Cibele Regina Schneider

This study evaluated the impact of bacterial inoculant and urea on the chemical composition of AGRI 002E forage sorghum silage over different storage periods. Four treatments were tested: control (WS), bacterial inoculant (SBI), urea (US) and both urea and bacterial inoculant (USBI), with samples evaluated after 0, 28, and 56 days of ensiling. Parameters analyzed included organic acid, soluble carbohydrates (SC), condensed tannins (CT), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), lignin, in vitro digestibility (IVD), CP fractions, and total carbohydrate fractions. Results showed increased in DM, OM, total carbohydrates, NFC and digestibility over time, while CT, NDF, ADF, and SC decreased. Urea supplementation notably increased CP and IVDCP, and reduced fiber concentrations compared to the control and bacterial inoculant treatments. Silage stability was achieved after 28 days, but a 56-day period is recommended for optimal fermentation and quality. Urea alone improves digestibility and non-protein nitrogen availability, and combining it with bacterial inoculants may enhance aerobic stability.

Integrated agricultural production systems (SIPA's) consist of growing grain-producing crops with forage crops in the same area, in rotation, succession or intercropping. These systems, in addition to diversifying agricultural production, promote efficiency and sustainability in rural production, benefiting crops and livestock, are more sustainable, economically viable agricultural practices aimed at soil conservation. As, among the objectives of integrated systems, when well managed, they are capable of promoting improvements in soil quality, nutrient cycling, environmental adequacy and economic viability of the activities involved. As a result, the Integrated Crop-Livestock (ICL) system becomes a very important method, because it seeks to renew soil conditions, in order to make the most of natural processes, avoiding using external inputs. The ICL system is a viable alternative in edaphoclimatic conditions, there are many potentialities of the systems, enabling an increase in productivity and reduction of expenses for irrigation, fertilizers, soil conditioners and other agricultural inputs, integrating production, environmental conservation and socioeconomic benefits.

The possibility of using annual cold season grasses for the production of pre-dried is justified by the nutritional value of these forages, such as ryegrass, and because they do not compete in relation to planting areas with grain crops. Obtaining pre-drying subjects the plants to cutting and wilting for subsequent silage. Aspects such as water content, nutritional value, buffering capacity and soluble carbohydrate contents of the forage to be ensiled as pre-dried interfere with the speed of dehydration, fermentation processes and quality of the pre-dried obtained. In addition to these, factors such as forage fertilization, care in storage and supply of preserved forage also affect the quality of the final product offered to the animals. However, it is possible to obtain pre-dried products of high nutritional value from ryegrass forage and the adoption of wilting techniques and forage conservation in anaerobiosis.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the use of additives on the ensiling of AGRI 002E sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), focusing on the chemical composition, loss, microbial profile, and fermentative stability of the fodder. Sorghum was harvested 111 days after sowing, chopped, and ensiled in PVC silos under different treatments, as follows: without additives (SS), with inoculant (SSI), with urea (SSU), and with urea and inoculant (SSUI). The silos were opened and analyzed at 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 days after ensiling. The inclusion of urea and bacterial inoculant did not significantly affect dry matter content, but influenced dry matter recovery and microbial population, reducing the presence of clostridia and fungi. Dry matter and gas losses were minimal, indicating an adequate fermentation. The additives contribute to a more stable fermentation and a better preservation of the ensiled material, particularly by reducing undesirable microbial populations.

Objetivou-se caracterizar o perfil fermentativo, valor nutricional e microbiológico da silagem da raiz de mandioca in natura com e sem aditivos. Foi utilizado delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema de parcelas subdivididas no tempo 4x3, com cinco repetições. Nas parcelas foram alocados os materiais de estudo: Raiz de mandioca triturada in natura ou adicionado dos farelos de milho, soja ou arroz. Nas subparcelas foram alocados os tempos: material fresco: antes da ensilagem, abertura: aos 45 dias de fermentação e estabilidade após a silagem ser exposta ao ar durante sete dias. Foram realizadas as amostragens para determinação das análises bromatológicas, nutrientes digestíveis totais, digestibilidade, pH, temperatura, nitrogênio amoniacal, o perfil microbiológico por meio da determinação das populações de fungos e leveduras, Clostridium, bactérias ácido láticas e enterobactérias. A adição de farelos alterou os parâmetros avaliados. A matéria seca aumentou ao longo da fermentação e da exposição ao ar e em todos os tempos e materiais o pH foi adequado. A proteína bruta diminuiu até a abertura dos silos devido as fermentações indesejadas, apresentando-se mais elevada na silagem adicionada de farelo de soja. Os baixos conteúdos de compostos fibrosos e NDT, e a elevada digestibilidade sugerem silagens obtidas como alimentos energéticos em dietas de ruminantes e/ou monogástricos. Em conclusão, a raiz de mandioca in natura ou com inclusão de aditivos pode ser conservada na forma de silagem para uso nas dietas de ruminantes.

Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) synthesizes enzymes that degrade lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of Pleurotus ostreatus spent substrate (POSS) on whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, lignin monomers, and in vitro digestibility, as well as the performance of lactating goats fed corn silage treated with different levels of POSS. In experiment 1, 4 levels of lignocellulolytic enzymes were tested in a complete randomized design: 0, 10, 20, and 30 mg of lignocellulosic enzymes per kilogram of fresh matter, 4 replicates per treatment (vacuum-sealed bags). The bags were opened 60 d after ensiling. In experiment 2, corn silage treated with 3 enzyme levels (0, 10, or 30 mg/kg of fresh matter) was fed to lactating goats as part of the total mixed ration. Nine lactating Saanen goats (62.68 ± 7.62 kg BW; 44 ± 8 d in milk; 2.91 ± 0.81 kg of milk/day, mean ± SD) were assigned to three 3 × 3 Latin squares. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS (version 9.4, SAS Institute Inc.), and means were compared by linear and quadratic orthogonal contrast. In experiment 1, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), lignin, and cellulose quadratically decreased in the WPCS treated with POSS. At the nadir point, POSS decreased NDF by 14.1%, ADF by 19.5%, lignin by 9.07%, and cellulose by 22.1% compared with the untreated silage. Therefore, POSS led to a quadratic increase in in vitro dry matter digestibility of WPCS (+8.88% at the vertex) compared with the untreated silage. In experiment 2, POSS quadratically increased the in vivo total-tract ADF digestibility. Also, the concentration of polyphenols in the milk of goats linearly increased with the addition of POSS, and no differences were observed among treatments for milk yield and composition. In summary, adding 10 mg of lignocellulolytic enzymes from POSS per kilogram of fresh matter of whole-plant corn at ensiling had a more evident reduction in lignin and cellulose concentration, leading to greater in vitro digestibility, as well as greater in vivo ADF digestibility; however, milk yield was not different among treatments.

The objective of this study was to evaluate pH, ammoniacal nitrogen, and aerobic stability of silage of Tifton 85 grass silage with two dry matter contents at different silos opening times. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a subdivided plots scheme, in which the silages constituted the plots and aerobic exposure times the subplots, with four replications. To verify the aerobic stability of the silages, the temperature and pH were analyzed at seven hours after the silos were opened (1, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 hours). The pH reached adequate levels for conservation only after 90 days of fermentation for the silages with and without pre-drying in the sun. Ammoniacal nitrogen remained below the recommended limits in both silages. As for the silage temperature, no loss of aerobic stability was observed. However, the observed pH revealed a break instability after 72 hours when the silos were opened at 28 days, with no changes for the remaining silage periods. It is possible to obtain suitable silages from Tifton 85 with or without pre-warming in the sun, however, a minimum fermentation period of 90 days should be adopted. The studied silages presented high aerobic stability, but when kept silage for only 28 days, they should be consumed by the animals within 48 hours after the supply.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii) on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the shoulder and loin of Boer x Saanen crossbred goat kids. Twenty-seven carcasses were used, 13 females and 14 uncastrated males with an average age of 192 days, weighing 30.76 kg, distributed in a completely randomised design using a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (diet and sex). The yeast was added to the feed before pelletising in a proportion of 0.050 g/kg dry matter (DM). When the goats reached an average of 30 kg of live weight, they were slaughtered. No effects of live yeast on quantitative carcass and qualitative characteristics of shoulder and loin were observed. Regarding sex, males had higher slaughter weights (31.73 kg), empty carcass weight (27.98 kg), hot carcass weight (14.39 kg), cold carcass weight (14.22 kg), higher carcass compactness index (0.28 kg/cm), lower slaughter age (176 days) and lower cooling loss (1.20%). For the cut yields, females presented a higher loin yield (11.55%) and males presented a higher neck yield (6.84%). In the shoulder, males presented a higher proportion of bone (18.58%), while females presented a higher proportion of fat (17.09%) and muscle:bone (3.47). In the loin, females showed higher fat deposition (19.54%) in relation to males. The inclusion of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii in the crossbred goat kids’ diet did not generate differences in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the shoulder and loin.