Chemical composition, losses and fermentation profile of elephant grass silage with jack fruit levels

Abstract

The objective with this experiment was to evaluate the effects of dehydrated jack fruit addition on the gases and effluent losses, dry matter recovery, pH, N-NH3, volatile fatty acids and chemical composition of elephant grass silage, using a completely randomized design, with four treatments and four replicates per treatment. The treatments were: elephant grass silage; elephant grass silage plus 5% of jack fruit; elephant grass silage plus 10% of jack fruit and elephant grass silage plus 15% of jack fruit, on the natural matter. Grass was cut at 50 days and ensiled in silos of five liters capacity, with bunsen valve to the gases flow up. The losses by gases showed quadratic (P<0.05) response by jack fruit addition, whereas the losses by effluent decreased linearly (P<0.05). Dry matter recovery was altered (P<0.05) quadratically with jack fruit addition. Dry matter and crude protein contents increased linearly (P<0.05), and neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and hemicelullose decreased linearly (P<0.05) with jack fruit addition. The pH increased linearly (P<0.05), and lactic acid content increased (P<0.05) quadratically. N-NH3 and acetic and butyric acids decreased (P<0.05) quadratically with jack fruit addition. Jack fruit addition increases dry matter recovery, besides improving the fermentation profile of elephant grass silage and the smallest jack fruit level is enough to assure such improvements.