Fermentation Characteristics of Silage of Sugar Cane Treated with Calcium Oxide, <i> Lactobacillus buchneri </i>and Their Associations

Abstract

We evaluated the fermentation products, the gaseous and effluent losses of sugarcane silages without calcium oxide (CaO) or with CaO addition, at the levels of zero, 0.8%, 1.6% and 2.4%, in association with the microbial additive Lactobacillus buchneri inoculated at the levels of zero, 50.000, 100.000 e 150.000 ufc/g of sugarcane, wet bases. The variety RB855536, harvested after 12 months of first growth was used. The experiment design was the completely randomized design, in a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement. They were evaluated in the silages, the contents of volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, ethanol, and the pH, as well as the gaseous and effluent losses. In the analysis of the data, the SAS system was utilized. It was observed on interaction effect of the chemical and microbial additive over the contents of lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, ethanol and over the gaseous and effluents losses. However, there was no interaction effect regarding to pH. When it was observed on interaction effect of additives, the effects of the levels of one additive were evaluated by regression analysis in each level of each other, and vice-versa. The level 1.6% of CaO associated to the level 50,000 ufc/g of natural matter of Lactobacillus buchneri provided adequate levels of lactic acid (superior to 4.5%), and of acetic acid (around 1%), moderate content of propionic acid (0.55%), low content of butyric acid (0.05%) and controlled the production of ethanol and the gaseous and effluent losses. The pH of the silages were influenced by CaO addition, but were not affected consistently by microbial inoculation.