Additives and storage time for silage of pineapple crop waste

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of additives and storage time on the quality and aerobic deterioration of silages of pineapple crop waste. A completely randomized design was used, in a 3×3 factorial arrangement, with three treatments: pineapple waste silage without additives or with the addition of cornmeal or wheat bran (20% fresh matter) at three storage times (60, 90, and 120 days). After each storage time, losses and aerobic deterioration were quantified, chemical composition was analyzed, and digestibility assays were performed. The storage time of 120 days resulted in higher dry matter losses in all treatments. The additives incremented the dry matter contents of the pineapple-based silages, which went from 182.1 g kg−1 (control silage) to 298.7 and 297.6 g kg−1 (cornmeal and wheat bran, respectively). The control silage with the addition of cornmeal showed the highest dry matter digestibility (739.7 g kg−1) and lowest neutral detergent fiber content (251.9 g kg−1). The production of CO2 started to increase on the first day of air exposure in silages without additives, but only after six days in those with additives. Including cornmeal as an additive in the silage of pineapple crop waste improves its digestibility and reduces its deterioration speed.

Keywords

• Ananas comosus
• chemical composition
• crop waste
• effluent losses
• ensilage