Nutritive value of palisadegrass silages affected by year season, dry matter level and bacterial inoculant

The objectives of this work were to evaluate the effect of year season, dry matter concentration (DM), and bacterial inoculation on the nutritive value of palisadegrass silages. The trial was carried out in a complete randomized experimental design with four replications, in a factorial arrangement (2 x 3 x 3): two year seasons (summer and winter), three dry matter levels (with or without wilting or added with dried citrus pulp), and without microbial additive or with Lactobacillus plantarum or Lactobacillus buchneri, totalizing 18 treatments. Silages were stored in 20 L plastic buckets. After 90-d of fermentation, the silos were opened and the silages were evaluated. Wilting increased DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and lignin (LIG), in both year seasons, and did not change in vitro true dry matter digestibility (IVTDMD). Addition of citrus pulp increased crude protein (CP) concentration and water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and decreased the NDF concentration. As a result, this additive increased the IVTDMD in both year seasons. The use of microbial inoculants did not change fiber fractions and did not increase the IVTDMD in the silages. Summer-silages had higher CP level and lower cell wall concentrations, except for HEM, resulting in higher IVTDMD. The low nutritive value obtained for the winter silages was not in agreement with the literature, mainly due to the greater regrowth age of palisadegrass in this season. As a result, the overall analysis pointed out that summer season silages are a better option of roughage for animal nutrition, mainly when ensiled with dried and pelleted citrus pulp.