A data-analysis on the conservation and nutritive value of sugarcane silage treated with calcium oxide

Effect of days postburning and calcium oxide on the fermentation, aerobic stability and nutritional characteristics of sugarcane silage for finishing Nellore steers

“…Therefore, the lower growth and activity of yeasts in CaO‐treated silages might be supported by the antimicrobial activity of hydroxyl ions released from calcium hydroxide, as hypothesized by Jacovaci et al. (). A study confirmed that sugarcane silage treated with CaO had lower yeast population compared with the untreated silage (Carvalho, Ávila, Pinto, & Schwan, ).…”

“…As expected, after 60 days of ensiling, CaO application consistently yielded silages with higher pH than that of untreated silages. This response is typically observed in sugarcane silages treated with CaO because of its strongly alkaline nature (Jacovaci et al., ). The CaO can break linkages between lignin and hemicellulose (Klopfenstein, ) and preserve higher amount of nonfibre carbohydrates (NFCs) in the treated sugarcane silages (Jacovaci et al., ).…”

“…Moreover, beyond the negative effect of CaO on yeast growth, the higher DM recovery reported in the CaO‐treated sugarcane silages might also be associated with increases in lactic acid concentration. Although lactic acid was not measured in this study, a meta‐analytical study showed that CaO treatment of sugarcane silage might increase lactic acid concentration (Jacovaci et al., ). However, the expected effect of burning silage on lactic acid concentration is unknown, as the studies examining burned sugarcane silages did not measure it yet; further studies assessing burning sugarcane should consider analysing lactic acid.…”

“…Unlike in the minisilos, CaO did not produce obvious differences in the acetic acid concentration of burned silages ensiled in horizontal silos, but butyric acid concentration tended to increase following treatment with CaO. The increased butyric acid concentration in the CaO‐treated silages probably arises from increases in the clostridia population (Jacovaci et al., ). Sugarcane silage treated with CaO had higher counts of Clostridium spp.…”

“…However, sugarcane ensiling might result in large DM losses (on average, 250 g/kg) owing to alcoholic fermentation caused by yeast growth (Kung & Stanley, ; Rabelo, Mari, & Reis, ). Thus, antifungal additives are required for sugarcane ensiling; of these, micronized lime (calcium oxide, CaO) is known to decrease DM losses (Jacovaci, Jobim, Schmidt, Nussio, & Daniel, ), with additional improvements in silage digestibility (Siqueira et al., ). Data from previous studies suggest that CaO might also have positive effects on the quality of burned sugarcane silages (Roth et al., ; Siqueira et al., ), although some researchers are critical about its utilization for sugarcane silage because CaO could favour clostridia growth (Carvalho, Ávila, Pinto, Pereira, & Schwan, ).…”