The objectives of this work were to evaluate the chemical composition alteration, the nitrogen and carbohydrate fractions changes, to estimate the digestion rate of non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) and fiber carbohydrate (FC), to determine the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and to estimate the TDN of corn silage with different grain proportions. The silage were done in the following proportions: 0, 15, 30, 45 e 60% of grain. The amount of dry matter (DM), nitrogen compounds (N), ether extract (EE), […]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of microbially inoculated alfafa silage on total digestibility in wethers. Twelve wethers were randomly assigned to two treatments: alfalfa haylage (35.7% DM and 19.6% CP, on average) control or microbially inoculated with Silobac product (Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus). The experimental period extended for twenty-one days, the last five used for feces and urine collection. The inoculation increased total digestibility of DM (inoculated = 62.5% vs. control = 59.5%), NFE (70.9% vs. […]

Four buffaloes and four cattle rumen fistulated were used with the objective to study the effects of different levels of neutral detergent fiber in the diet on the digestion characteristics. The In situ degradations of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of the coastcross hay and wheat meal, DM of the corn ground and soybean meal were evaluated. The digestibilities of DM, crude protein and NDF of the diets were also evaluated using a Cr2O3 as a marker. The […]

The objective of the present work was to validate the ruminal and post-ruminal nutrient dynamics and the ruminal microbial growth predictions, by using the equations of the Cornell system. The experiment was carried out during the rainy and dry seasons of the 1996 year, in a natural pasture area situated in the county of Viçosa (MG). Esophageally, ruminally and abomasally cannulated steers were used during two experimental periods within each season, and external markers (Cr2O3 and Eu) were used to […]

In the present work, the chemical composition changes and dry matter (DM) digestibility of three cultivars (Empasc-307-Testo, Empasc-309-Areia and Roxo) of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.), were measured through a growing period of 126 days. The production and quality of tropical forage grasses were determined, in part, by the growing period. The plants showed greater height and dry matter accumulation, increasing the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and lignin concentrations and substantially reducing DM and NDF digestibility levels, with longer growing […]