The effects of adding 15% of different additives (coffee hulls, cocoa meal and, cassava meal) to green elephant grass forage (weight/weight) at the time of ensiling on the apparent digestibility of diets were studied using 20 male sheep in a completely randomized design, with four treatments and five replications. The treatments were: T1 = elephant grass ensiled without additive; T2 = elephant grass ensiled with 15% coffee hulls; T3 = elephant grass ensiled with 15% cocoa meal; and T4 = elephant grass ensiled with 15% cassava meal. The animals were fed isonitrogen diet (10% crude protein) in 60% roughage and 40% concentrate rate, on dry matter basis. Total feces collection method was used for seven days. The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber and the true digestibility coefficient of crude protein were higher in elephant grass ensiled without additive. The ether extract digestibility coefficient was higher in the silages without additive and with cocoa meal. The digestibility coefficients of organic matter and total carbohydrates were higher in the silage without additive and in the silage with cassava meal. The highest values of total digestible nutrients were observed in diets containing silages without additive and with cassava meal. The elephant grass silage with 15% cassava meal, together with the silage without additive, showed better nutrients digestibility.
sheep; residue; silage; byproduct
