Simple Summary
This study examined the effectiveness of silage made from spineless forage cactus mixed with sugarcane bagasse as animal feed. Good feed is essential for healthy and productive livestock, especially in areas where food quality fluctuates significantly. Different amounts of bagasse were tested (0, 150, 300, 450, and 600 g/kg dry matter), mixed with cactus and a small amount of urea. It was found that silage made only from cactus produced gas differently from silage with bagasse, which showed very little gas production at first. Adding bagasse reduced how well the silage broke down in the lab, lowering its dry and organic matter digestibility and gas production as bagasse levels increased. However, silage with 150 g/kg of bagasse treated with urea provided a good balance between the required energy and fiber. Overall, this cactus–bagasse mix could be a low-cost, sustainable feed option for ruminant animals.
Abstract
The success of optimal ruminant production relies heavily on feed efficiency to deliver the necessary nutrients to animals. Nutritional deficiencies in livestock pose a significant challenge in regions experiencing prolonged fluctuations in resource availability and quality. In this context, the present study aimed to investigate the cumulative gas production (CGP) and in vitro degradability of silages made from spineless forage cactus (a native species) combined with high-fiber ingredients, to evaluate their viability as a sustainable, low-cost alternative to animal feed. The experiment involved ensiling spineless cactus genotypes with varying levels of sugarcane bagasse (0, 150, 300, 450, and 600 g/kg of dry matter) and a 1% urea–ammonium sulfate solution. The results indicated that for all genotypes studied, the CGP curves from silage composed solely of forage cactus differed significantly from those containing bagasse, which exhibited an initial phase characterized by little or no gas production. In vitro degradability was negatively influenced by the inclusion of bagasse at any level, resulting in decreased dry matter and organic matter degradability, as well as reduced CGP with increasing bagasse concentration. Therefore, the study demonstrated that the proposed combination of ingredients represents a promising sustainable feed supplement to enhance animal nutrition. Silage containing 150 g/kg of bagasse treated with urea offers a favorable balance between the energy required by rumen microflora and the benefits of fiber presence.