Effects of Tropical Legume (\u3cem\u3eStylosanthes cv.\u3c/em\u3e Campo Grande) Silage and Dietary Protein Levels on Animal Performance of Finishing Beef Cattle

Recently, the interest in legume silage for livestock systems has increased in tropical countries (Heinritz et al., 2012) because of the high inclusion of the protein sources in the concentrate used in feedlot diets, like soybean meal. Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande was developed in Brazil and this cultivar has a good adaptation to tropical conditions, as soils with low fertility and high acidity (Fernandes et al., 2005). Recently, this legume has been indicated for silage making because of its nutritional value and previous results with beef cattle have showed similar performance and digestibility in comparison with corn silage (Souza et al., 2014). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande silage (StS) and corn silage (CS) with two dietary protein levels

Fermentation Profile of Signal Grass Silages Intercropped With Calopo or Fertilized With Nitrogen and Treated With Microbial Inoculant

Tropical grasses have characteristics that allow the occurrence of undesirable fermentations resulting in low quality silage. Inoculants can improve silage quality. Fermentation profile and microbial population of signal grass silages under four management (M), with and without microbial inoculant, were evaluated. The experiment was carried out in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with silages of signal grass managed without N application (control, 0N), fertilized with 50 kg ha-1 of N (50N), fertilized with 100 kg ha-1 of N (100N), or signal grassintercropped with calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides D.) (LEG), with inoculant (I) andwithout inoculant (WI), in a randomized block design, with two replications of area and two replications of treatment per block. Analysis of pH, organic acids, ethanol, ammonia nitrogen, and microbial populations were performed in the silages. The use of inoculant reduced the acetic acid concentration in the 100N treatment silages (20.1 to 12.8 g kg-1 of DM). The lowest concentration of butyric acid (BA) (2.33 g kg-1 DM) was observed in signal grass silage fertilized with 100 kg of N, without inoculant. In inoculated silages, the treatments 50N and LEG provided lower concentrations of BA in relation to the control. Silage from the uninoculated 50N treatment had the lowest concentration of N-NH3 in relation to the other silages. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population was not affected by the factors studied. The inoculant provided a reduction in the population of enterobacteria. No mold and yeast populations were detected in the silages investigated. Signal grass silage fertilized with N or intercropped with calopo, with microbial inoculant, had better fermentative characteristics and could be an option for strategic management of pastures in tropical areas

Performance of Beef Cattle Fed Diets Containing \u3cem\u3eStylosanthes\u3c/em\u3e and Corn Silages

Reports of the use of tropical legumes in silage production are scarce as these legumes have high contents of crude protein, low water soluble carbohydrate and high buffering capacity, which inhibit the production of silages with good fermentation and nutritional characteristics. Recent research has, however, shown that it is possible to produce good quality silages using tropical legumes (Pereira et al. 2012). Souza et al. (2012) concluded that silage produced from Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande (Stylosanthes capitata + Stylosanthes macrocephala) at 60% proportion of the dry matter of the diet can replace corn silage in diets for beef cattle in feedlots without altering their intake and productive performance. However, the ideal proportion of this silage in the diets for beef cattle is still unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the intake and performance of beef cattle fed diets with Stylosanthes and corn silages

Microbial population, fermentative characteristics and dry matter recovery of mixed silage grass xaraés and stylo Campo Grande

The population of microorganisms, the fermentative characteristics and the recovery of dry matter of silage of xaraés grass (Brachiaria brizantha) with growing levels of Styansanthes capitata x S. macrocephala (0; 25; 50; 75) and 100%), with and without microbial inoculant. The 5 x 2 factorial scheme (five proportions of Campo Grande stylos with and without inoculant) was used in the completely randomized design, with three replications. There was no effect of the interaction of levels of stylos and microbial inoculant for the studied variables, however, it was observed effect of stylos levels on pH and ammoniacal nitrogen and inoculant on dry matter recovery. The mean population of lactic acid bacteria in the silages was 6.8 log cfu/g. The values of pH and ammoniacal nitrogen decreased linearly with the increase of the stylos levels in the silage. Mean dry matter recovery was 94%. It is concluded that the use of legume together with grass for silage production improves the fermentation characteristics and provides high recovery of dry matter, however, the inoculant evaluated does not alter the fermentative characteristics of the silages

Chemical Composition and Fermentation Profile of Perennial Peanut and Marandu Grass Mixed Silages

Perennial peanut has high quality, evidenced by the improvement of animal production in grazing, due to good contents of crude protein and digestibility, which makes it one of the best alternatives for low cost feeding (Paganella and Valls 2002). Grass ensilage associated with legumes is considered an alternative to meet the protein demand of cattle in the livestock. However, due to limited information on the techniques of grass ensilage with tropical legumes, this research aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and the fermentation profile of perennial peanut and Marandu mixed grass silages, treated or not with bacterial inoculant

\u3cem\u3eStylosanthes\u3c/em\u3e cv. Campo Grande in Diets of Beef Cattle: Intake and Digestibility of Nutrients and Ruminal Fermentation

Recent studies have shown that it is possible to obtain well-fermented silages from tropical legumes (Heinritz et al., 2012). Souza et al. (2014) concluded that Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande silage (StS); (Stylosantes capitata + S. macrocephala), when included in the proportion of 50% dietary dry matter (DM), could replace corn silage in diets of feedlot beef cattle without altering intake and performance. However, there is a lack of information about increasing proportion of StS that should be included in diets for beef cattle. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the intake and digestibility of nutrients, and ruminal fermentation of beef cattle fed diets with Stylosanthes and concentrate in different levels

Intake and Digestibility of Nutrients of Corn and \u3cem\u3eStylosanthes\u3c/em\u3e Silages in Diets for Sheep

The low concentration of water soluble carbohydrates, the high buffering capacity and the low autochthonous population of lactic acid bacteria are limiting factors to legume ensiling. However, recent research with tropical legumes has shown that the silages presented an adequate fermentation profile (Liu et al. 2012; Silva et al. 2012; Pereira et al. 2012). Nevertheless, there are few studies on the use of stylosanthes silages cv. Campo Grande (Stylosanthes capitata + Stylosantes macrocephala) for sheep feeding. The objective of this study was to evaluate the intake and digestibility of nutrients of stylosanthes and corn silages in sheep diets