The experiment was carried out to determine the carbohydrate fractions of elephantgrass silage wilted under the sun for eight hours. Other treatments included the same elephantgrass without wilting but with addition of 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28% of cocoa meal at the ensiling process. The PVC silos used in the experiment had 5.3 L of capacity, and they were opened 45 days after ensiling. The wilted treatment showed total carbohydrate (TC) concentration similar to treatments with 14 and 21% cocoa meal. The regression analysis detected linear reduction of this fraction with the addition of cocoa meal. For all carbohydrate estimated fractions, the wilted treatment showed similar values to the treatment without wilting. The silage TC fractions were altered by cocoa meal addictions, presenting high concentration of A+B1, and NDFi, and low concentration of B2 with increasing cocoa meal level.
by-product; forage conservation; roughage; Pennisetum purpureum; Theobroma cacao L
