ABSTRACT
Overtime losses of nutritional and fermentation traits in re-ensiled maize silage

Rogerio M. Murta1, Ted L. Murtha1, Fredson V. Silva2, Dhemerson S. Goncalves1, Camila M. Oliveira1, Joao P.S. Rigueira2, Pedro H.F. Silva2*, and Victoria L. Matos2
 
Re-ensiled maize (Zea mays L.) silage is an important ready-to-use product for feeding ruminants in urgent circumstances at dairy or beef farms. However, in recent decades, there has been little investigation into the possible re-ensiled silage losses caused by the storage time. The objective of this study was to evaluate losses in chemical, fermentation and digestibility parameters of whole-plant maize silage re-ensiled in proper plastic bags over time. Treatments consisted of six silage storage periods in the reallocation silos (30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 d). Contents of DM, starch, non-fiber carbohydrates, and total digestible nutrients decreased linearly over time (P < 0.001). In contrast, consistent gains in crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), lignin, ash, and Ca concentrations were observed as the storage time increased (P < 0.001). Concentrations of digestible NDF after 240 h and digestible in situ starch decreased as the storage time advanced (P < 0.001). The lactic/acetic acid ratio decreased from day 73rd onwards (P = 0.002) while fermentation losses increased from day 54th onwards (P = 0.001). The nutritional value and fermentation quality of re-ensiled maize silage decrease over time. However, it is possible to open reallocation silos from 30 to 150 d after the re-ensiling process to obtain a proper-parameter maize silage.
Keywords: Ensilage, lactic acid, ruminant feeding, silage reallocation, Zea mays.
1Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais (IFNMG), Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias, Januaria-Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
2Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros (UNIMONTES), Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias, Janauba, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
*Corresponding author (pehenrique1709@gmail.com).