Grass size and butterfly pea inclusion modify the nutritional value of elephant grass silage

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the nutritional value silages from tall-sized and dwarf elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) genotypes, intercropped or not with butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea). experiment performed in randomized complete blocks, a 4x2 factorial arrangement (four genotypes × two cropping systems). were: IRI-381 Elephant B, tall sized; Taiwan A-146 2.37 Mott, dwarf. Forage harvested 60 days after regrowth. In silage Mott pea, lower contents lignin (78.1 g kg-1), neutral detergent fiber (636.0 insoluble protein (13.15 besides greater dry matter recovery (873.3 were observed. legume showed crude content (136.1 kg-1). both silages, ammonia nitrogen quite reduced (26.4 However, residual water-soluble carbohydrate observed intercrop (1.85 mg g-1) monocrop (1.51 g-1). Moreover, there vitro digestibility (676.7 kg-1) for intercrop. Dwarf increase silage, compared ones. Intercropping improves fermentation characteristics, despite reducing its digestibility. Therefore, ensilage shows more promising results.