The objective of the present study was to assess the chemical and bromatological composition and in situ degradability of elephant grass silages inoculated with Streptococcus bovisisolated from cattle rumen. A complete randomized design was used with four treatments and six replications: elephant grass silage, elephant grass silage inoculated with 106 CFU/g Streptococcus bovisJB1 strains; elephant grass silage inoculated with 106 CFU/gStreptococcus bovis HC5 strains; elephant grass silage inoculated with 106 CFU/g Enterococcus faeciumwith six replications each. The pH and ammoniacal nitrogen values were lower (P<0.05) for the silages inoculated with Streptococcus bovis JB1 and HC5, respectively. The silage inoculated withStreptococcus bovis had a higher crude protein content (P<0.05) and there were no differences for the fiber contents in the silage. The (a)soluble fraction degradability, especially in the silages inoculated with Streptococcus bovis JB1 and HC5, had higher values, 30.77 and 29.97%, for dry matter and 31.01 and 36.66% for crude protein, respectively. Inoculation with Streptococcus bovis improved the fermentation profile, protein value and rumen degradability of the nutrients.
digestion; microorganisms; nutritive value; ruminant