The experiment was carried out to evaluate the nutritive value of elephant grass silage wilted under the sun light for eight hours. Other treatments involved the same elephant grass without exposing to sun light but with addition of 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28% of cocoa meal (CM) at the ensilage process. The PVC silos used in the experiment measured 0.15 m of diameter and 0.30 m of height. During the ensiling process the forage was compressed until reach 500 kg/m³. The addition of CM on elephantgrass during the ensiling process increased efficiently the silage DM concentration. The treatment of 7% addition of CM resulted in DM concentration similar to the wilted treatment. The treatments involving addition of CM presented high TN, EE, LIG, NDIN, and ADIN concentrations. Reductions in NDF, ADF, CEL, HEM, ash, TDN, and IVDMD concentrations were detected with the addition of CM. The estimated TDN of wilted treatment was greater than the other treatments with or without CM. Although the CM reduced IVDMD, the 7 and 14% levels of CM inclusion resulted in elevated digestibility over 60%. The wilting and CM addition may be used as alternatives to increase silage DM concentration.
roughage; Pennisetum purpureum; byproduct; Theobroma cacao
