Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) for production of silage of the entire plant

The objective of the work was to describe the quantitative and qualitative characteristics referring to sunflower cultive (Helianthus annuus L.) with the purpose of silage of the entire plant. The providence of conserved roughages is one strategy that can develop the productives and reproductives index of flocks in period of scarcity food, usually determinant by the low availability of pastures. The advantages of sunflower silage in comparison with the maize and sorghum is in the larger tolerance to drought, lower temperatures in the germination period (until 5 degrees C), smaller vegetative cycle, favoring more than one cultivation in summer with other culture and desired quality of the ensiled product. The lower content of dry matter (20 - 25%) and the high content of ether extract (10 - 18%) had been indicated as the main restrictions for sunflower silage, due to higher storage losses. Concerning the chemical composition of sunflower silage, contrasting with the maize, it is usual to meet larger levels of the crude protein (12% versus 9%), ether extract (14% versus 3%), acid detergent fiber (43 versus 32%) and lesser levels of neutral detergent fiber (47% versus 56%) and dry matter digestibility (49 versus 65%). The sunflower silage must not substitute totally the maize silage in ruminant diet, but it outstands as one forage plant option as source of energy and protein at situations of culture rotation, drought season and in the fall.