Silage Type Research Articles

The Influence of Plant Age and Microbes-Enzymatic Additives on Fermentation of Total Mixed Ration Silages of Capiaçu Grass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum)

The conservation of elephant grass cultivar Capiaçu in the form of total mixed ration (TMR) silage can help to improve the quality of the fermentative process and optimize feed management. However, the best cutting age of grass and the necessity of using microbes-enzymatic additives to aid in the process have not been determined thus far. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate cutting age and different microbes-enzymatic additives on the fermentative and nutritional quality of total mixed ration (TMR) silages based on BRS Capiaçu. A completely randomized design was used in a 3×3 factorial scheme, with three cutting ages of grass (60, 90, and 120 days of regrowth), associated with three types of additives [CON (control), HOM (homofermentative inoculant + fibrolytic enzyme), and COMBO (homofermentative inoculant + heterofermentative inoculant + fibrolytic enzyme)]. The fermentative losses, the production of organic acids, chemical composition, and the aerobic stability of the tested silages were measured. The TMR silages containing 60-day-old grass showed the lowest dry matter contents, highest effluent production, and lower aerobic stability. The COMBO inoculant application provided higher acetic acid contents and greater aerobic stability of the 90- and 120-day-old grass silages. The highest lactic acid concentrations were observed in silages produced with the 60- and 90-day-old grass silages. It is concluded that the TMR produced with BRS Capiaçu at 90 days of age and in association with COMBO is the best option to balance the nutritional and fermentative quality of this type of silage.

High-digestible silages allow low concentrate supply without affecting milk production or methane emissions

In this study, we tested a response function comprising responses in milk to changes in organic matter digestibility of silages and concentrate supply. We studied the effect of changes in silage digestibility and concentrate supply on milk yield, feed intake, body weight, and methane production using 60 Norwegian Red cows. The experiment was a complete randomized block design comprising 3 periods. The pre-experimental period lasted 20 d and all the cows were fed a common silage for ad libitum intake and concentrate according to yield. Next, response period 1 lasted 17 d and the cows were divided into 2 treatments, where a low-digestible silage (LDS) was fed to half of the cows, and the other half were fed a high-digestible silage (HDS). Both groups were fed silage for ad libitum silage intake. Concentrate was optimized according to the yield and type of silage offered. In this period, the effect of silage was evaluated using a mixed model, including the results from pre-experimental period, with parity as a covariate and animal as a random effect. In response period 2, which lasted 20 d, the concentrate level was evaluated by dividing the silage digestibility treatments further into 3 subgroups. Concentrate was increased by 2 kg of dry matter (DM) per day, decreased by 2 kg of DM/d, or remained unchanged. In response period 1, silage treatments were optimized to obtain similar yields and resulted in a lower concentrate offer to HDS treatment. However, the HDS treatment showed a 3.0 kg of DM/d higher total feed intake due to a higher than expected silage intake. This resulted in 3.5 kg higher energy-corrected milk (ECM). Methane emissions were similar between silage treatments, but HDS showed lower methane per kilogram of DM due to its higher intake. The effect of concentrate supply level and interaction with silage digestibility was evaluated using mixed models, including the results for response period 1, with parity as a covariate and animal as a random effect. The reduction in concentrate offer by 2 kg/d in response period 2 was compensated for by increased 1.3 kg of DM/d of silage intake for HDS, resulting in similar intake (22.1 kg of DM/d and 21.7 kg of DM/d without and with concentrate reduction, respectively) and ECM yields (29.4 and 29 kg of ECM without and with concentrate reduction, respectively). However, concentrate offer reduction could not be compensated for by increased silage intake for LDS and resulted in lower milk yields (27.5 kg of ECM). Increased concentrate showed a higher marginal ECM response (kg of ECM per kg of additional concentrate intake) for LDS (1.8 vs. 3.3 kg of ECM for HDS and LDS, respectively). Thus, the drop in milk yields could be compensated for by increased concentrate offers if LDS are fed. Total methane production increased with increased concentrate intake, regardless of silage digestibility. Methane emissions per unit of milk were affected by total DM intake rather than by changes in silage digestibility and concentrate level. The results of this study are based on short-term periods and could show differences if study periods were longer; the results should be interpreted accordingly.

Evaluation of maize silage containing moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves for quality and nutrient utilization in goats

A study was conducted to evaluate the incorporation of moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves in maize (Zea mays) silage on quality and nutrient utilization in goats. Two types of silage viz., maize (M) and maize-moringa (75:25) (MM) were prepared in bags during October-November, 2020. After 60 days of anaerobic fermentation, quality and nutrient composition were studied. Dry matter was 21.35% and 30.27%, pH 3.68 and 4.38, lactic acid 26.16 and 18.0 mg/100 g, soluble sugar content 2.48 and 1.60% and crude protein 8.49 and 9.53%, respectively in M and MM silages. There was non-significant (p<0.05) differences in the silage characters. Organic matter and fibre fractions were similar in both the silages. Dry matter intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in MM group (415.76 g/d) as compared to M group (346.65 g/d). Dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, fibre fractions digestibility and nitrogen balance non-significantly (p>0.05) differed between the groups. It was inferred that moringa leaves can be incorporated in maize silage at 25% level without any adverse effect on quality, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance.

Vplyv prídavku baktérií mliečneho kvasenia na mikrobiotu a výskyt mykotoxínov v ražných silážach

In the rye silages (control and with additive) microbiota isolation and identification (total count of bacteria, coliform bacteria, enterococci, lactic acid bacteria and microscopic filamentous fungi) and occurrence of mycotoxins were evaluated. Total count of bacteria on Plate count agar at 30 °C for 48-72 hours, coliform bacteria on McConkey agar at 37 °C for 24-48 hours, enterococci on Enterococcus selective agar at 37 °C for 48-72 hours, lactic acid bacteria on De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe agar, Mayeux, Sandine and Elliker and All Purpose TWEEN® agar 37 °C for 48-72 hours in microaerophilic condition and microscopic filamentous fungi on Malt extract agar at 25 °C for 7 days were evaluated and identified with mass spectrometry. The most isolated family from both types of silage was Lactobacillaceae. The most isolated species from the control group was Lentilactobacillus buchneri (22%) and lowest number of isolated species was Mucor spp. The most isolated species from silage with additive was Lactobacillus gasseri (16%). The ELISA method (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) with using reader at wavelength 650 nm for detection and quantification of mycotoxins (total aflatoxins, total ochratoxins, total fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and T-2/HT-2 toxin) was used. The rye silages of control and with additive were characterized by occurrence of all analyzed mycotoxins, whereas deoxynivalenol was mycotoxin with the highest concentration. The rye silages with additive had significantly lower content of total aflatoxins compared to the control, while significantly higher concentration of total ochratoxins, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and T-2/HT-2 toxin was determined.

Fatty Acid Profile of Intramuscular Fat in the Longissimus Lumborum and Semimembranosus Muscles of Bulls Fed Diets Based on Virginia Fanpetals, Grass and Maize Silages

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Virginia fanpetals (Sida hermaphrodita) silage on the fatty acid profile and the content of selected nutrients and vitamins in the Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Semimembranosus (SM) muscles of young bulls. Forty Polish Holstein-Friesian bulls aged 16 months were assigned to four dietary treatments (n=10) and were fed different types of silage during a 7-month fattening period. The proportion (g/kg dry matter) of silage in the diets was as follows: (1) grass silage (GS) (600); (2) Virginia fanpetals silage (VFS) (600); (3) VFS (300) and GS (300); and (4) VFS (300) and maize silage (MS) (300). Silage was supplemented with concentrate at 400 g/kg DM in each diet. The animals were slaughtered at the end of the fattening period. The intramuscular fat (IMF) of bulls fed GS had the highest (P&lt;0.05) concentrations of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and linolenic acid (LNA), whereas the IMF of bulls receiving GS and VFS was characterized by the highest proportion of MUFAs, mostly oleic acid (C18:1 cis 9). In comparison with the LL muscle, the SM muscle contained less IMF (by 40%) with a more nutritionally desirable profile. The SM muscle was characterized by a more desirable mineral composition and a higher concentration of α-tocopherol.

Effect of maturity, silage and hay of various feeds on lactating cows feed intake and productivity; A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis was done with the aim of cultivating farmers decision in feeding their dairy cows for substituting several silage types, hay and maturity-based comparison feeds to improve dairy cows’ performance.

Nutritive value and occurrence of mycotoxins in various forage silages sampled at different levels in dairy farm silos

Context Consumers require nutritious and safe animal products, particularly milk and meat. Forage silage is a major source of feed for dairy cattle. However, inappropriate silo preparation and management can affect silage nutritional quality and may lead to fungal growth and mycotoxin production. Aims We aimed to determine the nutritional quality of different forage silages in dairy farms from four regions in northern Tunisia where silage production is a common practice, and to screen for the presence and concentration of 23 mycotoxins. Methods Six different forage silage types from 27 silos were sampled 100 days after ensiling. Samples were taken from upper, middle and lower sections of the silo. The pH and nutritional values of the silages were determined. The QuEChER method was used to extract mycotoxins, and they were identified and quantified through liquid or gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Key results Silage pH ranged from 4.4 to 7.8, and dry matter content of forage biomass from 15% to 47%. Values of pH of silage samples varied among the silo levels (P = 0.001), whereas nutrient contents of silage biomass were similar among the three levels. Only five Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, two enniatins, beauvercin, HT-2 toxin) were detected at different concentrations depending on the silo level. Oat, oat + triticale and oat + sulla silages were the most heavily contaminated with mycotoxins. Biomass in the upper silo level was the most co-contaminated. Conclusions High pH (&gt;4) and dry matter content (&gt;30%) indicate low quality silages; therefore, the silages were generally of low quality. Although the evaluated silages were contaminated with five of the targeted mycotoxins, their concentrations were so low that they do not represent a risk to the health of dairy cattle. Implications Forage biomass should have a dry matter content of 20–30% on the day of silo filling. It is important to sample silage from the upper, middle and lower sections of the silo to screen for mycotoxins. In future studies, the transfer of detected mycotoxins to milk should be determined.

Determination of the Eff ects of Silage Type, Silage Consumption, Birth Type and Birth Weight on Fattening Final Live Weight in Kıvırcık Lambs with MARS and Bagging MARS Algorithms

Determination of the Eff ects of Silage Type, Silage Consumption, Birth Type and Birth Weight on Fattening Final Live Weight in Kıvırcık Lambs with MARS and Bagging MARS Algorithms

Influence of the Type of Silage in the Dairy Cow Ration, with or without Grazing, on the Fatty Acid and Antioxidant Profiles of Milk

Dairy systems based on grass and forages are widely spread throughout the European Atlantic Arc and they have an influence on milk quality. Likewise, legumes are a key element in the farms to improve cows’ diet and farm feed self-sufficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the legumes in the diet and the feeding system (pasture-based vs. confined) on milk production and composition. An assay was performed with 18 Friesian cows randomized into two management groups (grazing or confined). Three total mixed rations based on Italian ryegrass, faba bean or field pea silages were offered ad libitum for nine continuously housed cows or during two hours after each milking for another nine grazing cows. Regardless of type of silage, grazing cows had higher dry matter intake and milk production than confined cows. Likewise, grazing cows produced milk with a lower concentration of protein and urea than confined cows. The dairy cows fed total mixed rations based on both legume silages had a milk fat with a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, especially with the inclusion of faba bean silage in the diet. The results demonstrate that the profile of fatty acids and antioxidants is related to the feeding system in dairy cows. Grazing directly influenced the composition of milk, decreasing the proportion of saturated fatty acids and increasing the content of unsaturated fatty acids, as CLA, and the antioxidants, as lutein and β-cryptoxanthin.

Fungal pretreatment parameters for improving methane generation from anaerobic digestion of corn silage

Corn silage was treated by white rot fungi (WRF) to investigate the effect of pretreatment on material’s ability to produce methane in anaerobic digestion (AD). The selective fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Dichomitus squalens promoted biogas generation, whereas the non-selective Trametes versicolor and Irpex lacteus had negative effect. Cumulative methane production after 10-day pretreatment with P. ostreatus at 28 °C rose 1.55-fold. The longer pretreatments of 30 and 60-days had smaller effect. When the pretreatment with P. ostreatus was carried out at 40 °C a high H2S release affected the AD process. Effect of WRF action dependent on the type of corn silage. With typical corn silage, the lignin depolymerisation raised the methane generation from 0.301 to 0.465 m3kgVS-1. In contrast, extensive decomposition of hemicellulose in hybrid corn silage deteriorated the effect of pretreatment on methane production.

PSIX-18 Effect of chicory silage and se-yeast on peripartum ewes: Immune status via complete blood cell count

Abstract Immune status is critical for peripartum animals. Immune cells are highly affected by the oxidative status and level of Se. The use of forages with high content of antioxidants in combination with Se-yeast can improve the immune status in peripartum ruminants. The objective of this study was to test the possibility of improving the immune system of peripartum ewes by feeding a combination of chicory silage and Se-yeast. Approximately one month prior to lambing, 36 pregnant Polypay sheep were moved into single pens and randomly assigned to one of four groups to be fed either grass or chicory silage and supplemented or not with 3.6 mg Se/day (DiaMune, Diamond V). Blood was collected throughout the study to assess the complete blood count (VetScan HM5). Secondary compounds in silages were analyzed via LC-MS/MS. Data were analyzed using GLIMMIX (SAS) with day, silage type, Se and their interactions as fixed effects and ewe as random effect with significance declared at P≤0.05. Compared to grass silage, among measured secondary compounds only resveratrol was larger in chicory vs. grass. Total white blood cell count was larger in animals fed grass vs. chicory silage. Silage type and Se-yeast supplementation had little effects on the other measured parameters. The average hemoglobin inside red blood cells was larger in animals fed grass vs. chicory silage. Only tendencies (P between 0.08 and 0.09) were observed for the effects of Se supplementation, including increased hematocrit and number of circulating monocytes but, the latter, only in grass-fed ewes, and decreased red blood cell volume. Platelet size distribution tended (P=0.08) to increase in grass-fed ewes supplemented with Se but the opposite was observed in ewes fed chicory silage. Together, these data indicate a minimum-to-no effect of the type of silage or Se supplementation on complete blood cell count on peripartum ewes.

62 Feeding Chicory-plantain Silage and Se-yeast to Lactating Ewes Subjected to Intramammary Infection: Effect on the Immune System

Abstract The objective was to test the effect on the immune status by feeding a combination of chicory-plantain and Se-yeast in lactating ewes subjected to intramammary infection (IMI) with 2×107CFU of Strep uberis in both glands. For the purpose we enrolled 28 Polypay lactating sheep from a prior study where they were randomly allocated to receive chicory (CS) or grass (GC) silage and either 3.6 mg of Se/day as Se-yeast (DiaMune, Diamond V) (Y) or isoenergetic-isonitrogenous alfalfa meal (C) for 2 months. For the present study, ewes were kept on the original dietary regiment except the CT group received a chicory-plantain silage(50% each). Blood was collected prior to and for 10 days after IMI for a complete blood count(VetScan HM5), leukocytes migration, and rectal temperature (RT). Data were analyzed using GLIMMIX (SAS)with time, silage type, and Se and their interactions as the fixed effects and ewe as random effect with significance declared at P ≤ 0.05. RT was lower in chicory vs. grass before IMI and Se limited the RT increase after IMI. Total WBC levels tended (P = 0.06) to increase in animals fed with Se after IMI, which was driven by a larger number of lymphocytes. Hematocrit, red blood cells, and hemoglobin were strongly decreased by IMI. The mean cell volume was overall larger in ewes fed with chicory-plantain silage while mean cell hemoglobin was larger in animal fed with grass silage. The platelet distribution width was affected by silage*Se interaction due to a positive effect by Se in grass-fed but negative in chicory-plantain-fed ewes. Migration of neutrophils was larger in animals fed with chicory-plantain before IMI but similar between groups after IMI. Overall, these findings indicate that Se supplementation can increase lymphocytes with no effect on neutrophils while activity of neutrophils is positively affected by feeding chicory-plantain silage.

PSXIV-11 Silage source, physically effective neutral detergent fiber, and undigested neutral detergent fiber concentrations affect eating behavior, ruminal pH and reticular motility of finishing heifers

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of silage source, physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF), and undigested neutral detergent fiber (uNDF) concentrations on eating behavior, ruminal pH, and reticular contractions for finishing beef heifers. Six Hereford′Simmental heifers (579±51.2 kg) were used in a replicated 6×6 Latin square (21-d periods) balanced for carry-over effects with 2×2 + 2 factorial treatment arrangement. Barley grain-based diets included barley (BarS) or wheat silage (WhS) at 10% of dietary DM. Silages were harvested at two chop lengths to yield low (LpeNDF) vs. high peNDF (HpeNDF) silage. For both BarS and WhS, chopped wheat straw was included (5% of DM) by replacing an equal proportion of LpeNDF silages to evaluate low vs. high uNDF (7.3 vs. 8.2% dietary DM) concentrations. Heifers fed HpeNDF WhS had greater DMI (silage′peNDF; P &amp;lt; 0.01) than those fed HpeNDF BarS, but DMI did not differ for LpeNDF treatments. Ruminating and eating time increased for heifers fed HpeNDF WhS relative to LpeNDF WhS, but were not different for BarS (silage′peNDF; P ≤ 0.02). Increasing uNDF increased eating and ruminating times for heifers fed WhS, but not BarS (silage′uNDF; P ≤ 0.03). Mean ruminal pH averaged 5.97 and was not affected by silage, peNDF, uNDF, or the interactions (P ≥ 0.12). Feeding BarS increased the duration (384 vs. 256 min/d; P = 0.02) and area (84.5 vs. 43.8 pH×min/d; P = 0.02) that pH was &amp;lt; 5.5 relative to WhS. Increasing peNDF numerically reduced the frequency of reticular contractions when fed BarS but numerically increased them when fed WhS (silage′peNDF; P &amp;lt; 0.01). Reticular contractions were not affected by dietary uNDF concentration (P ≥ 0.13). These data highlight that at a constant inclusion rate, silage source and chop length interact to affect DMI, eating behavior, ruminal pH, and reticular motility indicating the need to account for silage type, peNDF, and uNDF in diet formulation for finishing cattle.

Effects of the Harvest Stage of Maize Hybrids on the Chemical Composition of Plant Fractions: An Analysis of the Different Types of Silage

The chemical composition of plant components of three maize hybrids harvested at the beginning of six reproductive stages of maturity was compared. The hybrids evaluated included Maximus VIP3, Defender VIP and Feroz VIP, which were evaluated at each of following stages: R1 (grain formation), R2 (milky grain), R3 (pasty grain), R4 (floury grain), R5 (hard grain) and R6 (ripe grain). The advancement in maturation was linearly related to the crude protein (CP) content of the stem, whole plant, and leaves, and there was a difference among the hybrids. Between R4 and R5 stages, Maximus and Defender presented the highest CP contents for husk (6.58 and 5.42% for Maximus; 5.54 and 5.17% for Defender). The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of the leaves showed a quadratic relationship with the advancement of maturation but did not differ among the hybrids. For all the hybrids, the NDF content in the husk and cobs increased linearly during the reproductive stages (&gt;77 and 78%, respectively, for the three hybrids in R6). Defender had the lowest NDF content of the cob in R3. The acid detergent lignin contents did not differ among stages in the stems, and showed a linear decrease throughout the whole plant, though the contents did not differ among the hybrids. Due to the differences observed, recommendations for harvest based on the maturity stage for each hybrid should be taken into consideration. There seems to be no important distinction among hybrids for harvesting and use of straw. Despite the reduction in grain yield, an early harvest for earlage or snaplage can provide lower lignin content in husk and cob, as well as higher protein content in the husk, favoring the nutritional value of the vegetative fraction (husk and/or cob).

Ensiling Reduces Seed Viability: Implications for Weed Management

Ensiling, a lactic acid fermentation process, is mainly used to preserve biomass. In addition, it has been shown to affect seed viability of some plant species. The extent to which this makes ensiling suitable as a weed control measure, however, has not yet been determined. Both the range of controllable species and the parameters of an ensiling process that safely kills seeds are still undefined. We aimed to determine the effect of varying substrate and ensiling conditions on the seed viability of 10 species selected to represent a wide range of different seed traits. Five different types of silages were made from maize or mixtures of wildflower and maize biomass and ensiled in lab-scale silos for 8 months. The pure maize silages were prepared under conditions either ideal or suboptimal for ensiling forage. Seeds of important weeds (Chenopodium album, Abutilon theophrasti) and of species from a wildflower mixture suitable for ensiling and biogas production (Cichorium intybus, Daucus carota, Echium vulgare, Malva alcea, Malva sylvestris, Melilotus albus, Melilotus officinalis) were tested. Seed viability was determined using a combination of tetrazolium and germination tests. Ensiling reduced seed viability across all 10 species significantly. Seed-killing efficacies of ensiling, however, differed widely among the species studied, largely related to whether the species could produce hard (physically dormant) seeds. Seeds from species without hardseededness were completely inactivated by ensiling, while the seed-killing efficacies for hardseeded species ranged from 5 to 60%. Variation in ensiled substrate and ensiling conditions had no consistent effect on seed survival. We concluded that ensiling has the potential to sustainably reduce seed viability of a wide range of species and therefore should be adopted as a component of integrated weed management in organic agriculture.

Comparative assessment of amino acids composition in two types of marine fish silage

Fish silage is a brown liquefied product achieved by the action of enzymes when finely grounded whole/parts of either single or mixed fish types are subjected to acidification. This study made a comparative assessment of biochemical and nutritive properties, especially the amino acid composition in supernatant phase of formic acid silages prepared from two fish types, Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) and false travely (Lactarius lactarius) representing fat fish (FF, fat content > 5%) and lean fish (LF, fat content < 5%), respectively during 35 days of fermentation (DoF). Significantly higher content of total amino acid (TAA) and free amino acids (FAA) were recorded in FFS (TAA, 41.2 ± 0.03 mg/g; FAA, 31.3 ± 0.003 mg/g) compared to LFS (TAA, 35.8 ± 0.07 mg/g; FAA, 18.26 ± 0.003 mg/g; FAA, 31.3 ± 0.003 mg/g) (p < 0.05). At the end of 35 DoF, the concentrations of amino acids such as asparagine, histidine, isoleucine, valine, cysteine, serine, lysine and arginine were significantly higher in FFS as compared to LFS. The relative amino acid composition of FFS and LFS varied in accordance with DoF and the relationship was found to be highly significant (ANOVA, p < 0.00001). High concentrations of l-amino acids such as leucine, glutamic acid and arginine were recorded in both FFS and LFS. In conclusion, the analysis suggested that a fermentation period of 25–30 days showed a significant effect on the composition of amino acids in both types of ensilage compared to other fermentation periods (p < 0.05). Considering the role of amino acids in enhancing the plant growth and proliferation, the findings of the present study are quite useful.

Production of Fish Silages from Fish Entrails and Its Nutritional Evaluation

The study was undertaken to investigate fish entrails (heads, bones, viscera, fins) suitability as raw materials for fish silage production for the fish feed supplement. Two types of fish silages were prepared using pure culture of Lactobacillus as lactic fermentation starter and formic acid as acid fermenter. Lactobacilli was isolated and identified for the preparation of fermentation starter from fresh milk. The starter bacteria and molasses were added to minced raw materials in three different compositions to produce three fermented silages and 3% formic acid was used for acid silage production. Biochemical changes were monitored continuously during the fermentation of the silages. Non-protein nitrogen concentration increased from an initial value of 19.56% to 42%. The proximate composition of the final products after 80 days of fermentation on dry matter basis showed that acid silage contained higher crude protein (31.25±0.75%) than fermented silages (21±0.54% - 28±1.11%). Crude lipid content didn’t show any significant differences among silages prepared (P&gt;0.5). Most of the essential amino acids were present in fairly good concentration in all the silages which are comparable to those of the FAO/WHO requirement. Protein content and the amino acid profile of the silages suggest that it should be possible to partially replace with fish meal in feeds for fish and animal.

Fermentation profile and nutritive value of maize silage with Brachiaria species

The production of mixed silages is a technique that has emerged as a viable alternative for supplying nutrients during food-shortage periods in the dry season, in addition to guaranteeing the highest ensiled mass production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fermentation profile and nutritional value of maize silage with Brachiaria species. The experiment was carried out under a completely randomized experimental design with four replications. The treatments comprised the following types of silage: maize; Congo grass; Xaraes palisadegrass; Paiaguas palisadegrass; maize + 30% Congo grass; maize + 30% Xaraes palisadegrass; and maize + 30% Paiaguas palisadegrass. For ensilage, maize and grasses were harvested in a 105-day cycle at a depth of 20 cm from the soil surface. According to the results, the maize silage and mixed silages presented an adequate fermentation profile and improved nutritional value. Among the investigated Brachiaria species, Paiaguas palisadegrass emerged because of its protein increase and low ADF content; therefore, this species is recommended for use in mixed silage production. Thus, mixed silage can be used as an alternative for animal feed supplementation

Animal performance, economic analysis and digestibility in rabbits in the growth phase supplemented with silage

The use of fodder is a possibility in the reduction of the alimentary cost in the rabbit breeding due to the digestive physiology of this animal. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the animal performance, to analyze the economic viability and to evaluate the digestibility in rabbits supplemented with different types of silage. The experiment was conducted at IFRS, Ibirubá Campus. The rabbits were evaluated from 58 to 100 days of age. The experimental unit was one rabbit per cage. Four treatments and six repetitions were used. The treatments were basal diet (BD), basal diet plus oat silage supplementation (BD+OS), basal diet plus corn silage supplementation (BD+CS) and basal diet plus sorghum silage supplementation (BD+SS). The basal diet and silages were offered ad libitum throughout the trial period. The performance variable analyzed daily feed intake (DFI), daily silage intake (DSI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion. In the economic analysis the total cost of feed and viability was calculated. The dry matter digestibility coefficient (DM), crude protein (CP), crude energy (CE), fiber in acid detergent (FAD), fiber in neutral detergent (FND) were analyzed. The DFI (g/day) was higher (P &lt; 0.01) and the feed conversion better (P &lt; 0.01) in animals that received the treatment with BD. The DSI was higher in the treatment with BD+CS (P &lt; 0.01), 53 g/day. The lowest ADG was in the treatment with BD+OS (32 g/day). The economic viability was better using oat silage in supplementation. There was a difference (P &lt; 0.05) in the dry matter digestibility coefficient (DMDC), being the treatment with BD and BD+SS with the highest coefficients (0.601 and 0.599, respectively). The supplementation with silage altered the digestibility of DM, CE, FND, FAD. The lower FAD digestibility coefficient was for BD (0.127) and the higher for BD+SS (0.737). The use of silage of oats, corn and sorghum in the feeding does not alter performance of rabbits in the phase of growth being viable the use in the feeding.

Safety of livestock products of bulls on various diets during fattening in the conditions of radioactive contamination

Production of high-quality and safe food products in the conditions of technogenic environmental pollution is a problem worldwide, especially in Ukraine. As a result of the disaster at the Chornobyl Atomic Power Plant, radioactive substances, including caesium-137, contaminated the soil not only in Ukraine, but in many other countries. Zhytomyr Oblast is the fifth largest oblast in Ukraine and one of the regions that were the most damaged by the accident. Furthermore, this territory is contaminated by the most toxic heavy metals – lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) that actively migrate in the biological system: soil→ plant → animal → production → human, intensely accumulating in the products of plant and animal origin. The complex ecological situation and broad spectrum of biological and toxic actions of 137Cs, Pb, Cd require a number of measures that would prevent transformation of radioactive elements and heavy metals in the organism of animals, increase animals` productivity and safety of the food products made in the conditions of the Ukrainian Polisia. Therefore, we aimed at substantiating the practicability of using silage-concentrate, silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diet for young cattle during fattening and determining the impact of accumulation of 137Сs, Pb and Cd in livestock products. To perform the studies, we formed three groups of young bulls of Ukrainian Black Pied cattle using the method of analogues with creating comfortable maintenance condition and organization of in-detail planned feeding. The diet was composed of fodders prepared in the conditions of radioactive contamination. The laboratory surveys indicated that the main sources of 137Cs ingress in the organism of the animals were roughages and various types of silages, and the sources of heavy metals Pb and Cd were hay of red clover and concentrated fodders. In the experimental studies, we determined absolute and average daily weight gains, expenditures of metabolic energy per 1 kg of weight increment, specific activity of 137Сs and concentrations of the heavy metals (Pb and Cd) in the biological system “fodder-animal-production” during feeding of bulls with various-type diets in the conditions of the III zone of radioactive pollution. It was confirmed that substituting maize silage and carbohydrate fodders increased the average daily gains in the live weight by 2.3–4.6%, decreased specific activity of 137Cs by 8.7–20.1%, the content of Pb by 36.2%, Cd by 34.1–66.7% in the longissimus at silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diet for bulls. Thus, use of silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diets compared with silage-concentrate feeding had a positive effect on their productivity and safety of the food production.