Fermentation Profile, Nutritional Quality and Microbial Populations of Melon Plant Biomass Silage Ensiled with Corn Bran

Abstract

Currently, there is no use for melon plant biomass in agriculture and animal feeding. Using this biomass as silage provides a more sustainable production system. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the silage produced with different mixtures of melon plant biomass and ground corn. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial scheme (5 × 2) with five replications. The treatments consisted of five mixtures of melon plant biomass between the plant (branch + leaf) and the fruit (melon scrapings) in amounts of 0% fruit, 5% fruit, 10% fruit, 20% fruit, and 100% fruit on an as-fed basis and ground corn in amounts of 0% and 5% AF of the ensiled biomass. The greatest dry matter contents were found in silages with corn and 0 and 5% fruit, which were 225.6 g/kg and 235.2 g/kg, respectively. The highest concentrations of acetic acid were found in the silages with 0% fruit without corn and 20% fruit with ground corn and were 10.96 and 10.00 g/kg DM, respectively. The use of melon fruit biomass with 0%, 5%, and 100% fruit is the most suitable for silage making, and adding ground corn improves silage quality parameters.

Fermentation Profile, Aerobic Stability, and Chemical and Mineral Composition of Cactus Pear Silages with Different Inclusion Levels of Gliricidia Hay

“…The exposure of silages to the aerobic environment reduced the maximum pH registered, and the inclusion of hay increased the time required for the mass to reach the maximum pH. This effect is beneficial for maintaining the nutritional quality of the silage during exposure to air, as aerobic microorganisms use residual fermentation substrates and organic acids from the fermentation process for colonization and population increases in an aerobic environment [ 19 ]. With the inclusion of gliricidia hay up to 20% in cactus pear silages, the TMT increased by approximately 8.4 h compared to the silage of cactus pear alone, with a higher DTS also being observed, resulting in a greater heating capacity of the silage (2.4 °C) and shorter time to break aerobic stability (72 h).…”

“…In the present study, the silage of cactus pear alone presented a Na value higher than that presented by silages containing gliricidia hay in its composition, meeting the requirements of beef cattle (0.6–0.8 g/kg) [ 34 ] for this mineral. The high Na content highlights the importance of silage of cactus pear alone for ruminant nutrition, as this mineral plays a key role in maintaining osmotic pressure, acid–base balance, and control of water metabolism [ 19 ]. In addition, Na can reduce feed intake because it increases animal thirst; however, as cactus pear is also a source of water for ruminants, this unfavorable effect of Na is probably minimized.…”

Characterization of Melon, (Cucumis melo L.) Silage with Different Biomass Mixtures and Dry Matter Contents

“…The incorporation of corn bran as an additive has shown positive effects on the quality parameters of silages, while the addition of urea has contributed to reducing the yeast population, which is crucial for enhancing the aerobic stability of melon fruits. It was observed that specific fruit quantities (0%, 10%, and 100% fruits) yielded superior quality given indicative parameters in the silages produced [9,10]. These measures present viable options for farmers living in melon-producing regions.…”