Paulo Roberto Frenzel Mühlbach

Efeito do tamanho de partícula e da altura de colheita das plantas de milho (Zea mays L.) sobre as perdas durante o processo fermentativo e o período de utilização das silagens

This trial evaluated the effect of particle size (small: between 0.2 and 0.6 cm or large: between 1.0 and 2.0 cm) and cutting height (low cut: 15.2 cm or high cut: 38.6 cm) of the corn plant on losses and nutritional value of silages. Treatments were: T1 - small particle size with low cutting height; T2 - large particle size with low cutting height; T3 - small particle size with high cutting height; and T4 - large particle size with high cutting height. No significant interaction was observed between cutting height and particle size for the following response variables: DM loss, CP loss, and NDF loss. Significant interaction was observed between cutting height and silo stratum and between particle size and silo stratum for the variables DM loss and CP loss, respectively. The high cutting silages (38.6 cm) on the inferior stratum showed higher losses (4.91%) compared to the superior silo stratum (2.67%) and low cutting silages (15,2 cm) regardless of the silo stratum. Greater CP losses were observed on the silages with small particle size on the superior stratum (18.96%) and on the silages with large particle size on the inferior stratum (18.68%) compared to silages with small particle size on the inferior stratum (11.52%) and silages with large particle size on the superior stratum (17.54%). Silages with large particle size resulted in higher physical losses at feeding-out.

Características da fermentação da silagem obtida em diferentes tipos de silos sob efeito do tamanho de partícula e da altura de colheita das plantas de milho

The experiment was conducted at the Nucleo de Producao Animal of the Universidade Estadual do Centro Oeste do Parana (UNICENTRO). It was aimed at evaluating the silage obtained quality and dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) losses occurred during fermentative process on two silos type (PVC type and commercial type) as well as evaluate the compact efficiency of silage. The forage used was corn plant harvested of the different particle sizes (small: between 0.2 and 0.6cm or large: between 1.0 and 2.0cm) and cutting heights (low cut: 15cm or high cut: 39cm), using three replication (silos type) for every silage, contained eight treatments in factorial scheme 2 x 2 x 2. The values of dry matter and crude protein contend of the silages no presented effect associated or isolated (P>.05) front of particle size (small and large), height cutting (low and high) and conservation silo type (PVC type and commercial type). On the other hand, the production silages in silos PVC type and commercial type showed differences for parameters: organic matter, neutral detergent fiber and N amoniacal contends, as well amount of pH, compact efficiency, and crude protein and neutral detergent nitrogen losses. The compact efficiency also was affected (P<.05) buy the silage particle size.

Efeito do tamanho de partícula e da altura de colheita de plantas de milho (Zea mays L.) para ensilagem na produção do novilho superprecoce

The trial aimed to evaluate the effect of particle size (small: from 0.2 to 0.6 cm or large: from 1.0 to 2.0 cm) and cutting height (low cut: 15 cm or high cut: 39 cm) of the corn plant on dry matter intake and performance of steers in a feedlot. The treatments were: T1 - small particle size with low cutting height; T2 - large particle size with low cutting height; T3 - small particle size with high cutting height; and T4 - large particle size with high cutting height. No significant interaction was observed between cutting height and particle size for dry matter intake, weight gain, feed conversion, and dry matter digestibility. The variation on particle size a plant corn harvest did not affect dry matter intake, weight gain, and dry matter digestibility. Animals fed with the high cut silage during the feedlot presented better feed conversion (5.67 vs 6.15 kg of DM/kg LW) than animals fed with the low cut silage, with the roughage:concentrate ratio of 67:33%. Including corn silage harvest to 38.6 cm height with small particle size for young beef cattle production increased profitability of this production system.

Alterações bromatológicas nas silagens de milho submetidas a crescentes tempos de exposição ao ar após "desensilagem"

The experiment in a completely randomized design aimed at testing the effect of air exposure of maize silages at “feed-out” on chemical composition. Silages were prepared on May 18 th , 2004 from a late season harvest of a crop at the half milky half dough kernel stage and chopped materials were packed in 30 liters mini-silos. Four treatments with four replicates consisted of air exposure of silages removed from the mini-silos after periods of zero, 12 hours, 24 hours or 36 hours until sampling for chemical analysis. Air exposure affected significantly (P<0.05) neutral detergent fiber values (corrected for ashes and protein) and lignin contents, without effects on non-structural carbohydrates and nitrogenous fractions. It is concluded that a 12 hour air exposure period after “feed-out” can affect the nutritive value of maize silage.

Alterações bromatológicas nas frações dos carboidratos de silagens de milho "safrinha" sob diferentes tempos de exposição ao ar antes da ensilagem

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of corn grain maturity and air exposure time prior to ensiling on the carbohydrate concentration of corn silage from corn crop planted late in the season. A complete randomized design was used with a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement, testing two stages of maturity at harvest (MK - milky kernel and MDK - ½ milky and ½ dough kernel) of maize crops and four air exposure time prior to ensiling: 0, 12, 24 and 36 hours. Harvests occurred in 2004 on April 26th and May 18th. Stage of maturity (M) and periods of air exposure (TE) showed significant effects as well as interactions in most of tested variables. DM content was different according to M and TE. The MK and MDK silages showed different residual sugar and starch concentrations, respectively, 1.51 and 1.31% and 4.23 and 13.21% of DM. Soluble sugars decreased with TE with values of 1.64% (DM basis) with zero h air exposure to 1.05% after 36 hours exposure. The greatest impact of TE was observed on NDFap values (NDF corrected for ash and protein). Even a short 12-hour period of air exposure before ensiling affects negatively the nutritional value of corn silages.

Efeito da suplementação de bezerros com blocos multinutricionais sobre a digestibilidade, o consumo e os parâmetros ruminais

A trial was conduced to evaluate the effects of Tifton hay (Cynodon dactylon) supplemented with multinutrient blocks formulated using different molasses levels on digestibility, intake, and blood urea level. Four Hereford steers, one year old, weighing on average 196 kg in the beginning of the experiment, were assigned to a 4 x 4 latin square. The treatments were: Tifton hay and Tifton hay plus supplementation with either 25, 30, 35, and 40% molasses levels in multinutrient blocks. However, to include the treatment without supplementation, data were analyzed in a completely randomized blocks design. Supplementation significantly increased dry matter and organic matter digestibility. There were no differences on dry matter intake between treatments. Supplementation decreased the hay intake, showing a substitution coefficient of .58. Supplementation increased significantly total dry matter, organic matter and crude protein intakes. Although there was no significant difference between the supplemented treatments, digestible organic matter and blood urea increased significantly with supplementation. Another trial was conduced with three Hereford steers fistulated in the rumen to determine the effects of supplementation on rumen pH and N-NH3 levels, using a 3 x 3 latin square design. The treatments were: Tifton hay and Tifton hay plus supplementation with 25 and 30% molasses levels in multinutrient blocks. Supplementation did not affect rumen pH but N-NH3 concentration was significantly higher in treatments with blocks.

Silagem de alfafa colhida no início do florescimento e submetida ao emurchecimento e à ação de aditivos biológicos

A 40 days alfalfa (Medicago sativa) regrowth was harvested in the summer at the early flowering stage with (26.3% DM, 18.94% CP, 8,90% DM soluble carbohydrates and 43.35 meq OH-/100 g DM buffering capacity). Part of the material was direct cut ensiled (26.3% DM) and part was wilted for 20 hours (44.12% DM). Both silages, either wilted or not, were assigned to four treatments: Control, Enzymes, Inoculate and Inoculate plus Enzymes and were ensiled in laboratory silos (3.6 L), with four replicates, per treatment, per a period 60 days. Wilting provived silages of better quality with lower pH, higher lactic acid/acetic acid ratio, lower N-NH3 and lower solubilization of the nitrogen fraction, with higher residual soluble carbohydrates content. The direct cut alfalfa silages additive action provided lower pH and N-NH3 in the treatments with Enzymes and Inoculate plus enzymes when compared to the treatment with Inoculate, however when compared to the treatment with Inoculate, but did not differ from Control. In both silages (direct cut and wilted), there was a decrease in the NDF contents in the Inoculates plus Enzymes treatment.

Comparação entre os métodos químico, in situ e in vitro para estimativa do valor nutritivo de silagens de milho

The nutritional value of different maize silages was estimated and compared by means of chemical composition, or by tests in situ, conventional in vitro or by a semi-automated in vitro gas production technique. Thirty-six samples of maize silages prepared in mini-silos with three DM contents (200, 260 and 280g kg-1) and two packing densities; higher density (HD) or lower density (LD), were evaluated. Digestibility values from in situ and conventional in vitro tests were affected only by silage moisture concentration (P<0.05). Total digestible nutrients values estimated from the chemical composition were affected by both moisture and density treatments, as well as by its interaction (P<0.05). OM digestibilities of maize silages estimated either by conventional in vitro or by in situ methods were lower than those estimated by in vitro gas fermentation or than the TDN values calculated from chemical composition (P<0.05). Compared to the traditional in vitro and in situ tests, the in vitro gas production technique was more accurate to evaluate the nutritional value of maize silages.

Feeding dairy cows with soybean by-products: effects on metabolic profile

Soybean by-products are currently used in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as a source of protein in dairy cows. However, the high protein breakdown of this feed source in the rumen causes loss of the intrinsic quality of the protein and increases plasma urea with deleterious consequences to animal metabolism. Thermal treatment of soybean can overcome this limitation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolism of dairy cows fed with thermally treated soybean and raw soybean, through the analyses of the metabolic profile of plasma and milk. Twelve Holstein cows in mid-lactation period were studied using four treatments: commercial concentrated of protein, soybean meal, raw soybean and roasted soybean. Protein and urea levels in milk were measured in morning and afternoon samples. Data were arranged in a Latin square design (4 treatments and 3 animals in each square). There were no significant differences in glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium concentrations among treatments. Cows consuming raw and thermally treated soybean had higher levels of plasma cholesterol. Cows consuming roasted soybean had lower level of plasma and milk urea in the morning. Afternoon milk samples had higher levels of urea than morning samples. It is suggested that thermally treated soybean was effective in diminishing the breakdown of protein in the rumen. It is better to employ morning milk samples to evaluate metabolic profile than afternoon samples.

Efeito do tamanho de partícula e da altura de corte de plantas de milho na dinâmica do processo fermentativo da silagem e no período de desensilagem

The trial aimed to evaluate the effect of particle size (small: from 0.2 to 0.6 cm or large: from 1.0 to 2.0 cm) and cutting height (low cut: 15 cm or high cut: 39 cm) of the corn plant on the dynamics of the silage fermentation process and feed-out period. The treatments were: T1 - small particle size with low cutting height; T2 - large particle size with low cutting height; T3 - small particle size with high cutting height; and T4 - large particle size with high cutting height. A complete randomized blocks design with a factorial arrangement (2 x 2 x 4) in a split-plot was used, with three replications. Factors evaluated were particle size (2), cutting height (2), and feed out evaluation periods (4). Small particle size improved compaction density and reduced temperature gradient between silage mass and environment and pH value of silage during feed-out. Higher deterioration of corn silage occurred at the superior silo stratum, due to temperature elevation and higher pH index and ammoniacal nitrogen compared to inferior stratum.