Journal of Applied Animal Research (Dec 2023)

Quality of mixed silages of sorghum, BRS Capiaçu grass, and cactus pear in a semiarid region of Brazil

  • Amanda Maria Silva Alencar,
  • Vicente Ribeiro Rocha Júnior,
  • Flávio Pinto Monção,
  • Matheus Wilson Silva Cordeiro,
  • Alexandre Soares dos Santos,
  • Luciana Albuquerque Caldeira,
  • Larissa Inácio Soares de Oliveira,
  • João Vitor Araújo Ananias,
  • Maria Dulcineia da Costa,
  • André Santos de Souza,
  • Ignacio Aspiazú,
  • Leandra Cristina Soares Santos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2023.2277256
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 51, no. 1
pp. 719 – 728

Abstract

Read online

The study aimed to assess the impact of mixed silages of biomass sorghum and BRS Capiaçu with cactus pear on the fermentative profile and nutritional value. The silages included forage sorghum cv. Volumax, biomass sorghum cv. ‘BRS 716,’ BRS Capiaçu grass, a mix of 60% biomass sorghum ‘BRS 716’ with 40% Opuntia ficus indica Mill (‘Gigante’) cactus pear (based on fresh matter), and a mix of 60% BRS Capiaçu grass with 40% Opuntia ficus indica Mill (‘Gigante’) cactus pear (based on fresh matter). The experiment followed a randomized experimental design with five treatments and eight repetitions. The highest gas losses (P < 0.01) and lowest dry matter recovery (DMR; P < 0.01) were observed in the BRS Capiaçu grass and BRS Capiaçu grass with cactus pear silages. The lactic acid concentration in the biomass sorghum with cactus pear silage was 49.96% higher than in the Volumax sorghum silage . Volumax sorghum and ‘BRS 716’ biomass silages demonstrated higher DM contents (P < 0.01; mean 33.44%) compared to other silages. There was no significant difference (P = 0.24) among silages regarding the potentially degradable insoluble fraction of the DM, with a mean of 51.75%. The mixed silage of biomass sorghum with cactus pear exhibited lower losses and higher DMR.

Keywords