Effect of treatment with urea on the chemical composition and digestibility of sugarcane bagasse

Abstract

Fresh cane bagasse was used to evaluate the effect of ammonification with urea (0, 5 and 10%) and silage on the content of dry matter (DM), crude protein (PC), acid detergent fiber (FDA), fiber neutral detergent (NDF) and lignin (L) and to in vitro dry matter digestibility (DIVMS). The material was kept in plastic microsilos for eight weeks at room temperature (26-32 ° C). The experimental design was completely randomized with four repetitions. The first increase in urea (5%) produced an increase in the content of DM (48.4 to 51.6%, P <.05) and DIVMS (30.0 to 40.7%, P <.01), while the second increase (10%) had no further effect. However, there was a progressive change at the two levels of urea in the contents of PC (2.4, 15.5 and 31.6%, P <.01), FDA (63.4, 60.2, and 57.5%, P <.05) and L (14.0, 11.8 and 11.2%, P <.01) and a non-significant trend in NDF (90.8, 89.2 and 85.1%). Ammonification with urea improved the bromatological composition of the bagasse.