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Pastos y Forrajes

Print version ISSN 0864-0394On-line version ISSN 2078-8452

Abstract

MORALES-QUEROL, Dariel et al. Fermentative quality of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) and citrus fruit (Citrus sp.) pulp silage. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2019, vol.42, n.3, pp.207-212. ISSN 0864-0394.

In order to characterize the fermentation dynamics of a silage of whole sorghum plant (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) with inclusion levels of citrus fruit (Citrus sp.), pH, ammonia content and concentration of volatile fatty acids (acetic, propionic and butyric) were evaluated as quality indicators. A complete randomized design was applied with four treatments: a) 100 % sorghum, b) 75 % sorghum: 25 % pulp; c) 50 % sorghum: 50 % pulp, d) 25 % sorghum: 75 % pulp. Four moments were established (14, 28, 42 and 56 days) with six repetitions for each one. The silages showed pH between 3,29 and 4,32. A decrease of this indicator was observed, as the pulp percentage in the mixture increased. The silages with pulp reached the lowest pH values at 56 days of evaluation; while the sorghum silage (100 %) achieved them at 42 days. The ammoniacal nitrogen, just like pH, decreased with the inclusion of the pulp, and increased as the evaluation moments passed, with contents between 0,05 and 2,54 mg N-NH3 100 mL-1. With regards to the volatile fatty acids, acetic acid showed the highest concentrations in all the silages during the evaluation period, with values between 1,7 and 17, 2 mmole L-1. The quantities of propionic and butyric acid were negligible, and were in the range of 0,015 and 0,33 mmole L-1for propionic and 0,004 and 0,037 mmole L-1 for butyric. There were significant differences in the production of acetic and butyric acid among the treatments since day 28 of the evaluation. Propionic acid showed differences since day 42. It is concluded that the fermentation quality indicators are within the established range to classify silages as having good quality.

Keywords : volatile fatty acid; ammonia; silage; pH.

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