Evaluation of the silage of high-moisture corn grain

This work had the objective of evaluating the effects of different percentages of corn (Zea mays L.) cob on the quality of the silage of high-moisture corn grains. The following treatments were studied: percentages of corn cob in the silage (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%); period of sampling after opening the silos (zero, two, four and six days). The factorial arrangement 5 x 4 was studied according to a completely randomized block design with three replications. The variables studied were not affected by the sampling period. The buffering capacity and the pH were not affected by the cob, while the percent soluble carbohydrates and amoniacal nitrogen increasing until 1.2 and 1.89 unit percent, respectively. Increasing the amount of corn cobs reduced the contents of DM (from 63.9% to 58.6%), CP (from 10.0% to 7.3%), EE (from 4.87% to 3.92%) and the values of DMIVD (from 90.5% to 79.1%) in the silages and increasing the contents of acid detergente fiber (ADF) (from 3.3% to 12.9%) and neutral detergente fiber (NDF) (from 15.16% to 26.1%). The values of brute energy (BE) were not affected (P>0.01) by the cob corn in the silage.