Estabilidade Aeróbia e Perdas Fermentativas da Silagem de Milheto em Consórcio com Cultivares de Brachiaria

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fermentation losses and aerobic stability of mixed silages of millet and different cultivars of Brachiaria. A completely randomized experimental design (DIC) was used, with 6 treatments and 3 replicates per treatment: single millet, millet intercropped with Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Ruziziensis, Millet intercropped with Brachiaria humidicola cv. Llanero, Millet intercropped with Bracharia brizantha BRS Ipyporã , Millet intercropped with Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Paiaguás, Millet intercropped with Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu. The silos remained sealed and stored in a covered and ventilated environment, and were opened to assess losses and aerobic stability after 180 days. The chemical changes in the silage were determined from 0 to 4 days after opening. Temperature and pH readings were taken at 3-hour intervals over a 96-hour period, after the buckets were placed in a controlled environment using a thermometer inserted 10 cm into the center of the silage mass. The DM contents at the time the silos were opened differed, with higher values in the single millet, millet + cv. Ruziziensis, millet + cv. Llanero and millet + cv. Marandu, compared to the other treatments. Gas losses differed between treatments, with the highest average in the millet intercropped with Ipyporã, at 6.79%. There was no significant difference in dry matter losses or dry matter recovery, with averages of 3.52 and 96.62%, respectively. There was a significant difference in the time taken to break aerobic stability, where the millet + cv. Llanero resulted in greater resistance when exposed to the environment, accumulating 88.5 hours. Mixed millet and Brachiaria silages showed higher losses due to effluents and high pH. However, losses and recovery of dry matter, as well as aerobic stability, were satisfactory.