Microbiological quality of silage made from by-products of cassava starch extraction and viticulture

This study evaluated silages made with varying proportions of viticulture by-products (VC) and starch extraction from cassava (CSE). It attempted to determine the effects of these proportions on the microbial population, fermentative losses, and chemical composition. The treatments were specified as the proportions of VC in the silage (0 g/kg, 250 g/kg, 500 g/kg, 750 g/kg, and 1000 g/kg). Silages were  evaluated before (0) and after 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days of ensiling. The experimental design was completely randomized with five  treatments, six storage times and four replications. The increased level of VC in the silage enhanced its dry matter content, ammonia  nitrogen (NH3-N), and buffering capacity, and reduced organic matter content. Fifteen days after ensiling, additional VC increased the concentration of soluble carbohydrates. The increased level of VC decreased the count of Clostridium spp. and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The incidence of yeasts and enterobacteria was low in all treatments at all time points. Over time, losses as effluent and gases increased. Use of increasing proportions from VC in silage made with CSE increased the contents of dry matter and soluble carbohydrates and  reduced the fermentative losses of the silage. The increased amount of VC also favoured pH reduction and reduced the proliferation of undesirable yeasts, while increasing the population of LAB

Dried brewers’ grain as a replacement for soybean meal on nutrient digestibility and rumen parameters of cattle

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of replacing soybean meal with dried brewers’ grains (DBG) in intake and digestibility of the nutrients and the ruminal parameters of cattle. Four ruminal cannulated Jersey oxen with initial body weight of 662.7 ± 85.5 kg were distributed in a 4x4 Latin square design. The treatments were levels of 0%, 33%, 66% and 100% DBG replacing soybean meal in the diet. Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intake were not influenced by the treatments. There were linear increases in ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) intakes because of higher levels of these nutrients in diets with DBG. Non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC) and total digestible nutrient (TDN) intake showed a decreasing linear effect. Dry matter and NFC digestibility decreased linearly with rising DBG levels, while EE, CP, NDF and ADF digestibilities were not affected. Ruminal pH was not influenced by DBG levels in the diet. There was a quadratic effect in ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration in the rumen, with the maximum occurring at a level of 36.7% DGB. The replacement of soybean meal with DBG in cattle diets did not alter DM intake and ruminal pH, but reduced TDN intake.Keywords: Ammonia nitrogen, by-product, digestibility, intake, p