Resumen
Owing to lack of forage during the dry period, the production of alternative concentration feed for cattle is imperative. So that amaranth?s forage potential for ensilage may be evaluated, a totally randomized experiment with four treatments (different stages of development of amaranth, defined according to colorization of inflorescence) and five repetitions was conducted in Campo Verde, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Plant aging did not cause any changes in the contents of crude protein which varied between 8.96 and 9.73%. Since a percentage increase (between 17.71 and 39.32%) in inflorescence and in the contents of soluble carbohydrates (between 14.48 and 31.80%) was reported, a good forage potential of amaranth for ensilage has been indicated. However, decreasing percentage contents of dry matter (between 20.82 and 23.91%) and high rates of forage buffering capacity (between 54.09 and 84.46 eq. mg HCL 100 g DM-1), may complicate the ensilage fermentation process.