Posted 7/11/2012 22:16 (#2480214) Subject: How much silage do I need?
Northeast Misery
Appears I will be getting a crash course in silage this year. What % body weight does a cow need per day? Any other tips, suggestions, ideas etc. related to silage also welcome.
Posted 7/11/2012 22:27 (#2480238 - in reply to #2480214) Subject: RE: How much silage do I need?
New Mexico
Depends some on the quality of your silage.
That stuff w no grain in it is filler if that.
Cow will eat 2.5 to 3 lbs air dry feed per 100 lbs of her body weight ( if she's running out she'll eat less fed feed ).
Silage is 65% h2o. SOO takes bout 3 lbs of silage to equal 1 lb of air dry feed.
Your going to need to feed some "broom" w it. Say 4 to 5 lbs of ground hay / cornstalks straw or maybe some soy hulls in there.
There's perhaps plenty of cheap poor quality feeds out there this year.
Generally a ration needs 20% to 25% of good high quality ingredients to get real performance in backgrounding cattle etc ( cows course can get by with less because all they have to do is maintain until the third trimester).
She needs REAL groceries as a P 3 because that's when 70 to 75% of in utero calf development happens.
Keep in mind one can sell cows and simply double up on hiefer calves ie keep em over.
Same amount of feed for 1 cow will rough background 2 to 3 lite calves.
Posted 7/12/2012 06:55 (#2480682 - in reply to #2480238) Subject: Drought silage is not "just filler"
Callao Missouri
Markwright, "That stuff w no grain in it is filler if that."
That statement is totally false. Dozens of studies show that drought silage can be excellent feed. It may not be as good as silage made with good corn but much of the energy(sugars and carbohydrates) go to the stalk and leaves when ears are small or non-existent.
I will grant that many do chop corn too green resulting in fermentation and seepage losses, and therefore lower quality, but there has been a lot of milk and meat made on this farm with drought silage over the years.
Posted 7/12/2012 12:51 (#2481181 - in reply to #2480682) Subject: Just run a rfv and total analysis on
New Mexico
It then you know what your feeding. Going to be some really good rations and some terrible ones this year on into next. Generally one has to add GOOD proven ingredients towards the 20 to 25% total level to make a drouth compromised ration into a REAL deal. Soy hulls come mind as 1 of those ingredients this year, ddgs, wdgs. wheat. strait corn, midds, molasses etc..
Posted 7/12/2012 14:01 (#2481299 - in reply to #2481181) Subject: RE: Just run a rfv and total analysis on
western iowa,by Denison
well at least he will save time because he wont have to soak it in water overnite?
A bad pile of feed is better then no pile of feed!
You have got to have the biggest pile of 5-gallon buckets in the world -Mark-I'm jealous cause 1/2 time I can't even find one!Now just kidding there! LOL!
Posted 7/12/2012 22:37 (#2482122 - in reply to #2481299) Subject: RE: Just run a rfv and total analysis on
Northeast Misery
"A bad pile of feed is better than no pile of feed" +1 to that! ;)
I'm not thinking this is going to be top end stuff, but I'll wager it'll be every bit as good as the burnt up hay I'm baling now or any CRP that may be baled in the coming months.
Posted 7/12/2012 00:34 (#2480575 - in reply to #2480214) Subject: Re: How much silage do I need?
Faunsdale, AL
biggest thing with silage is chop with good moisture, get the air out and cover to keep it out. This takes different techniques depending on how you store yours, but doing these right will pay back big time. Problem with not doing it, is the loss you have is hard to see and some folks don't take much notice.
How much silage do I need?
