Objective. Determine the fermentative profile, proximate composition, and aerobic stability of mixed silages of elephant grass combined with levels of forage peanut. Materials and methods. Different levels of forage peanut (0.0, 20.0, 40.0, 60.0, and 80.0% on FM basis) were added to elephant grass silages. A completely randomized design was adopted, with 5 treatments and 3 repetitions, totaling 15 experimental silos that were opened after 30 days of sealing. Fermentative profile, proximate composition, and aerobic stability were evaluated. Results. The increase in the forage peanut levels in the elephant grass silages promoted a increasing on porosity, permeability, density, and pH (p<0.001). A 0.58 reduction in Flieg index for every 1% forage peanut added to the elephant grass silage was observed (p<0.001). The sum of the silage temperature difference compared to the environment (p=0.032) and aerobic stability (p<0.001) showed a quadratic effect. The forage peanut inclusion in elephant grass silages reduced the dry matter, organic matter, neutral and acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose, cellulose, and total carbohydrates (p<0.05) and increased the mineral matter, crude protein, lignin, non-fibrous carbohydrates, and total digestible nutrients (p<0.05). Conclusions. Under the experimental conditions, recommend the inclusion of up to 40% forage peanut combined with elephant grass to compose mixed silages, due to the better fermentative dynamic, nutritional profile, and aerobic stability.

Total mixed ration silage has been used as a strategy to optimize the use of dry and wet feed in ruminant feeding. Another promising technique is silage reallocation, which allows producers to divide the ensiled material in large silos into smaller units that can be easily transported and marketed. Thus, this study aimed to improve food preservation through the development of total mixed rations (TMRs) based on relocated sorghum silage (RSS) and cactus pear for sheep diets. A completely randomized design was used with five treatments (0, 15, 25, 30, and 35% RSS inclusion on a dry matter basis) and five replicates. Ninety days after ensiling, the silos were opened. The fermentation characteristics, nutritional aspects, aerobic stability, and microbial populations of TMR silages were evaluated. The inclusion of RSS showed a quadratic effect on pH, density, permeability, lactic acid bacteria and yeast counts, and total carbohydrates (p < 0.05). It reduced gas and effluent losses, porosity, ammonia nitrogen, buffer capacity, ash, crude protein, ether extract, and non-fibrous carbohydrates (p < 0.05) while increasing dry matter, neutral and acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose, and cellulose contents (p < 0.05). There was an interaction effect between the levels of RSS inclusion and exposure times to air on CO₂ and dry matter content (p < 0.05). Regarding carbohydrate fractionation, there was a reduction in fraction A + B1 (non-fibrous carbohydrates) and an increase in fractions B2 (fibrous carbohydrates from the cell wall and of slow ruminal availability, susceptible to the effects of the passage rate) and C (indigestible neutral detergent fiber) (p < 0.05). For protein fractionation, a quadratic effect was observed for fractions A (non-protein nitrogen) and C (insoluble protein, indigestible in the rumen and intestine), an increase in fraction B1 (soluble protein rapidly degraded in the rumen) + B2 (insoluble protein with intermediate degradation rate in the rumen), and a reduction in fraction B3 (insoluble protein with slow degradation rate in the rumen) (p < 0.05) as RSS levels increased. Under the experimental conditions, it is recommended to include up to 30% RSS in the total mixed ration silage to improve microbiological characteristics, reduce gas and effluent losses, and increase dry matter recovery and nutritional aspects of silage when associated with cactus pear.

Leucaena has been used to make mixed silages to obtain nutritional enrichment of the silages. Thus, the inclusion of Leucaena as an additive in mixed elephant grass silages can reduce fermentation losses, and increase the nutritional value and aerobic stability of the mixed silage without changing the fermentation profile. This study evaluated the fermentation profile, nutritional composition, and aerobic stability of elephant grass silages combined with different levels of Leucaena. A total of five inclusion levels of Leucaena (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80% on a dry matter basis) were added to elephant grass silages. A completely randomized design was adopted, with 5 treatments and 3 repetitions, totaling 15 experimental silos that were opened after 30 days of sealing. Fermentation profile, chemical composition, and aerobic stability were analyzed. A descriptive analysis of temperature and pH peaks during aerobic stability was performed. The increase in the inclusion of Leucaena in the composition of silages reduced gas and effluent losses, neutral and acid detergent fiber, cellulose, lignin, total and fiber carbohydrates, and total digestible nutrients, and resulted in increased dry matter, ether extract, and crude protein. A quadratic effect of treatments was found for the temperature to reach the maximum pH (P=0.009). Aerobic stability remained constant after 40% Leucaena inclusion in the composition of elephant grass silages. The inclusion of Leucaena up to 80% in the composition of elephant grass silages reduces fermentation losses, promotes a nutritional increase, and increases the aerobic stability of the silages.

The aim was to evaluate the effect of butterfly pea inclusion on the fermentation dynamics, nutritional quality and aerobic stability of mixed elephant grass silages. Butterfly pea levels (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80% on a natural matter basis) were added to elephant grass silages. A completely randomized design was adopted, with 5 treatments and 3 replications, totaling 15 experimental silos, which were opened after 30 days of fermentation. The inclusion of butterfly pea in elephant grass silages resulted in a quadratic effect for permeability, density, maximum pH, final pH, time to reach maximum temperature and aerobic stability (P<0.05). Butterfly pea inclusion levels increased dry matter recovery, pH, dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, crude protein and total digestible nutrients (P<0.001) and reduced gas and effluent losses, mineral matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and total carbohydrates (P<0.001). Inclusions of 40, 60 and 80% of butterfly pea provided temperature increases at 10, 20, 30 and 40 hours. The inclusion of butterfly pea with levels of up to 80% reduces fermentation losses, allows for a nutritional increase and increase in aerobic stability of silages.

Resumo Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da inclusão de cunhã na dinâmica fermentativa, qualidade nutricional e estabilidade aeróbia de silagens mistas de capim-elefante. Níveis de cunhã (0, 20, 40, 60 e 80% na matéria natural) foram adicionados às silagens de capim-elefante. Adotou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 5 tratamentos e 3 repetições, totalizando 15 silos experimentais, que foram abertos após 30 dias de fermentação. A inclusão de cunhã nas silagens de capim-elefante resultou em efeito quadrático para permeabilidade, densidade, pH máximo, pH final, tempo para atingir a temperatura máxima e estabilidade aeróbia (P<0,05). Níveis de inclusão de cunhã aumentaram a recuperação de matéria seca, pH, matéria seca, matéria orgânica, extrato etéreo, proteína bruta e nutrientes digestíveis totais (P<0,001) e reduziram as perdas por gases e efluentes, matéria mineral, fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, hemicelulose, celulose, lignina e carboidratos totais (P<0,001). As inclusões de 40, 60 e 80% de cunhã proporcionaram aumentos de temperatura às 10, 20, 30 e 40 horas. A inclusão de cunhã em teores de até 80% reduz as perdas na fermentação, permite incremento nutricional e aumento da estabilidade aeróbica das silagens.

A gestão eficiente dos recursos hídricos é um desafio crucial para a produção de pequenos ruminantes, sobretudo em regiões tropicais e semiáridas. Este artigo tem como objetivo reunir e discutir as principais equações e abordagens utilizadas para estimar o consumo de água em ovinos, destacando a importância da modelagem matemática na simulação das exigências hídricas. A análise contempla variáveis como consumo de matéria seca, energia metabolizável, peso corporal, temperatura ambiente, além de técnicas de estimativa como a diluição isotópica da água corporal. Também são abordadas as perdas hídricas por diferentes vias fisiológicas e os efeitos da temperatura e da restrição hídrica no desempenho animal. A revisão demonstra que não há uma equação universalmente aplicável, sendo essencial a adaptação dos modelos às condições ambientais, fisiológicas e produtivas específicas. Nesse sentido, a compreensão integrada dos fatores que influenciam o consumo de água é fundamental para a formulação de dietas e estratégias de manejo mais sustentáveis e eficientes.