Patrick Schmidt

Avanços metodológicos na avaliação da qualidade da forragem conservada

ABSTRACT - The suitable evaluation of nutritional value of forages depends on the adoption of appropriatemethodologies. Forage quality is highly dependent of fermentation products, in case of silage, and the losses ofsoluble compounds and microorganisms activity in the case of hay. The theme “Methodological advances in evaluationof preserved forage quality” at the 44 th Annual Meeting of Brazilian Society of Animal Science has as main goals tohighlight the more useful and particular methodological procedures for conserved forages and additional to the standardchemical analysis.. Analytical procedures for preserved forage should suffer a standardization to permit comparisonsof results obtained by the world wide laboratories. This review brings to discussion the description and systematizationof important physical and chemical methods to be implemented in preserved forage evaluation. The methodologicalprocedures available permit not only quantify, but also permit qualify the losses occurred during preservation processand across the aerobic exposition of the roughage source during feed out. It suggests that the adoption of any managementstrategies for conserved forages may depend on an evaluation accordingly fit to the losses observed in the overallprocess.

Aditivos químicos e biológicos na ensilagem de cana-de-açúcar: 1. composição química das silagens, ingestão, digestibilidade e comportamento ingestivo

The effect of the addition of additives in the ensiling of sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) on chemical composition of silages, ingestive behavior, voluntary feed intake and digestibility by beef steers. Five rumen-cannulated Nelore steers were allotted to a 5 x 5 latin square design. The steers were placed in metabolic cages and they were fed with diets with 65% forage (%DM). Five silages were evaluated (wet basis): Control sugar cane, no additives; Urea sugar cane + 0.5% of urea; Benzoate sugar cane + 0.1% of sodium benzoate; LP - sugar cane inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum (1 x 106 cfu/g forage); LB sugar cane inoculated with L. buchneri (3.6 x 105 cfu/g forage). During 90 days, before the animal feeding, the forage was stocked in vertical silos. The chemical composition of sugar cane changed after the ensiling, as compared to fresh sugar cane, with reduction of water soluble carbohydrates and in vitro digestibility and relative increase in the NDF and ADF content. Ethanol (0.30% DM) and organic acids (0.99% of lactic and 2.31% of acetic acid) contents were low and similar among silages. The additives applied in the ensiling did not promote alterations in the voluntary intake and apparent digestibility of DM that showed average values of 7.2 kg/day and 63.6%, respectively. The ingestive behavior of the animals also was not altered, with average time spent in feeding, rumination and idleness were: 230.6, 519.6 and 672.8 minutes/day activities, respectively.So, the additives applied in the sugar cane forage resulted in slightly changes in most of the studied variables.

Fermentation, losses, and aerobic stability of sugarcane silages treated with chemical or bacterial additives

Utilization of sugarcane Saccharum officinarum L. silage is increasing in Brazil but intensive ethanol production during fermentation reduces forage quality. This experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of additives on fermentation and aerobic stability of sugarcane silages produced in minisilos. Treatments were (fresh basis): untreated silage (control), urea (5.0 g kg-1), sodium benzoate (1.0 g kg-1), potassium sorbate (0.3 g kg-1), Lactobacillus plantarum (1 x 106 cfu g-1), and Lactobacillus buchneri (3.64 x 105 cfu g-1). At the 94th day after ensilage, ethanol concentration was lower in urea, benzoate, sorbate and L. buchneri supplemented silages and higher in L. plantarum inoculated silage, as compared to control. Urea and benzoate treated silages showed the highest and L. plantarum treated silage the lowest in vitro dry matter digestibility. Effluent production was higher in the urea treated silage. Inoculation with L. buchneri reduced 50% ethanol production as compared to control. Urea and L. buchneri reduced yeast count. Aerobic stability was enhanced by L. buchneri and benzoate. Sodium benzoate and L. buchneri were the most promising additives, improving both silage fermentation and aerobic stability; inoculants containing L. plantarum can be deleterious to fermentation and conservation of sugarcane silages.

Influência da utilização de aditivos químicos no perfil da fermentação, no valor nutritivo e nas perdas de silagens de cana-de-açúcar

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of chemical additives in the dry matter losses, fermentation profile, and nutritive value of sugar cane silages. The trial was carried out in a completely randomized experimental design with four replicates per treatment. The following additives were applied to the fresh forage during the ensiling: control (without additive), L. buchneri, calcium oxide and calcium carbonate,1.0 and 1.5% (wet basis) each, and calcium sulfate 1.0% (wet basis), all of them diluted in to 40 L of water per ton of fresh forage. The variables analyzed were: total and gaseous dry matter losses, dry matter recovery, fermentation end products, and nutritive value. The use of calcium oxide or calcium carbonate were effective in reducing dry matter losses and gaseous production and had the highest dry matter recovery rate. Both silages had also low ethanol content and, as a result, had greater concentrations of residual water soluble carbohydrates and lactic acid. The addition of calcium oxide and calcium carbonate at the time of ensiling produced silages with higher nutritive value compared with all other treatments, due to the increase of ash content and dry matter and organic digestibility and also, by reducing the fiber content. The crude protein content range was similar to the values observed in the fresh forage. The treatments with L. buchneri and calcium sulfate were ineffective in altering the fermentation process of sugar cane silages and became similar to the control silages. In summary, the overall analysis pointed out that the treatment containing calcium oxide and calcium carbonate improved the fermentation and storage process.

Performance of Holstein heifers fed sugarcane silages treated with urea, sodium benzoate or Lactobacillus buchneri

The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of heifers fed sugarcane silages produced with and without additives. Thirty-two Holstein heifers were randomly assigned, in a block design, to evaluate rations (46% silage; 54% concentrate; 12% crude protein) containing silages treated with (fresh basis) urea (0.5%), sodium benzoate (0.1%) or Lactobacillus buchneri (3.64x105xa0cfuxa0g-1 ). Inoculation with L.xa0buchneri improved daily gain (1.24xa0vs.xa00.94xa0kgxa0day-1 ), and the addition of benzoate resulted in better feed conversion (7.6xa0vs.xa09.4xa0kg of dry matter per kg of live weight), in relation to the untreated silage (control). Treatments did not affect dry matter intake (mean of 2.19%xa0of live weight). Rations containing silages treated with benzoate or L.xa0buchneri showed lower cost perxa0kg of weight gain. Treatment with urea did not improve animal performance, but the cost perxa0kg of weight gain was lower than that of the control ration.

Silagem de cana-de-açúcar comparada a fontes tradicionais de volumosos suplementares no desempenho de vacas de alta produção

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the performance of high produce animals fed rations with different sources of forage, what resulted in the treatment: fresh sugarcane (SC), sugarcane silage inoculated with L. buchneri (SCS), corn silage (CS) and mixture of fresh sugarcane and corn silage (SCCS). The experiment was carried out in a 4×4 latin square design with periods of 21 days, and the last 7 days, of each period was used for sample collections. Besides the performance evaluation, chemical analyses of forages, rations and orts were performed and analyses of milk composition and aerobic stability of forages and rations were also made. There was differences for DM intake, which was higher for SCS (23.5 kg/day) and SCSM (23.5 kg/day). All rations provided to the animals high milk production (24.4-25.5 kg/day), which did not differ among the animals. The milk composition varied only as for fat content, which was higher in the animals fed CS (36.1%) and in the SCCS (34.8%). The aerobic stability results showed positive effect of the bacterial aditivation in SCS, which presented the highest aerobic stability among the forages (13.63 hours). The ration with CS as source of forage presented the worst stability, which could explain the lower intake by the animals in this treatment. The SCS is a technical viable alternative to the use of fresh plant and both can proportionate high milk production, as long as, the rations are properly balanced. The inoculation with L. buchneri showed capable to bring benefits for nutritional value and fermentative losses.

Tratamento do feno de braquiária pelo fungo Pleurotus ostreatus

The innoculation of forages with lignocellulolytic fungi is an option for improving quality without adding chemical products. Substrate quality influences fungal activity and endproduct quality. The effects of four treatments (composting of whole hay, composting of chopped hay, soaking in cool water and soaking in hot water) on a Brachiaria decumbens hay were evaluated. The treatments were followed by innoculation with Pleurotus ostreatus fungus and incubation over 35 days, under controlled temperature. A completely randomized design with four replicates and repeated measures was used. Weekly samples were taken to follow substrate degradation through chemical analysis of the hay. A linear increase over time was observed for crude protein (CP) and proportion of lignin in cell walls (LIG-NDF), whereas a linear decrease was observed for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), cellulose and hemicellulose contents. No treatment effect on ADF content was observed. The treatments based on composting showed higher CP, lignin and LIG-NDF contents and lower NDF and hemicellulose contents. No difference was observed between the treatments that used soaking. The biological treatment of Brachiaria hay caused degradation of the fibrous fraction and increased CP content, with stronger effect on those treatments that used composting. The fungus was more effective to increase hemicellulose content than the other fiber components.

Efeitos de absorventes de umidade e de aditivos químicos e microbianos sobre o valor nutritivo, o perfil fermentativo e as perdas em silagens de capim-marandu

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the nutritional value, fermentation profile and dry matter losses of Palisadegrass silages ensiled with either dried citrus pulp, soybean hulls, chemical or microbial additives. The trial was carried out in a completely randomized experimental design and in a factorial arrangement (3 × 5), with three dry matter levels (wet forage or forage ensiled with pelleted citrus pulp or pelleted soybean hulls) and five additives (without or with the presence of bacterial inoculants or the addition of: sodium benzoate, formic acid in the concentration of 62% or 44%), totalizing 15 treatments and 60 experimental silos. The variables analyzed were: nutritional value, losses due to gases and effluents, and dry matter recovery. The use of dried citrus pulp or soybean hulls at the ensiling time increased the dry matter content (29.4 and 28,9%) and decreased the effluent production (4.1 and 3.8 kg/t of fresh matter), also providing fermentable substrate to microorganisms, resulting in increased fermentation coefficient and digestibility of silages. The use of formic acid resulted in silages with higher digestibility and increased water-soluble carbohydrates and crude protein content. This additive was also effective in reducing the losses due to gases and, as a result, increased the total dry matter recovery. The treatment containing homolactic bacteria showed similar trend of increasing the digestibility and reducing the losses due to gases. The use of sodium benzoate was less effective in altering the fermentation pattern of tropical silages. The nutritional value and total dry matter losses of silages ensiled without additives can be considered satisfactory. However, wet forage ensiled with dried citrus pulp and, mainly, with soybeans hulls showed the best results. Treatments containing formic acid had a beneficial effect on the fermentation profile of tropical grass silages.

Aditivos químicos ou biológicos na ensilagem de cana-de-açúcar: 2. parâmetros ruminais e degradabilidade da matéria seca e das frações fibrosas

The objective was to evaluate the addition of additives in the ensiling of sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) on the degradation of DM and components of cellular wall and on ruminal fermentation parameters in bovines fed with diets containing these silages. Five rumen-cannulated Nelore steers were allotted to a 5 x 5 latin square design. The steers were placed in metabolic cages and fed diets with 65% forage (%DM). Five silages were evaluated (wet basis): Control sugar cane, no additives; Urea sugar cane + 0.5% of urea; Benzoate sugar cane + 0.1% of sodium benzoate; LP - sugar cane inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum (1 x 106 cfu/g forage); LB sugar cane inoculated with L. buchneri (3.6 x 105 cfu/g forage). During 90 days, before the animal feeding, the forage was stocked in vertical silos.Ruminal parameters were slightly affected by the silages and a strong effect of sampling time. Averages of molar concentration of acetic, propionic and butyric acids were 60.9, 19.3, and 10.2 mM, respectively. Ruminal environment proportionate by the formulated diets with sugar cane sugar silages was satisfactory and similar to traditionally observed in diets containing sugar cane. The additive used in the ensiling influenced, in a no-significant form, the ruminal degradability of DM an OM, but it did not alter the ruminal degradability of the fiber fraction. The additives applied to the sugar cane resulted in slightly alterations? for most evaluated variable. Although the ruminal degradability of silages was little affected by the additive use, the observed values were similar to the observed for the sugar cane in natura.

Valor nutritivo do feno de braquiária amonizado com uréia ou inoculado com Pleurotus ostreatus

The effect of a chemical treatment (ammoniation with urea) or a biological treatment (innoculation with the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus) on the nutritive value of Brachiaria decumbens hay was evaluated by means of chemical analyses and a digestibility trial with sheep. Both treatments lasted 42 days, and thereafter the hay was dried and ground for animal feeding. The experimental diets were the following: untreated Brachiaria hay (FNT); untreated hay plus urea added in the trough (FNT+U); fungus-treated hay plus urea (FTB+U); and ammoniated hay plus untreated hay (FTQ+FNT). The FNT+U, FTB+U and FTQ+FNT diets were isonitrogenous. Both the chemical and biological treatments caused changes in hay chemical composition. Ammoniation raised crude protein (CP) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents and reduced both hemicellulose(HEM) content and the proportion of hemicelullose in cell walls (HEM-NDF). The biological treatment tended to raise CP; it increased ADF, lignin (LIG), cellulose proportion in cell walls (CEL-FDN) and lignin proportion in cell walls (LIG-FDN); it reduced neutral detergent fiber (NDF), HEM and HEM-NDF. However, it reduced dry matter (DM), NDF, cellulose (CEL) and FDA digestibility; however, it increased intake, probably due to smaller NDF content and smaller particle size, causing a higher rate of passage. Both the biological and chemical treatments are important alternatives in increasing the nutritive value of lignocellulosic materials. Nevertheless, the results obtained in this experiment were not satisfactory.