In situ degradability of elephant grass ensiled with increasing levels of pineapple agro-industrial by-product

• Main Authors: Ana Cristina Holanda Ferreira, Norberto Mario Rodriguez, José Neuman Miranda Neiva, Patrícia Guimarães Pimentel, Silas Primola Gomes, Warley Efrem Campos, Fernando César Ferraz Lopes, Ivone Yurika Mizubuti, Guilherme Rocha Moreira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Londrina 2016-09-01
• Series: Semina: Ciências Agrárias
• Subjects: Agro-industrial waste; Digestibility; In situ degradation; Intake; Rumen.
• Online Access: http://www.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/semagrarias/article/view/25238

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in situ degradability of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and hemicellulose of elephant grass (Pennisetumpurpureum, Schum.) with increasing levels (0; 35.0; 70.0, 105.0, and 140.0 g kg-1) of dried pineapple (Ananascomosus, L.) by-product (DPBP). The experimental silos consisted of plastic drums with 210 L capacity. After weighing and homogenizing the elephant grass with the DABP, the material was inserted in the silos (126 kg silage, at a density of 600 kg m-3) and compressed. After 45 days of ensilage, silos were opened and samples of the silages were collected for the trial. The study of degradability in situ was conducted using a rumen-fistulated male cattle. The animal was fed with corn silage supplemented with 1 kg concentrate daily. Five levels of addition of the by-product were tested, with three replicates and five times of incubation with an animal. The experimental design was completely randomized with split plots, in which the proportions of DPBP were the treatments (plots), the different silos were the replicates, and the incubation times were the subplots. The levels of inclusion of DPBP provided an increase (P < 0.05) in disappearance of DM and CP and in the effective degradability of DM, NDF, ADF, and hemicellulose. The dried pineapple by-product is a potential alternative to be used as additive in the ensilage of elephant grass, as it provides an increase in the rumen degradability parameters.