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Objective This study ascertained effects of cactus pear in association with different roughage in the diet of F1 Holstein/Zebu cows on intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior and performance. Methods Eight cows with 72±11 days of lactation were used. The experimental design was simultaneous in two 4×4 Latin squares. Four experimental diets were used: Diet 1, sorghum silage as exclusive roughage; Diet 2, sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage (dry matter basis); Diet 3, elephant grass ( Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo) as exclusive roughage; Diet 4, elephant grass associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25. Results Dry matter intake (p = 0.01) was higher with sorghum silage. There were differences in dry matter intake (p = 0.01), crude protein (p<0.01), ether extract (p = 0.01), non-fibrous carbohydrates (p<0.01) and total digestible nutrients (p = 0.01) among the diets. Cactus pear in the diet reduced water intake by 44.52% (p<0.01). The nitrogen balance was 59.71% and 27.49% lower in animals treated with exclusive sorghum silage and sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in relation to diets with elephant grass and elephant grass associated with cactus pear, respectively (p<0.01). The diets did not influence the milk production (p = 0.70), 3.5% fat corrected milk production (p = 0.72) or feed efficiency (p = 0.61). Conclusion The association of cactus pear with sorghum or elephant grass silage does not alter milk production, reduces the intake of dry matter and water and improves the digestibility of nutrients.

The objective was to assess agronomic characteristics of sorghum genotypes and nutritional values of produced silage. A total of 15 sorghum genotypes were used. Planting was carried out through a randomized-block design with three replications per genotype, totaling forty-five (45) plots. Agronomic and nutritional characteristics, besides the quality of the silage, were assessed. There were differences between genotypes for all characteristics analyzed, with the exception of levels of acid detergent unavailable nitrogen (ADUN), acid detergent unavailable protein (ADUP) and water activity (aw). The assessment of the parameters, except for genotypes 1016013, 1016025, 1016037, 1016039, Volumax and BRS 610, which presented protein level below 7%, showed that the other genotypes can be used for silage production, since they have a good profile of fermentation and in vitro dry matter digestibility; however, genotype SF15 is the most favorable one for silage production due to its little participation in the neutral detergent fiber fraction.

RESUMO -Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos do processamento (inteira ou moída) e da inclusão de diferentes níveis de casca de café (0, 6, 12, 18 e 24% da matéria natural) sobre a composição químico-bromatológica, as características fermentativas e a digestibilidade in vitro da MS (DIVMS) de silagens de capim-elefante. A s variáveis foram analisadas em esquema fatorial 2 x 5, em delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições. O processamento e a inclusão de casca de café aumentaram os teores de MS das silagens, observando-se que a inclusão de casca inteira, em comparação à casca moída, proporcionou maior teor de MS. O processamento e os níveis de casca de café não influenciaram os teores de PB das silagens. Os níveis de casca de café tiveram efeito linear sobre os teores de FDN e FDA, ocasionando decréscimo de FDN e aumento de FDA. O processamento e os níveis de inclusão influenciaram os teores de lignina. Os níveis de casca de café, não o processamento, tiveram efeito quadrático sobre os teores de nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente neutro e ácido. Houve efeito da interação processamento × nível de inclusão sobre o pH, que sofreu efeito quadrático dos níveis de inclusão nos dois processamentos. Verificou-se efeito linear dos níveis de casca de café sobre os valores de nitrogênio amoniacal, que diminuíram conforme aumentaram os níveis de inclusão, sendo menores para a casca moída. A DIVMS sofreu efeito quadrático dos níveis de inclusão, sendo inferior na silagem com casca inteira em comparação à casca moída. A casca de café foi eficiente como aditivo absorvente nas silagens e, apesar de não ter melhorado as características bromatológicas das silagens, pode ser utilizada inteira ou moída, em proporções de até 12%, para melhorar as características fermentativas da silagem.Palavras-chave: aditivo absorvente, ensilagem, processamento, valor nutritivo Chemical composition of elephant grass silages as affected by coffee hulls addition levelsABSTRACT -The experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of processing (whole or ground) and the inclusion level of coffee hulls, (0; 6; 12; 18 and 24%; fresh matter basis) on the chemical-bromatological composition, fermentation characteristic and in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) of the elephantgrass silages. The variables were analyzed as a 2 x 5 factorial arrangement (processing and level of inclusion), distributed in a complete randomized experimental design with three replications. Processing and level of inclusion increased DM concentration and did not influence the crude protein concentration of silages. Linear effect of the inclusions level on NDF and ADF was observed, with decrease of NDF and increase of ADF. Processing and level of inclusions influenced the lignin concentration. Quadratic effect of inclusions level was observed for neutral and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen concentration. There was an interaction between processing and level of inclusions on pH. A quadratic effect of the inclusion level on the two processing forms was observed. Linea...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of wilting times and application of an enzymatic-bacterial inoculant on the fermentative profile and nutritional characteristics of BRS capiaçu grass silage in a semi-arid region. Four wilting times treatments (control, 6, 24, and 30 h), with or without the addition of an enzymatic-bacterial inoculant, were analyzed as a split-plot completely randomized design with eight replications. Parameters of the rumen degradability test were analyzed using a split-plot completely randomized block design with four replications. There was no interaction between wilting times and inoculant application on pH, ammoniacal nitrogen (NH 3 -N), and aerobic stability of BRS capiaçu silage. Aerobic stability was reduced by 1.2 h for every 1-h increase in wilting time. Inoculant application reduced the pH values by 2.59% and extended the aerobic stability of the silage by 19 h. There was a significant interaction of wilting times and inoculant application on the levels of malic, succinic, lactic, and acetic acids. Inoculant application increased the contents of dry matter, ash, crude protein, insoluble neutral detergent fiber, and total carbohydrates by 3. 63, 6.13, 7.73, 6.39, and 9.97% compared with non-inoculated silages, respectively. Wilting times for up to 30 h and application of enzymatic-bacterial inoculant improves the fermentative profile and chemical composition and reduces dry matter losses of silage of BRS capiaçu grass harvested at 100 days of regrowth.