Does longer storage time increase starch digestibility in corn silage?

Authors

  • Eduarda Oliveira Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais
  • Pamella Grossi de Sousa UFMG
  • Guilherme Lobato Menezes UFMG
  • Alan Figueiredo de Oliveira UFMG
  • Frederico Patrus Ananias de Assis Pires UFMG
  • Rafael Araújo de Menezes UFMG
  • Lúcio Carlos Gonçalves UFMG
  • Ana Eliza Da Silva PUC Minas
  • Diogo Gonzaga Jayme UFMG

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31533/pubvet.v16n01a1025.1-7

Keywords:

Storage, silage, fermentation

Abstract

Brazilian corn is predominantly hard (vitreous), and has a lower starch digestibility compared to hybrids (farinaceous). To overcome this situation, an ensiling is performed, as the effective degradability of starch is greater in ensiled corn than in fresh corn. The aim of this review is to present the effects of prolonged silage storage on in vitro ruminal starch digestibility. A good stocked corn silage material will have a rapid pH drop, favoring lactic fermentation. When the fermentation days are extended from 120 to 240 days, an increase in the acetate and lactate concentration is observed, which may justify the gradual increase in digestibility as the fermentation progressed. Despite being an energetic food, where the crude protein does not present important levels in the silage, this parameter also showed an increase in its concentration with prolonged storage, suggesting an implication in the diet formulation. The length of silage has a positive relationship for starch digestibility, but the effect of storage time on animal performance must be evaluated.

Published

2022-01-31

Issue

Section

Nutrição e alimentação animal

How to Cite

Does longer storage time increase starch digestibility in corn silage?. (2022). Pubvet, 16(01). https://doi.org/10.31533/pubvet.v16n01a1025.1-7

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