Effects of different additives on chemical composition and pH of elephant grass silages

Abstract

This work aimed to verify the efficiency of different additives on the chemical composition and fermentation parameters of elephant grass silage. The planting of elephant grass cv. Napier (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) It was done in pits 25 cm deep with spacing lines of 80 cm after tillage. Elephant grass was harvested at 180 days of age and broken into fragments 0.5 to 2.0 cm. The treatments were control (no additive); corn, 8% of the natural material, sodium chloride, 8% of the natural material, urea, 8% of the natural material, sugar, 8% of the natural material and cornmeal more sugar, 4% of the natural material of corn meal and 4% sugar. Analyses were carried out in dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), lignin (LGN), ether extract (EE) and ash (MM). Treatment with salt (8%) had the highest rate bromatological, although the silage with the additive does not have appropriete protein levels. Urea at this dose (8%) prevents the silage by high-power alkaline. The high time to cut elephant grass (180 days) bromatological reduced the value of silage.