The objective was to evaluate the dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ruminal degradation of silages of elephant grass; elephant grass ensiled with 30% of sugarcane; 15% of cocoa meal; and 45% of sugarcane plus 15% of cocoa meal. Samples of each silage were incubated in the rumen of three Holstein x Zebu crossbred steers during the periods of 0, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. The experimental design used was the one of subdivided parcels and the non linear coefficients a, b and c were estimated through Gauss-Newton interactive procedures. For the elephant grass ensiled with cocoa meal, larger values of DM and CP fraction a were observed, next to 60%, besides the greatest b fraction degradation rates and effective degradability (ED) of CP to passage rates of 2, 5 and 8% h-1. The silages that showed the largest non-degradable i fractions of NDF were the elephant grass silages without additive and with 30% of sugarcane, while the silage addicted with 45% of sugarcane and 15% of cocoa meal showed up by the largest DM, CP and NDF potential degradation in all of the studied periods, and larger DM and CP ED for passage rates of 2, 5 and 8% h-1. The associated inclusion of sugarcane with cocoa meal at the moment of the elephant grass ensilage comes as an alternative to increase the degradability of forage in advanced growth stage.
Degradability; ensilage; roughage; passage rate
