Animals (Feb 2024)

Chemical Properties, Ruminal Fermentation, Gas Production and Digestibility of Silages Composed of Spineless Cactus and Tropical Forage Plants for Sheep Feeding

  • Paulo Fernando Andrade Godoi,
  • André Luiz Rodrigues Magalhães,
  • Gherman Garcia Leal de Araújo,
  • Airon Aparecido Silva de Melo,
  • Tiago Santos Silva,
  • Glayciane Costa Gois,
  • Kelly Cristina dos Santos,
  • Daniel Bezerra do Nascimento,
  • Priscila Barreto da Silva,
  • Juliana Silva de Oliveira,
  • Edson Mauro Santos,
  • Thieres George Freire da Silva,
  • Anderson de Moura Zanine,
  • Daniele de Jesus Ferreira,
  • Tadeu Vinhas Voltolini,
  • Fleming Sena Campos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14040552
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 4
p. 552

Abstract

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The aim was to evaluate the chemical composition, carbohydrates, protein fractionation and in vitro gas production of silages composed of spineless cactus and tropical forages and their effect on sheep performance. Treatments consisted of silages: corn silage (CS), spineless cactus silage (SCS), spineless cactus + gliricidia (SCG), spineless cactus + buffel grass silage (SCBG) and spineless cactus + pornunça (SCP). Silos were opened 60 days after ensiling, and analyses were carried out. The digestibility test lasted for 36 days, with eight animals per treatment. A completely randomized design was adopted. Considering carbohydrate fractionation, CS, SCS and SCBG silages had higher total carbohydrate content (p = 0.001). The SCS silage presented a higher A + B1 fraction (p = 0.001). The SCBG and SCG silages showed a higher B2 fraction (p p = 0.001). For protein fractionation, the SCP and SCG silages showed higher crude protein contents (p = 0.001). The CS and SCS silages showed a higher A fraction (p = 0.001). The SCBG silage presented a higher B1 + B2 fraction (p = 0.001). The SCG silage showed a higher B3 fraction (p = 0.006) compared to SCBG silage. The SCS and SCP silages showed a higher C fraction (p = 0.001). Exclusive SCS silage showed higher in vitro dry matter digestibility (p = 0.001), dry matter degradability (p = 0.001) and total gas production (p = 0.001). The use of the SCBG, SCP and SCG silages to feed sheep increased the dry matter intake (p p = 0.002). There was a higher water intake (p p p < 0.001) of nitrogen by the animals. Although there were no differences between the treatments for daily gains, lambs that received the spineless cactus-based silage associated with tropical forages showed higher gains (160–190 g/day) than lambs that received CS silage (130 g/day). Thus, the use of spineless cactus associated with buffelgrass, pornunça and gliricidia to prepare mixed silages (60:40) to feed sheep has potential use to feed sheep, with positive effects on nutrient degradation and increases in dry matter intake. Under experimental conditions, we recommend the exclusive use of spineless cactus silage associated with buffel grass, pornunça and gliricidia in feeding sheep in semi-arid regions, as it provides nutrients, water and greater daily gains compared to corn silage.

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