The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of corn kernel enzymes, bacteria, fungi, and fermentation end-products (main acids and ethanol) to protein solubilization during fermentation of reconstituted corn grain silage. Flint corn kernels were ground (5-mm sieve), rehydrated to 32% of moisture, and treated with no additives (control), gamma irradiation (32 kGy), gamma irradiation + fermentation end-products (1% of lactic acid, 0.3% of acetic acid, and 0.7% of ethanol, as fed), and natamycin (1% as fed). Treated grains were ensiled in nylon-polyethylene bags and stored for 90 d. Protein solubilization was calculated for each treatment and the contributions of proteolytic sources were determined. Bacterial activity was the main contributor to proteolysis (60%) followed by corn kernel enzymes (30%), whereas fungi and fermentation end-products had only minor contributions (∼5% each).

This work evaluated the chemical composition and mycotoxin incidence in corn silage from 5 Brazilian dairy-producing regions: Castro, in central-eastern Paraná State (n=32); Toledo, in southwestern Paraná (n=20); southeastern Goiás (n=14); southern Minas Gerais (n=23); and western Santa Catarina (n=20). On each dairy farm, an infrared thermography camera was used to identify 3 sampling sites that exhibited the highest temperature, a moderate temperature, and the lowest temperature on the silo face, and 1 sample was collected from each site. The chemical composition and concentrations of mycotoxins were evaluated, including the levels of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2; zearalenone; ochratoxin A; deoxynivalenol; and fumonisins B1 and B2. The corn silage showed a highly variable chemical composition, containing, on average, 7.1±1.1%, 52.5±5.4%, and 65.2±3.6% crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and total digestible nutrients, respectively. Mycotoxins were found in more than 91% of the samples, with zearalenone being the most prevalent (72.8%). All samples from the Castro region contained zearalenone at a high average concentration (334±374µg/kg), even in well-preserved silage. The incidence of aflatoxin B1 was low (0.92%). Silage temperature and the presence of mycotoxins were not correlated; similarly, differences were not observed in the concentration or incidence of mycotoxins across silage locations with different temperatures. Infrared thermography is an accurate tool for identifying heat sites, but temperature cannot be used to predict the chemical composition or the incidence of mycotoxins that have been analyzed, within the silage. The pre-harvest phase of the ensiling process is most likely the main source of mycotoxins in silage.

RESUMO -Nesta pesquisa, comparou-se a inclusão de aditivo composto por cepas de Lactobacillus brevis + Enterococcus faecium + L. plantarum à inoculação com aditivo comercial contendo cepas de Lactobacillus buchneri e à ensilagem sem aditivos (controle). As silagens foram confeccionadas em silos experimentais e armazenadas por 90 dias antes da abertura do silo. Foram avaliadas a composição bromatológica da cana-de-açúcar antes e após a ensilagem, a composição de ácidos orgânicos e etanol das silagens, a estabilidade aeróbia e as perdas fermentativas durante o processo de ensilagem.O uso do aditivo composto e do aditivo comercial contendo cepas de Lactobacillus buchneri provocou aumento da produção de efluentes e de gases e da perda total de matéria seca. O teor de ácido lático da silagem aumentou com o uso do aditivo composto, embora esse aditivo também tenha elevado o teor de etanol (18,6% da MS) em relação ao da silagem controle (14,4%). A estabilidade aeróbia da silagem não foi influenciada pelos inoculantes adicionados no processo de ensilagem. Os aditivos aplicados prejudicaram o processo de ensilagem da cana-de-açúcar. Palavras-chave: etanol, gases, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus buchneri, silagemNew microbial additives on sugarcane ensilage: bromatological composition, fermentative losses, volatile compounds and aerobic stability ABSTRACT -In this study, the inclusion of Lactobacillus brevis + Enterococcus faecium + L. plantarum was compared to the inoculation with a commercial additive containing strains of Lactobacillus buchneri and to the silage without additives (control). Silages were prepared in experimental silos and stored for 90 days before opening of the silos. It was evaluated chemical composition of sugarcane before and after ensiling process, composition of organic acids and ethanol in the silages, aerobic stability and fermentative losses during the ensiling process. Use of compound additive and commercial additive containing strains of Lactobacillus buchneri increased production of effluents and gas and total dry matter losses. Lactic acid content in the silage increased with the use of compound additive, although this additive had increased content of ethanol (18.6% of DM) compared with the control ensilage (14.4%). Aerobic stability in the silage was not influenced by inoculants added into ensilage process. The additives used have impaired the ensiling process of sugarcane. IntroduçãoA ensilagem da cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum L.) é uma alternativa para conservação dessa forragem visando à otimização de atividades no canavial e facilidade operacional. Assim, a aplicação dessa técnica tem aumentado nos últimos anos e constitui uma opção interessante para os demais volumosos suplementares.Como as perdas de matéria seca (MS) durante o processo fermentativo das silagens de cana-de-açúcar são elevadas, o uso de aditivos é importante para reduzir a intensidade da fermentação alcoólica, típica desse material (Schmidt, 2009). A escolha de um aditivo para ensilagem deve ser baseada e...

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The objectives of this study were to determine the range of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility across sugarcane varieties and predict dry-matter (DM) and NDF digestibility based on morphological and chemical composition. Whole plants of thirty-two commercial varieties were collected after 12 months regrowth (second cut) and evaluated for morphological traits, chemical composition, in situ digestibility of NDF (NDFD) and of DM (DMD), in vitro NDFD (IVNDFD) and gas production dynamics from isolated NDF. The content of NDF ranged from 404 to 547 g kg À1 DM, DMD was between 593 and 739 g kg À1 and NDFD varied from 270 to 363 g kg À1 . Cluster and discriminant analyses for NDFD agglomerated sugarcane genotypes into three groups (high, medium and low NDFD). The contents of NDF and lignin were the best univariate predictors of sugarcane DMD and NDFD respectively. Therefore, associating NDF and lignin improved the accuracy of DMD prediction. Associating lignin concentration with the number of dry leaves and stalk length significantly improved the goodness of fit of NDFD prediction. Contrary to expectations, silicon concentration was not related to NDFD. The principal component analysis patterned the content of neutral detergent solubles, NDFD and variables related to DM yield in different components. Hence, these characteristics would coexist in the same variety. Based on Lucas test and kinetics of gas production from NDF, sugarcane potentially digestible NDF (pdNDF) can be considered almost uniform (pdNDF digestibility = 677 g kg À1 ). In conclusion, associating chemical composition and morphological traits can successfully improve the screening of sugarcane genotypes for animal nutrition.