Effects of Dehydrated Cupuaçu Almond Bran Inclusion on Fermentation Profile and Bromatological Composition of Pennisetum purpureum Grass Silage

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the fermentative characteristics and the bromatological composition of elephant grass silages by adding dehydrated almonds of cupuaçu. A completely randomized design was used with four treatments (0, 15, 30, and 45%) and five replications. The variables analyzed were pH, effluent losses and dry matter recovery, dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and hemicellulose. The data were submitted for analysis of variance and regression to the level of 5% probability using the statistical package SISVAR®. With the inclusion of dehydrated cupuaçu almonds was observed a linear increase (P<0.05) of 0.05, 1.14, 0.63, 2.43, and 2.52 percentage units for each percentage on pH, dry matter recovery, dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, and hemicellulose. On the other hand, for each 1% of the additive added was observed reduction of 0.20, 1.15, 0.035, 0.8, 0.38, and 0.36 for N-NH3, buffering power, effluents, gas loss, crude protein, and acid detergent fiber, respectively. The addition of dehydrated cupuaçu almonds to elephant grass silage promotes improvements in the silage composition; however, the amount to be added must be moderated as this additive increases the ph and the amount of fiber in the silage.