Evaluation of the silage of high-moisture corn grain

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os efeitos de diferentes porcentagens do sabugo (0, 5, 10 e 20%) na matéria verde (MV) e de quatro períodos de amostragem (zero, dois, quatro e seis dias após a abertura dos silos) sobre a qualidade da silagem de grãos úmidos de milho (Zea mays L.). O arranjo fatorial 5 x 4 foi estudado segundo delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições. Não houve efeito do período de amostragem sobre as variáveis estudadas. A capacidade-tampão e o pH não foram afetados pela presença do sabugo, e o teor de carboidratos solúveis e N amoniacal aumentaram em até 1,2 e 1,89 unidade percentual, respectivamente, em relação à silagem exclusiva de grãos de milho. O aumento na porcentagem de sabugo reduziu os teores de matéria seca (MS) (de 63,9% para 58,6%), proteína bruta (PB) (de 10,0% para 7,3%), extrato etéreo (EE) (de 4,87% para 3,92%) e os valores da digestibilidade in vitro de matéria seca (DIVMS) (de 90,5% para 79,1%) das silagens, e aumentou os teores da fibra em detergente ácido (FDA) (de 3,3% para 12,9%) e da fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) (de 15,16% para 26,1%). Os valores de energia bruta (EB) não foram afetados (P>0,01) pela presença do sabugo nas silagens.This work had the objective of evaluating the effects of different percentages of com (Zea mays L.) cob on the quality of the silage of high-moisture corn grains. The following treatments were studied: percentages of corn cob in the silage (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%); period of sampling after opening the silos (zero, two, four and six days). The factorial arrangement 5 x 4 was studied according to a completely randomized block design with three replications. The variables studied were not affected by the sampling period. The buffering capacity and the pH were not affected by the cob, while the percent soluble carbohydrates and amoniacal nitrogen increasing until 1.2 and 1.89 unit percent, respectively. Increasing the amount of corn cobs reduced the contents of DM (from 63.9% to 58.6%), CP (from 10.0% to 7.3%), EE (from 4.87% to 3.92%) and the values of DMIVD (from 90.5% to 79.1%) in the silages and increasing the contents of acid detergente fiber (ADF) (from 3.3% to 12.9%) and neutral detergente fiber (NDF) (from 15.16% to 26.1%). The values of brute energy (BE) were not affected (P>0.01) by the cob corn in the silage

Sward characteristics and herbage accumulation of Tanzania grass submitted to sward heights

O objetivo deste experimento foi avaliar alturas de manejo do pasto (20, 40, 60 e 80 cm) em capimtanzânia (Panicum maximum Jacq.), em regime de lotação contínua, nas características do dossel e acúmulo dematéria seca. Os animais utilizados foram novilhos Nelore (Bos indicus), e a taxa de lotação foi variável. Foram avaliados: a massa de forragem, a massa de lâmina de folha verde, a razão folha:colmo, a composição morfológica e a taxa de acúmulo de matéria seca. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com duas repetições.A massa de forragem aumentou linearmente com o aumento da altura do pasto. As médias de massa de forragem foram 2.767, 3.105, 3.657 e 4.436 kg ha-1, respectivamente, para as alturas de 20, 40, 60 e 80 cm. As taxas de acúmulo de matéria seca, a 20, 40, 60 e 80 cm, foram, respectivamente, 104, 108, 90 e 81 kg ha-1 por dia, o que indicaque houve redução dessas taxas com a elevação da altura do pasto. A razão folha:colmo decresceu linearmente com o aumento da altura do pasto. Pastagens de capim-tanzânia, sob lotação contínua ao final da primavera e durante o verão, devem ser utilizadas entre 40 e 60 cm de altura.The objective of this experiment was to evaluate different sward height (20, 40, 60 e 80 cm) in Tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) pastures managed under continuous stocking. The animals used were Nellore steers, and the control of sward height was done with put-and-take techniques. Evaluations were made for: forage mass, green leaf mass, leaf:stem ratio, morphological composition and dry matter accumulation rate. The experimental design was completely randomized with two replications. Forage mass increased linearly withsward height with overall mean of 2,767, 3,105, 3,657 and 4,436 kg ha-1 at sward heights 20, 40, 60 and 80 cm, respectively. Rates of dry matter accumulation decreased with increasing sward heights and were 104, 108, 90 and 81 kg ha-1 per day for sward heights 20, 40, 60 and 80 cm, respectively. Leaf:stem ratio decreased linearly with sward heights. Tanzania grass pastures, under continuous stocking, should be managed between 40 and 60 cm heights in the final of spring and during summer station

Quality of corn grain silage added with soybean, sunflower or urea

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a composição química e a estabilidade em aerobiose de silagens de grãos de milho, ensilados com adição de soja crua, girassol ou uréia. Em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições, foram avaliados os tratamentos: grãos de milho; grãos de milho mais grãos de soja; grãos de milho mais grãos de girassol; e grãos de milho mais uréia. Foram utilizados, como silos experimentais, tonéis de plástico com capacidade para 200 kg, que permaneceram vedados por nove meses. Avaliaram-se: a composição química, a degradabilidade ruminal da matéria seca e da proteína bruta, o desaparecimento do amido no rúmen e a estabilidade aeróbia das silagens. Todos os tratamentos tiveram efeito sobre a degradabilidade efetiva da matéria seca e da proteína bruta, e também sobre a composição química das silagens, especialmente nos teores de proteína bruta e extrato etéreo. A adição de 20% de grãos de soja, de girassol ou uréia (1%), na silagem de grãos de milho, melhora sua composição químico-bromatológica, porém reduz a degradabilidade efetiva da matéria seca e da proteína bruta. A adição de uréia à silagem de grãos úmidos de milho diminui as perdas de matéria seca e melhora a estabilidade em aerobiose.The objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition and aerobic stability of corn grain silage, added with crude soybean, sunflower or urea. The following treatments, arranged in a completely randomized design, with four replications, were evaluated: corn grain; corn grain plus soybean grain; corn grain plus sunflower grain; and corn grain plus urea. Plastic barrels with 200 kg of capacity were used as experimental silos and kept closed for nine months. Chemical composition, dry matter and crude protein ruminal degradability, starch ruminal disappearance, and the aerobic stability of silages were evaluated. The addition of soybean, sunflower or urea on silages influenced the effective degradability of dry matter and crude protein, and the chemical composition, especially in relation to crude protein and ether extract contents. The addition of 20% soybean, sunflower or urea (1%) in corn grain silage improves chemical composition, but decreases the effective degradability of dry matter and crude protein. Urea addition to moist corn grain silage reduces losses on dry matter and improves the aerobic stability

Performance and milk quality of cows fed triticale silage or intercropped with oats or legumes

The use of intercropped grass legumes provides a source of sustainable animal production as these vegetables contribute to an increase in forage yield by area, and substitute inorganic nitrogen and other components. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of silages and the yield and milk quality of Holstein cows fed triticale silages in monoculture or intercropped with either oats or legumes. The crops for silage production were triticale (TS), triticale in consortium with forage pea (TSP), and triticale in consortium with oats, forage peas and vetches (TSOPV). The silages showed no differences in dry matter content. The highest crude protein (13.06 %) and ethereal extract content was observed in TSOPV, but in the case of the latter, there was little difference when compared with TS (2.35 and 2.16 %, respectively) although the ash contents of the TSOPV and TSP silages did present a difference compared to TS silage. The neutral and acid detergent fibers (NDF and ADF) and cellulose fractions of TS silage were higher (68.60, 41.46 and 38.19 %, respectively) than those in TSOPV and TSP silages, which also had higher levels of soluble nitrogen, ethanol and acetic acid. Dry matter intake was higher in both TSOPV and TSP, which also provided a higher milk yield (21.19 and 20.45 L cow d–1) compared to that of TS silage (18.74 L cow d–1). Cows fed TS also produced milk with a lower N-ureic content (15.15 mg dL–1). The inclusion of legumes with triticale provided good fermentative quality for silage and increased milk production of cows without altering their concentrations of fat and protein