Relative Losses of Pioneiro Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) Silage with Addition of Whole Plant Maize or Maize Grain during Fermentation

Relative Losses of Pioneiro Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) Silage with Addition of Whole Plant Maize or Maize Grain during Fermentation

Among the forages with potential to be ensiled, tropical forages stand out because of their high yield capacity, being able to produce three times more dry matter than for maize under tropical conditions. Although tropical forages are an interesting alternative for ensilage, their high moisture content may impair the fermentation process, reducing the silage quality. The addition of whole plant maize and maize grain to other grass silages can be an efficient way to reduce the losses involved during the process, specially due to the improvement of the fermentative profile of the silages (Stefanie et al. 2000; Anaya-Ortega et al. 2009).

This study aimed to analyze the relative losses from the fermentation of Pioneiro grass silages added or not with whole plant maize and grain maize besides the whole plant maize silage.