Silagem de milheto com diferentes níveis de inclusão de leucena

Abstract

In the Brazilian territory, climatic conditions have a great influence on the forage production, promoting fluctuations in the supply of food for animals with periods of quality forages abundance and alternating with scarcity periods. The mixture of two or more forage crops, called mixed silage, is an interesting alternative for producers, as this mixture favors better use and optimization of the use of forage plants available within the property. In this context, the objective was to evaluate different levels of Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit) in millet silage [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] on pH, losses of gases and effluents and nutritional value mixed silages produced. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design using millet with increasing concentrations of leucaena (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% of natural matter) with five replications. The pH was not influenced by the leuacena inclusion, with an average of 4.2. The losses by gases and by effluents reduced 0.0961% of DM and 0.02 kg t-1 for each 1% of leucaena inclusion in the ensiling, respectively. Levels of leucaena inclusion influenced linearly the dry matter content (0.0747%), crude protein (0.070%), ether extract (0.008%), and lignin (0.1481%) of silage. The potential standardized degradability (Bp) of the acid detergent fiber (FDA) showed a linear decreasing effect (P<0.01). For each percentage point of leucaena inclusion, there was a reduction of 0.36%. The leucaena inclusion in 40% in the millet ensilage does not compromise the fermentative characteristics and the nutritional value, which make it possible to classify the mixed silages as of good quality.