Production of ensiled ration using cassava derivatives
non-cnventional foods, product development, food conservation, Manihot esculenta, animal nutrition.
The development of animal feed products using sources previously considered to have no nutritional, technological, or economic potential has assisted producers in daily management and, in some cases, even contributed to sustainable practices — a topic that has been gaining prominence in agricultural production aimed at the international market. Processes such as feed ensiling or dehydration are low-cost, easily implemented techniques that can be carried out on the farm itself. The preservation of these feeds, combined with the maintenance of their nutritional value and proper storage, represents an important strategy for producers, who often face challenges in providing animals with feed of adequate nutritional quality, thereby avoiding the use of deteriorated products. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a plant widely cultivated in Brazil, with its roots being the main harvested product. However, its aerial part is often considered merely as a crop residue, with no apparent purpose. The combined use of cassava roots and aerial parts in animal nutrition shows great potential, both in terms of nutritional quality and cost reduction across the production chain.vGiven this context, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of different nutritional levels and the inclusion of cassava by-products on the fermentative and chemical characteristics of partial diet silages over different fermentation periods. This dissertation is organized into two chapters: the first consists of a literature review, and the second presents the experiment on the production of partial diet silages containing unconventional feedstuffs.