Physicochemical composition and ruminal degradability of leucaena ensiled with different levels of buriti fruit peel

The objective of this research was to evaluate in situ degradability and physicochemical composition of leucaena silage mixed with different levels of buriti fruit peel. We used a completely randomized design with five levels of buriti fruit peel (0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 g kg−1). The silos were opened after 28 days of storage. In situ degradability monitoring was conducted using a split‐plot design in which four animals represented the blocks and silage supplemented with five levels of buriti fruit peel represented the treatments. The use of the additive in leucaena silage increased dry matter (DM) (P < 0.0001), ether extract (P = 0.0068), acid detergent fiber and decreased crude protein (P < 0.0001). The pH (P = 0.0335), ammoniac nitrogen (P < 0.0001) and DM recovery (P = 0.0983) increased with level of buriti fruit peel added in the silage. Gas losses (P < 0.0001) decreased with the addition of buriti fruit peel in the ensilage. Effluent losses (P < 0.1093) were not influenced by buriti fruit peel addition. The inclusion of buriti fruit peel linearly reduced the ruminal degradability DM of soluble fraction (a) (P < 0.0001) and potentially degradable insoluble fraction (b) (P < 0.0001). Inclusion of buriti fruit peel up to 50 g kg−1 of leucaena forage provides favorable conditions for silage and contributes to pH reduction, despite reducing ruminal degradability. The degradability can be increased with the mixture of silage to a non‐protein nitrogen supplement and thus overcome this problem.