DEGRADATION OF DRY MATTER, CRUDE PROTEIN AND NEUTRAL DETERGENT FIBER OF ELEPHANT GRASS SILAGES WITH DEHYDRATED CASHEW STALK

Abstract

To evaluate the dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in situ degradation of elephant grass silages with five levels (0%; 4%; 8%; 12% and 16%, on a fresh matter basis of the ensiling mass) of dehydrated cashew stalk (DCS), this research was carried out. The design was a split-plot one, consisting the addition levels the plots and the incubation times the sub-plots, with 4 replicates (silos). For the silages making, the elephant grass was cut 70 days-old and mixed to the by-product, in 20 plastic drums (silos). From these silos, samples were taken to dry, grid in a bolter of 5 mm mesh, being used 3 g of samples in each nylon bag , with 50 ?m of porosity for incubation in the rumem for 0, 6, 48 e 96 hours. Two ram without defined breed were used. After the incubation, the bags were taken out from the rumen, washed and oven dried at 60ºC for 72 hours. After, they were weighed and on the residue the chemical analysis were performed.  The inclusion of the DCS in the elephant grass silage increased the potential degradability of DM and NDF of the silages by 12% of the inclusion, with values of 77.60% and 61.96% respectively. The highest potential degradability of CP (84.80%) was observed when it was added 16% of the DCS silage. The effective degradability of DM and NDF increased with the inclusion of DCS, reaching the highest values with 16% for inclusion. The elephant grass silage containing dehydrated cashew stalk can be used in feed for small ruminants.
 
KEY WORDS: Anacardium occidentale L., degradability, ensiling, Pennisetum purpureum, Schum., sheep.