Fermentation losses of cactus silages with elephant grass

Rodrigo  da Silva Santos; João Virgínio Emerenciano Neto; Breno Ramon  de Souza Bonfim; Uesdra Lucas  Fônseca dos Santos; Arquinor  Conceição Rodrigues; Fábio  Nunes Lista; Gelson  dos Santos Difante; Jéssica Daisy  do Vale Bezerra

doi:10.56890/jpacd.v22i.345

Authors

Rodrigo da Silva Santos Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil.
João Virgínio Emerenciano Neto 1. Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil; 2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal-UNIVASF.
Breno Ramon de Souza Bonfim 1 Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil.
Uesdra Lucas Fônseca dos Santos 1 Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil. 2 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal-UNIVASF.
Arquinor Conceição Rodrigues 1 Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil
Fábio Nunes Lista 1 Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil.
Gelson dos Santos Difante 3 Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
Jéssica Daisy do Vale Bezerra 1 Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil. 2 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal-UNIVASF.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56890/jpacd.v22i.345

Keywords:

Fermentation profile, Opuntia ficus-indica, Pennisetum purpureum, pH

Abstract

This study proposes to evaluate fermentation losses and dry matter recovery rate in cactus silages with elephant grass. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with eight replicates. Treatments consisted of cactus silages with increasing levels of elephant grass (10, 20, 30 and 40 % on a fresh-weight basis). The material was ensiled in experimental PVC tubes and was evaluated after 200 days of fermentation. The inclusion of elephant grass in the silage did not influence its pH (4.55), effluent losses (77.78 kg/t of fresh matter) or dry matter recovery rate (69.03 %), but induced a linear increase in dry matter content (from 8.33 to 14.80 %) and a decrease in gas losses (from 30.33 to 17.20 %). The addition of up to 40 % elephant grass improves the fermentation profile of cactus silage.