The present study evaluated the effects of increasing levels of sweeping cassava flour (SCF) on the chemical composition, in vitro degradability, fermentation parameters, microbial populations, and aerobic stability of sugarcane top silage. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with four treatments (0, 5, 10, and 15% SCF on an as‐fed basis) and four replicates. Contents of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fiber, and ash showed quadratic responses ( p 0.05). Regarding fermentation, lactic and acetic acid concentrations decreased ( p 0.05). Fermentative losses were also affected as SCF increased gas losses ( p 0.05), but yeast populations were reduced ( p = 0.048). Aerobic stability decreased with SCF, as exposure time was shortened ( p < 0.001), and silage pH increased during the first 48 h of air exposure ( p < 0.001). In conclusion, the addition of 5% SCF improved nutritional value but did not enhance fermentation and reduced aerobic stability of sugarcane top silage.
Lima et al. (Wed,) studied this question.