Nutritional value and use of exogenous proteases in broccoli silage

Abstract

Brassica oleracea var. italica has average nutritional concentrations of 20, 22, 13 and 5% of protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and fats, respectively, the vegetable has been considered ideal for incorporation into cattle feed. In Ecuador, broccoli production per year is 3.8 thousand tons, however, after selection or before marketing the vegetable, a large amount of raw material is generated that does not meet the appropriate marketing standards, generating up to 990 tons of waste that when eliminated decomposes and ferments producing carbon dioxide and methane. Therefore, using and preserving broccoli waste is the objective of this work, through the conservation of waste by silage-type silage methods and with the inclusion of an exogenous additive that improves the nutritional value of the ensiled material, accelerating the fermentation processes and increasing the degradability of structural carbohydrates in a short fermentation period.