Conservation of Lupinus rotundiflorus y Lupinus exaltatus forage via silage [Conservación del forraje de Lupinus rotundiflorus M. E. Jones y Lupinus exaltatus zucc. Mediante ensilaje]

The objective of this work was to determine the efficiency of conservation of Lupinus exaltatus and L. rotundiflorus forage via silage. Plants of both species, during the seed development phase, were diced (2-4cm) and mixed with maize forage (RM), molasses and inoculum. The mixtures were placed into plastic bottles (micro silages) and were randomly assigned to a twofactor 3×3 design with three replicates. Three lupin:RM forage mixtures (100:0, 75:25 and 50:50) and fermentation periods of 6, 12 and 20 days were evaluated. Chemical composition, fiber fractions (NDF and ADF), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), lactic acid, and pH were determined. Although silage time did not have a significant effect on the chemical composition, increasing the quantity of corn straw resulted in higher dry matter (DM) in L. exaltatus (29 to 51.7%) and in L. rotundiflorus (25.2 to 51.4%). Similar increases were found in FDN and FDA content. Conversely, the percentage of crude protein decreased as RM was increased. The RM decreased PC from 16 to 11.0% in L. exaltatus and from 13.9 to 7.5% in L. rotundiflorus. The pH <4.2 was related with an increase in lactic acid concentration of 8.4 and 6.28% in L. exaltatus and L. rotundiflorus silages (100:0), respectively. The decrease in pH and ammonia nitrogen and the increase in lactic acid content indicate the lupin forage can be preserve in the form of silage