Evaluation of dry matter losses, fermentation profile, nutritive value and animal performance in Palisade and Tanzania grass silages treated with microbial and chemical additives and with moisture absorbents sources

Author(s)

José Leonardo Ribeiro

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
• Defense date: 2007-06-20

Examining board members

Luiz Gustavo Nussio; Antonio Fernando Bergamaschine; Fabio Prudencio de Campos; Ciniro Costa; Carlos Guilherme Silveira Pedreira

• Advisor: Luiz Gustavo Nussio

Abstract

The objective of this trial was to investigate the effects of wilting, moisture absorbents sources and chemical or microbial additives on dry matter losses, fermentation profile, physical parameters, aerobic stability and nutritive value of Palisadegrass silages. The feeding value was also evaluated in beef cattle fed Tanzania and Palisade silages based diets. The chapter 3 investigated the effects of wilting, addition of citrus pulp or inoculation with bacterial additive on the nutritive value and fermentation profile of Palisadegrass silages. In the chapter 4, the objective was to evaluate dry matter losses, physical parameters and aerobic stability of those silages. In the chapter 5, the same variables were evaluated, however, the Palisadegrass silages were ensiled with citrus pulp, soybeans husk or with chemical or microbial additives. In all chapters, the forage was ensiled in 20 L experimental silos and the nutritive value, fermentation profile and dry matter losses were determined. The chapter 6 evaluated the feeding value and the feed out losses of Palisade and Tanzania grass silages ensiled with or without formic acid based additives. The wilting process was the most effective in increasing the dry matter content and, reducing both the effluent production and the gaseous losses of silages harvested in the summer season. However, this process was ineffective in altering the IVTDMD and resulted in higher field losses. The use of citrus pulp at the time of ensiling increased the IVTDMD and reduced the ammonia-N and C4 content of silages harvested in both year seasons. The addition of 7.5% of citrus pulp also increased the aerobic stability and reduced both the effluent and gaseous production, resulting in silages with higher dry matter recovery rates. The use of either 10% of citrus pulp or soybean husk showed a similar trend, improving the fermentation profile, increasing the IVTOMD and reducing the dry matter losses. The use of the additive containing two bacterial strains, acting in different steps of the ensiling process, reduced the gaseous losses and improved the IVTOMD of the silages. These benefits, however, were not observed in the chapter 3 and 4 probably due to the lack of different bacterial strains and the low levels of fermentable substrates. The sodium benzoate was ineffective in altering the IVTOMD and did not reduce the gaseous losses. The benefits observed in the acid formic treated silages were also observed in the chapter 6, however, these silages were ineffective in improving the animal performance and reducing the feed out losses. (AU)