The objective of this work was to evaluate the silage produced from signal grass intercropping with corn or in exclusive culture and harvesting at 100, 120, 140 and 160 days after sowing. Productions of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were evaluated. It was also evaluated, the quality characteristics as contents (%DM) of CP, NDT, non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ammonia nitrogen, butyric acid, lactic acid and pH, these silages. DM content was higher in the forages, regardless of intercropping with corn or in exclusive culture was higher at 140 and 160 days after sowing. Intercropping exclusive culture differed in DM production only at 120 days after sowing. Simultaneous cultivation of corn with two rows of signal grass in interlines (intercropping) was higher than exclusive culture of signal grass. Whatever culture ages, forage obtained from the intercropping of signal grass and corn had higher amounts of TDN/ha and resulted in silages with higher TDN contents and lactic acid and lower contents of NDF, lignin, ammonia nitrogen and acid butyric and lower pH.
agriculture; fermentation; forage conservation; integration; livestock; recuperation of degraded pastures
