Chemical and organoleptic evaluation of maralfalfa silage (Pennisetum sp.) plus fresh cassava (Manihot esculenta)

Objective. To evaluate the chemical composition and the organoleptic traits of maralfalfa silage (Pennisetum sp.), containing different proportions of fresh cassava (Manihot esculenta). Materials and methods. Four treatment (T) groups of maralfalfa silage containing different percentage of fresh cassava were compared: 0% (Treatment 1, Control), Treatment 5% (Treatment 2), 10% (Treatment 3), and 15% (Treatment 4). Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), lignin, fraction of dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), ash, and crude protein (CP) were analyzed by an analysis of variance and orthogonal polynomials. In addition, consumption and organoleptic traits were also analyzed using descriptive statistics, in 20 heifers, that received 30 kg of silage per treatment. Results. Nutritional variables showed different types of polynomial trends. DM and EE were linear trends, lignin was quadratic, and CP, ash, NDF, ADF, and pH were cubic trends. Organoleptic traits for T3 and T4 were excellent. The average consumption for T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 4.66, 4.42, 4.58, and 4.74 kg, respectively. Conclusions. The inclusion of fresh cassava root contributed positively in the nutritional quality of maralfalfa silage and organoleptic traits.