ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate natamycin, Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), or their combination on the chemical composition, loss, fermentative profile, and aerobic stability as well as gas production and composition of sugarcane silages. The treatments were (wet basis): no additive (control), 10 g t−1 of natamycin (N10), 5 × 104 cfu g−1 of LB, and the combination of 4 g t−1 of natamycin and 2.5 × 104 cfu g−1 of LB (NLB). Sugarcane was chopped (10 mm), treated with the additives, and ensiled in experimental silos (four replicates). The silos remained stored for 51 days. The LB inoculation, alone or in combination with natamycin, increased the acetic acid content (by 105 and 78% respectively) and decreased ethanol content (by 83 and 71% respectively) when compared to N10 treatment and the control. A decrease in both dry matter and gas losses was observed in the LB (by 72 and 78%, respectively) and N10 (by 69 and 77%, respectively) silages compared with the control, but not the combination. The N10 treatment reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission by 86% compared with the control silage. Control and N10 silages deteriorated to the same extent with aerobic exposure, whereas LB and NLB presented higher aerobic stability. The use of natamycin alone is not recommended when ethanol and aerobic stability are concerns. However, natamycin may be considered for the composition of blend additives to decrease greenhouse gas emission and fermentative loss in silages. Further studies must be carried out to optimize doses of natamycin in blend additives.

Resumo Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar as características produtivas e nutricionais de diferentes cultivares de aveia (Avena spp.),visando à produção de silagem. Os tratamentos foram constituídos dos cultivares de aveia branca IPR 126 (Avena sativa), Agrocoxilha, e IPR Cabocla (Avena strigosa), bem como das cultivares BRS Madrugada e BRS Centauro (Avena vertis). As forragens foram colhidas e ensiladas quando atingiram o estádio fenológico de grão pastoso/farináceo. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, com cinco tratamentos e três repetições por tratamento. O cultivar Cabocla apresentou os maiores teores de matéria seca (antes e após a abertura dos silos) e maior digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca no momento de ensilagem. Após a ensilagem não foram observadas diferenças para a digestibilidade in vitro e perdas de matéria seca entre os tratamentos. Contudo, após correção dos respectivos valores para perdas de matéria seca na ensilagem e digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca, observou-se maior produção de matéria seca digestível (kg ha-1) para o cultivar Centauro.

Abstract This study evaluated dry matter yield and nutritional characteristics of different oat genotypes (Avena spp.) for ensiling. Treatments consisted of genotypes of white oat IPR 126 (Avena sativa), black oat Cabocla IPR and Agrocoxilha (Avena strigosa), and BRS Madrugada and BRS Centauro (Avena vertis). Oats were harvested at the phenological stage of milk/dough grain. The design was a completely randomized block scheme, with five treatments and three replications per treatment. The IPR Cabocla genotype showed the highest dry matter content (before and after silo opening) and in vitro dry matter digestibility of fresh forage. No differences were observed for in vitro dry matter digestibility and dry matter losses among silages. The highest silage digestible dry matter yield (kg ha-1) was observed for the BRS Centauro genotype. Thus, despite the better nutritional quality presented by the IPR Cabocla genotype before ensiling, BRS Centauro genotype presented a higher yield of digestible dry matter per hectare.

ABSTRACT We ensiled different levels of okara and ground corn to evaluate the effects on the fermentative pattern, aerobic stability, and chemical composition of resulting silages. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replicates per treatment. The okara levels were (dry matter basis): control (without okara) and 200, 300, 400, and 500 g kg−1 okara, with four replicates per treatment. Control silage did not contain okara, but water was added to adjust the moisture content (400 g kg−1 as fed). Mixtures were ensiled in lab-scale silos and stored for 150 days. Compared with the control silage, okara inclusion linearly increased crude protein (from 89.1 to 251 g kg−1 DM), ether extract (from 39.6 to 136 g kg−1 DM), neutral detergent fiber (from 79.9 to 174 g kg−1 DM), acid detergent fiber (from 22.4 to 119 g kg−1 DM), and ash (from 12.2 to 32.4 g kg−1 DM), whereas decreased dry matter content and in vitro dry matter digestibility (from 830 to 730 g kg−1 DM). The use of okara linearly increased lactic acid concentration but also intensified secondary fermentation. On the other hand, aerobic stability of silages increased due to okara inclusion because of the higher amount of short-chain fatty acids, such as butyric and acetic acids, which accumulated during fermentation. Okara inclusion in corn grain silage must be conditioned to the dry matter content at ensiling, but must not exceed 200 g kg−1 on dry matter basis.

ABSTRACT Our objective was to determine the effects of maturity and storage length on the fermentation pattern, ruminal disappearance of nutrients, and recovery of digestible nutrients in flint corn (Zea mays L.) silage harvested with a pull-type machine without a kernel processor. Corn plants were harvested at 300 g kg−1 DM (low dry matter, LDM) or 400 g kg−1 DM (high dry matter, HDM) and stored for 0, 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 d in laboratory silos. Corn harvested at HDM had a higher proportion of long particles (>19 mm), more intact kernels, and lower kernel processing score. There was an interaction between maturity and storage length for several fermentation end-products, DM recovery, ruminal disappearance of nutrients, and recovery of digestible DM. Overall, the concentrations of fermentation end-products were higher in LDM than in HDM silage. The DM recovery decreased over time, mainly for LDM silage. Ruminal disappearance of nutrients (starch, CP, and DM) increased with storage length, with greater values for LDM silage at shorter storage, but closer values among LDM and HDM at longer storage periods. The recovery of digestible DM (DM recovery × ruminal disappearance) slightly increased in LDM silage up to 26 d of fermentation, but it markedly increased in HDM silage, mainly up to 60 d of storage. Storing for longer periods is a strategy to partially offset the negative impact of maturity on the digestibility of flint corn silage harvested with pull-type machines without kernel processor.

Objetivou-se avaliar a ingestão de matéria seca, ganho de peso diário, conversão alimentar, digestibilidade e as características da carcaça de novilhos alimentados com dietas à base de silagens de dois híbridos de milho. Os tratamentos foram as silagens de milho provenientes dos híbridos LG6030 PRO e P30B39H. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com seis repetições, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas no tempo, em três períodos de avaliação. Animais alimentados com a silagem de milho LG6030 PRO tiveram maior (P<0,05) ganho médio de peso e melhor conversão alimentar. O tipo de silagem não alterou (P>0,05) a ingestão de matéria seca, ganho médio de carcaça e ganho de carcaça no período de terminação. Contudo, com o hibrido LG 6030 PRO houve melhor eficiência de transformação da matéria seca consumida em carcaça, apesar de menor eficiência de transformação do ganho de peso em carcaça (73,7 contra 76,9%) comparativamente com a dieta com silagem de P30B39H. Além disso, a digestibilidade aparente foi maior (P<0,05) para silagem de milho do híbrido LG6030 PRO, obtendo eficiência de digestão 3,4% superior. Os componentes de rendimento não integrantes da carcaça não foram alterados em função das variações dietéticas das silagens avaliadas. Sendo assim, recomenda-se o híbrido LG6030 PRO para produção de silagem.

This work aimed to evaluate the dry matter consumption, daily weight gain, feed conversion, digestibility and carcass characteristics of confined steers fed with silages from different corn hybrids. The treatments were the silages from the hybrids LG6030 PRO and P30B39H. The experimental design was totally randomized, with 6 repetitions, in a split-plot scheme, in three evaluation periods. Animals fed with silage from hybrid LG6030 PRO showed a higher daily weight gain and better food conversion. The silage type did not alter (P>0.05) dry matter consumption, average carcass gain and carcass gain during the finishing period. However, the hybrid LG6030 PRO improved the efficiency transformation of consumed dry matter into carcass, despite the decrease of efficiency of transformation of weight gain into carcass (73,7 vs 76.9%) comparatively to animals fed with P30B39H silage. Diets containing the hybrid LG6030 PRO reflected in an increase of 3.4% of apparent digestibility. There were no differences of non-carcass components yield between the treatments in this experiment. It is recommended LG6030 PRO for silage production.

ABSTRACT We aimed to evaluate the effects of glyphosate as a chemical desiccant on the nutritional quality, fermentation pattern, and aerobic stability of wilted black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) silage. Black oat sowing occurred in the first fortnight of May 2013. Desiccant application took place when oat reached milky/dough grain stage (96 days after planting). Glyphosate dosages evaluated were 0, 500, 750, 1000, and 1250 mL ha−1. Three days after desiccation, all treatments were ensiled, and the silos were kept stored for 150 days. A completely randomized design was used, and all statistical procedures were performed by means of Bayesian Inference. Treating herbage prior to ensiling from 500 mL ha−1 glyphosate increased dry matter and organic matter contents compared with control. On the other hand, fiber content decreased linearly for desiccated silages, as shown by the negative slopes for neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and cellulose. The highest concentrations of hemicellulose and neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen occurred for the dosages of 729.96 mL ha−1 and 759.52 mL ha−1 glyphosate, respectively. Wilted silage had less concentration of acetic acid and isovaleric acid and presented a higher amount of 2,3-butanediol. Due to the lack of beneficial short-chain fatty acids, treated silages had a higher organic matter loss (0.1 g mL−1) and reached a maximum pH (0.009 h mL−1) more quickly than control silage, after aerobic exposure. In this way, for wilted black oat silage production, harvested at milky/dough grain stage, the application of 500 mL ha−1 glyphosate is recommended.

Resumo Objetivou-se com este ensaio observar a influência da altura de corte da planta de milho, associada ou não a um inoculante enzimo-bacteriano, sobre a composição químico-bromatológica e digestibilidade das silagens avaliadas em ovinos. Os tratamentos foram silagens de milho colhidas a 20 e 40 centímetros acima do nível do solo, com ou sem inoculante. Utilizou-se como inoculante o aditivo Maize-All®. As variáveis analisadas na silagem foram pH, matéria seca, matéria orgânica, proteína bruta, extrato etéreo, fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, hemicelulose, celulose, lignina e carboidratos não fibrosos. No ensaio de digestibilidade, avaliou-se a digestibilidade aparente da MS, MO, PB, EE, FDN, FDA, Hem e CNF. Observou-se com a elevação da altura de corte redução na concentração de lignina, o milho colhido a 20 cm apresentou uma concentração superior ao colhido a 40 cm, verificando-se concentrações de 84,0 g. kg-1 MS e 69,3 g. kg-1 MS, respectivamente, não havendo efeito da inoculação. Não foi observado efeito significativo dos tratamentos sobre as digestibilidades. A elevação da altura de corte apresentou alteração apenas nas concentrações de lignina. No entanto, essa redução de lignina não influenciou nas digestibilidades e consequentemente não alterou as concentrações de NDT.

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to observe the influence of the height of corn plant cutting, associated or not with an enzyme-bacterial inoculant or not, on the chemical composition and digestibility of the silage in sheep. The cut heights were 20 and 40 centimeters above the soil. The additive inoculant was Maize-All®. We analyzed on silage: pH; dry matter; organic matter; crude protein; ether extract; neutral detergent fiber; acid detergent fiber; hemicellulose; cellulose; lignin; and non-fibrous carbohydrates. At the digestibility trial we evaluated apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE, NDF, ADF, Hem, Cel and NCF. We observed that a high cut reduced lignin value. The corn silage harvested at 20 cm had 84.0 g. kg-1 DM of lignin, higher value than the corn silage harvested at 40 cm (69.3 g. kg-1 MS), and there was no effect of inoculation. There were no differences among treatments at the digestibility trial. The cutting height reduced just lignin concentration. However, this lignin reduction did not affect digestibility and hence it did not affect the TDN concentration.

Resumo Objetivou-se avaliar a influência do método de secagem sobre a composição nutricional de diferentes volumosos. Foram utilizadas quatro gramíneas (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, Urochloa brizantha cv. MG4, Cynodon dactylon cv. Coastcross e Panicum maximum cv. Áries), uma leguminosa forrageira, o estilosante (Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande) e duas silagens (Zea mays e Triticum aestivum cv. BRS Umbu). Os métodos de secagem se basearam no uso da estufa de ventilação forçada e de forno de micro-ondas. O delineamento estatístico utilizado foi um arranjo fatorial 2 x 8 (2 métodos de secagem e 8 volumosos) com 4 repetições. O método de secagem não influenciou o conteúdo de matéria seca das forragens. A secagem em forno micro-ondas elevou os teores de fibra em detergente neutro nos volumosos avaliados. Houve interação entre o método de secagem e tipo de forragem avaliada, com relação à proteína bruta (estilosante), extrato etéreo (MG4, estilosante e Áries) e nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente neutro (Coastcross, MG4, Marandu e estilosante). O forno de micro-ondas pode ser utilizado como instrumento para obtenção da matéria seca em alimentos volumosos, porém, a técnica pode afetar a composição da forragem avaliada.

Abstract It was aimed determinate the influence of drying methods on nutritional composition of different roughages. The experimental material were four grass species (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, Urochloa brizantha cv. MG4, Cynodon dactylon cv. Coastcross e Panicum maximum cv. Áries), one forage legume (Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande) and two silages (Zea mays e Triticum aestivum cv. BRS Umbu). The drying methods were based on use of forced air oven or microwave oven. The experimental design were a 2 x 8 factorial arrangement (2 drying methods and 8 roughages) with 4 repetitions. There was no effect of drying method on roughages dry matter content. Microwave oven drying increased neutral detergent fiber. There was an interaction between drying method and evaluated roughage. Increased contents of crude protein (estilosante), neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen (Coastcross, MG4, Marandu e estilosante) and ether extract (MG4, estilosante e Áries) were observed when roughages were dried using microwave oven. The microwave oven usage is an alternative to obtain the dry matter content of roughages; however this technic may affect the sample composition.