The chemical composition, fermentation profile, and microbial populations in tropical grass silages

The objective of this study was to evaluate the fermentation profile, chemical composition and microbial population and losses in the silages of signalgrass and Mombasa grass fertilized with the following levels of nitrogen (N): 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg/ha. The grasses were harvested at 70 days of regrowth, chopped and then ensiled in laboratory silos that had 20 kg of capacity and a snap-top cover and were fitted with Bunsen valves. Before ensiling, samples of the plants were used for the isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in epiphytic microbiota. The design adopted was a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, with four doses of N and two forage species, in a completely randomized design, with four replicates. The predominant species of LAB was Lactobacillus fermentum. The interaction between the N dose and forage species affected the dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) of the silages. The pH values and gas losses were influenced only by the forage species, with higher values for the Mombasa grass. For the ammonia (NH3-N) levels and effluent losses, there was an effect of the interaction between the forage species and N doses, and the highest values of NH3-N and effluent losses were found in the Mombasa grass silage fertilized with 60 kg N/ha. Nitrogen fertilization reduces the levels of DM and WSC in the silages and also increases the levels of CP, NH3-N and effluent losses.