This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation pattern and dry-matter losses in corn (Zea mays L.) silage intercropped with Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu and Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombasa grasses in different sowing modalities through crop–livestock integration. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, which were arranged in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme with four repetitions. The first factor consisted of the grass cultivars Marandu and Mombasa. The second factor was the sowing modalities of grasses intercropped with corn: (1) simultaneous row sowing and inter-row corn sowing (no fertilizer); (2) simultaneous row sowing and inter-row corn sowing (with fertilizer); (3) simultaneous sowing with double grass row in the corn inter-row; (4) delayed sowing inter-row at 7 days after corn emergence; and (5) delayed sowing inter-row at 14 days after corn emergence. The forage buffer capacity (BC), silage pH and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₃-N) content, forage (FORDM) and silage dry-matter (SILDM) percentages, gas losses (GL), effluent losses (EL), and dry-matter recovery (DMR) parameters on the ensilage were evaluated. Only forage BC, silage NH₃-N, and silage DMR variables differed (p < 0.05) from the control silage (monocropped corn) when the integration was carried out. The grass cultivar factors and sowing modalities for BC and NH₃-N variables had an effect. The intercropping of corn and Marandu grass or Mombasa grass, in any grass sowing modality, did not affect the quality of the silage.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of sorghum grown in different combinations of row spacing and plant density, as well as possible interferences on silage quality. No other study dedicated to identifying the interference of plant spatial arrangement on the cultivation of silage material has been developed in the productive context of the Amazon Biome, making it necessary to understand the behavior of the studied factors. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot scheme: the plots corresponded to three row spacings (0.45 m, 0.60 m, and 0.75 m) and subplots at four densities (105,000, 120,000, 135,000, and 150,000 plants ha⁻¹). The agronomic and productivity characteristics of sorghum and the fermentative and bromatological characteristics of forage and silage were evaluated. The sorghum plants showed an increase in plant height and green and dry mass yield when using higher densities (p < 0.05). For the culm diameter variable, an isolated effect of the factors was observed, with reduced diameter when grown closer to inter-row spacing or using higher plant densities. No effect of the factors was found (p > 0.05) for morphological plant components. In silage, wider spacing promoted higher dry matter content. Regarding crude protein in the silage, higher percentages were obtained at closer spacing and higher plant density. The sorghum growing in dense conditions is indicated, given the positive performance in productivity and bromatological composition.

Embora seja relativamente fácil obter silagem de boa qualidade a partir de milho e sorgo, também é possível produzir silagem de média a boa qualidade utilizando gramíneas. Depois do milho e do sorgo, a Brachiaria é uma das forrageiras com melhores características para ensilagem, dada a sua alta produtividade, grande adaptabilidade, facilidade de cultivo, boa aceitabilidade animal e, quando nova, bom valor nutricional. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as perdas de gases e efluentes e a composição química da Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu com inclusão de farinha de milho. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições. Os tratamentos foram: capim marandu, capim marandu + 10% de farelo de milho, capim marandu + 20% de farelo de milho e capim marandu + 30% de farelo de milho, com base na matéria natural do capim. As variáveis analisadas foram: pH, perdas de gases e efluentes, recuperação de matéria seca, teor de matéria seca, proteína bruta, fibra em detergente neutro e fibra em detergente ácido e hemicelulose. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e regressão ao nível de 5% de probabilidade de erro. Foi observada uma redução (P<0,05) de 0,044; 0,196 e 0,278 unidades percentuais para cada 1% de farinha de milho nos valores de pH, perda de gases e efluentes, respectivamente. Os valores de recuperação de matéria seca, teor de matéria seca e proteína bruta aumentaram (P<0,05) em 0,695; 0,398 e 0,120 unidades percentuais para cada 1% de farinha de milho. A inclusão do farelo de milho na silagem de capim marandu promoveu redução de 0,361; 0,241 e 0,434 unidades percentuais em fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido e hemicelulose, respectivamente. Dessa forma, concluímos quea inclusão de farelo de milho aumenta a qualidade da silagem.