. Grain drying resulted in greater losses of β-carotene, xanthophyll, a-T, b-T and Vit. EEq, whereas ensiling led to greater losses of g-T, d-T and total tocopherols. Dried triticale grain was characterized by greater losses of β-carotene, a-T, d-T and total tocopherols, and ensiled oat grain was characterized by greater losses of a-T, g-T, total tocopherol and Vit. EEq relative to the corresponding samples of dried and ensiled grain of the remaining cereal species.

26.3.2021