Influência da adição de monensina e óleo essencial no valor nutritivo de silagens de TMR com elevado teor de umidade

Abstract

The ensiling of TMRs has proven to be a promising practice in ruminant feeding, offering a balanced and homogeneous diet. The addition of modulators, such as monensin and essential oils, aims to improve the efficiency of the fermentation process. In this context, this study evaluated the effect of adding monensin and essential oil on the chemical composition of silages, in order to assess the potential of these additives to improve the nutritional value of preserved forage. To this end, a completely randomized design was adopted, testing five different additive inclusion methods: control (no additive), MON35 (35 mg monensin/kg DM), MON45 (45 mg monensin/kg DM), OEL300 (300 mg essential oil/kg DM), and OEL600 (600 mg essential oil/kg DM). Four replications per treatment were carried out, totaling 20 experimental silos. The preparation of the TMR involved mixing the concentrate with the roughage and distilled water for the mixture. After filling the silos, they were sealed with double-sided plastic sheeting (black and white) and adhesive tape, then stored in a laboratory at room temperature for 90 days. A detailed bromatological analysis was performed, including protein fractionation, fiber determination, non-fibrous carbohydrates, lignin, and in vitro dry matter digestibility. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in the CP, DM, and DMDM parameters between the tested treatments. The CP in DM showed the highest value (17.92%) in the OEL600 treatment, due to the inhibition of proteolytic bacteria by limonene, reducing nutritional losses during ensiling and preserving it. For the DM parameter, the possible presence of sand particles in the samples may have influenced the analysis results. A more in-depth study of the mineral composition, through profile analysis, would be valuable to interpret the observed differences. For DMDM, the MON35 treatment showed the highest value (80.25% in DM), improving silage quality by reducing the proliferation of undesirable bacteria, promoting lactic fermentation, and increasing digestibility.