Fermentative profile and nutritive value of corn silage with Tamani guinea grass

The use of silage has been an efficient alternative to feed supply during the shortage of roughage in dry periods, providing quality feed that is widely used in ruminant feeding. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the fermentative characteristics and nutritive value of corn silage with Tamani guinea grass (Panicum maximum BRS cv. Tamani) through chemical composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility and protein fractionation. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. The treatments consisted of five silages: corn; corn with 10% Tamani guinea grass; corn with 20% Tamani guinea grass; corn with 30% Tamani guinea grass; and corn with 40% Tamani guinea grass, totalling 20 experimental silos. The addition of tamani grass to silages was determined based on fresh matter. For ensiling, corn was harvested with 320 g kg(-1) DM (dry matter) and Tamani guinea grass in a 30-day development cycle with 286 g kg(-1) DM. After 50 days of silage, the silos were opened to analyse the fermentative characteristics, chemical composition and protein fractionation of the silage. The results showed that the addition of Tamani guinea grass in corn silage increased the pH and buffering capacity and reduced the dry matter and lactic acid concentration but did not compromise the fermentative characteristics of silages. The addition of 40% Tamani guinea grass in corn silage provided increased levels of crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, protein A, B1 and C, and decreased the fractions B3 and C, which makes Tamani guinea grass an alternative to improve the quality of exclusive corn silage, resulting in better quality silage.