Issues to consider include actual ration cost, labour savings, feed wastage and safety. Table 1. Rations for finishing beef cattle are high energy rations designed to put gain on as rapidly and efficiently as possible. A better nutritional understanding of beef protein supplementation has helped with high-corn-silage-ration inclusions in silage. Corn silage in a total mixed ration is reserved for the bulls, preconditioning the calves, and cows toward the end of winter if they work their way through the standing corn before spring pastures are ready for grazing. Rations for Lactating Beef Cows in Drylot (Percent As Fed). TMR mixers make a consistent ration that … A cereal silage ration would incorporate 40 pounds of cereal silage, four pounds of alfalfa, and the same 12 pounds of barley straw. Ration 2 resulted in a few more open cows than Ration 1, but cow and calf growth were satisfactory. Protein. In this case, corn silage could be maximized in the ration. beef cows managed in drylot during the summer were fed a ration of primarily corn stover and distillers grain compared with corn silage, wheat middlings, barley hulls and straw. Source: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Fact Sheet written by: Christoph Wand – Livestock Sustainability Specialist/OMAFRA; Anita Heeg – Feed Ingredients and By-products Specialist/OMAFRA The Cow Nutrition Problem? Notice that even a ration that has a level of TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients) similar to corn silage (70 percent) has a urea fermentation potential to raise the crude protein level of the ration dry matter to about 10 percent, which is still below the protein requirement for a 500-pound calf gaining 1.5 to 2.0 pounds daily (10.5 to 11.4 percent). Baled stalks don’t give them that choice. Then the hybrid silage amount was adjusted to equal the same amount of fiber contribution as corn silage. Corn silage is an excellent source of energy and fiber for beef or dairy rations. An example ration for growing cattle is 40 percent high quality alfalfa, 59 percent corn and 1 percent supplement on a dry matter basis. We spent the last 2+ years planting and growing a pasture as best we could given we live in sand. If vitamins are injected, follow label information for use. Processing appears to have some value for dry-shelled corn in rations with 20 percent or more roughage content, or when corn is very dry, less than 12 percent moisture. hay, corn silage, corn and soybean meal for approximately 7 weeks prior to starting on feed November 30. If the silage is 35 percent dry matter the pounds of dry matter fed daily is 525. Baled stalks make good combo feed. Therefore, as many as 120 days could be possible, it could be just as likely that you may only get 45 days before a weather event halts grazing. If 100 percent hay rations are considered, analysis for protein and energy are critical. Rations assume cows … Total Mixed Rations for Beef Cows CONTINUED ON PAGE 50 35 Keys to Success Equipment @In this TMR mixer, two vertical screws work in conjunction to mix and process long-stem hay, corn silage, straw and ground wheat. Dairy operations can feed cows economically with high-forage diets using corn silage as the sole source of forage. Another thing to consider is how much silage is included in the ration – as more silage is included, cattle get less efficient. Grass-legume haylage or hay could be substituted for corn silage. We are getting two Angus yearlings in April with the intent of growing them and slaughtering in October. Notice that even a ration that has a level of TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients) similar to corn silage (70 percent) has a urea fermentation potential to raise the crude protein level of the ration dry matter to about 10 percent, which is still below the protein requirement for a 500-pound calf gaining 1.5 to 2.0 pounds daily (10.5 to 11.4 percent). Calves gained 2.57 and 2.73 pounds, Ration 3 is a no-silage diet for average milking cows. An animal on full feed will eat approximately 85% of its ration as grain and the remaining 15% as forage. Vitamin A, D and E Vitamins should be included daily in the calf grain mix or silage and force fed if possible. Corn silage for beef cows Can serve as an effective replacement for all or a portion of the hay in the ration Will not meet the protein requirements of any class of cow without exceeding energy requirements They get fat Best when included in a TMR or limit-fed Best when limit -fed and supplemented with a source of rumen-undegradable If possible, feed the poorer or medium quality forages to mature pregnant cows. Whole vs. ground dry-shelled corn Dry, whole shelled corn has been equal or slightly superior to ground or rolled corn in high-concentrate beef cattle rations in many recent trials. When cows graze, they selectively eat leaves and husks, the best parts of corn residue. Rations for finishing beef cattle are high energy rations designed to put gain on as rapidly and efficiently as possible. available in the ration. Grazing is an important distinction, she adds. High-starch corn silage is required for high-producing dairy cows, while low-energy corn silage is required for low-producing dairy cattle, dairy replacement heifers or dry cows. However, Erickson notes when the studies were conducted in the 1960s and 1970s outlining the efficiency of beef cattle on silage diets, distillers grains were not yet common.