Dl4—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 3,1983
Daily
'f •atm F ig
* - 1 Pipeline
By
t Glenn A. Shirk
Extension
[ Dairy
* Agent
Pricing Dairy Feeds
and Adjusting Rations
High feed prices, drouth-sticken
crops and lower milk prices are
forcing dairymen into making
some difficult decisions con
cerning their feeding programs.
Will I have enough feed of the
quality I need? Which feeds are the
best buys? What are feeds worth?
How do 1 substitute one feed for
another? What changes will I need
to make in my rations to help
compensate for variances in
quality and loss of yield? These are
only a few of the questions.
Feeds are purchased for the dry
matter they contain, and for the
amount, kind and balance of
nutrients in that dry matter.
Traditionally, we have used the
price of a 100 lbs. of dry shelled
corn as the basis for determining
the value of energy in feeds. The
value of the protein in feeds is
determined from the price of a 100
lbs. of 44% soybean oil meal.
Knowing this, we can determine
how much to pay for different
feeds and feed ingredients. Here’s
how the process works. Follow the
steps below, and complete the
formulas.
Step 1. Price of dried shelled
corn per bu. x 1.8 = price of
dried shelled com per cwt. .
Feed or Ingredient
(1)
Barley
Corn - Ear
Shelled
Oats or Spelts:
under 25% of mix
over 25% of mix
Rye
Soybeans
Wheat
Brewers Grains - Dry
Corn Silage - Good Ears
- Poor Ears
Corn Factory Wastes
Hay-Grass
-Mostly Grass
-Mostly Legume
-Legume
Alfalfa Meal, 17%
Beet Pulp
Citrus Pulp
Corn Gluten Feed, 24%
Corn Gluten Meal, 42%
Cottonseed
Cottonseed Meal, 41%
Distill. Corn Grains
Hominy Feed
Linseed Oil Meal, solv.
Molasses
Soybean Oil Meal, 44%
48%
Wheat Bran
Wheat Midds, std.
Step. 2. Price of 48% soybean oil
meal per ton 22 = ap
proximate price of 44% soybean oil
meal per cwt.
Step 3. Calculate the energy
values in column 7 of the table by
multiplying the shelled corn
factors in column 5 tunes the
answer in Step 1.
Step 4. Calculate the protein
values in column 8 of the table by
multiplying the soybean oil meal
factors m column 6 tunes the
answer in Step 2.
Step 5. Add or subtract the
values m columns 7 and 8,
depending on what the signs in
dicate, to arrive at the feeding
value per cwt. in column 9.
Step 6. Convert value per cwt. to
value per T. or per bu. (column 11 )
by using the conversion factors in
column 10.
Step 7. Enter the purchase price
for the feeds of your choice in
column 12, and compare them to
the computed maximum values in
column 11. If column 12 is less than
column 11, the feed is a good buy.
The greater the percentage saved,
the better is the buy providing
you need that particular feed, you
can store it and handle it
satisfactorily with little or no.
additional costs or inconveniences,
and you can use it in your ration
As Fed Basis
DM
(*)
(2)
89
85
85
89
90
89
93
25 -
30
30
22
- Wet
89
89
88
88
93
91
90
90
92
93
91
93
°0
91
73
92
92
COMPUTING THE VALUE OF FEEDS FED TO DAIRY CATTLE
Shelled Soybean Energy Protein Feeding Conver- Computed
Corn Oil Meal Value/ Value/ Value/ sion Maximum
Factor Factor cwt. cwt. cwt- Factor Value
(5)
TDN
(%)
CP
(%)
(4)
(3)
.938
.914
1.000
76
72
80
12
7
9
.933
.813
.786
.399
.954
77
88
80
12
36
10
.455
.121
.232
.174
.189
2.4
2.5
1.9
.471
.411
. 369
. 278
52
51
52
50
11
13
15
54
73
75
17
9
6
. 286
1.021
1.048
73
79
98
63
.526
.182
.656
.029
24
42
25
41
83
83
70
24
11
36
.737
1.053
. 212
71
78
79
1.069
.000
.083
.655
.777
without creating expensive herd
health problems.
Step i. Wait! Column 11 is the
maximum value only of the energy
and protein contained in that feed.
It’s only a guide. Chances are, you
will not want to pay that pnce
because of the reasons mentioned
in the preceedmg paragraph. So,
adjust these prices (columns 11
and 12) for such things as:
a. Moisture levels —
b. Harvesting costs
c. Transportation costs
d. Additional storage costs
e. Grinding costs
f. Nutrient differences
g. Quality (molds, weeds, fiber,
length of cut, maturity, ad
ditives;
h. Storage losses
i. Other
j. Total adjustment
Calculating Price
Adjustments
Moisture adjustments can be
calculated as follows: dry matter
of the feed purchased dry
matter of that same feed listed in
the table X price of that feed in the
table. For example, if 70% moist
(30% DM) silage is valued at $35
per ton in the table, what is 60%
(40% DM) silage worth? 40% DM
- 30% DMXS3S = $46,67 per ton -
before adjustments. Is 50% moist
'silage worth still more because it
contains more DM? I don’t think
so, because of the risk of poorer
fermentation. Use good
judgement.
Adjustments for differences in
TDN can be made by using the
price of shelled com in Step 1
let’s say it is $B.lO per cwt. and
dividing it by the TDN content of
shelled com (80), as shown in
column 4 of the table. This gives us
a rough estimate of the value of 1
lb. of TDN. The answer in this
example is $B.lO 80 = $.lO per lb.
of TDN.
The price per lb. of CP is
similarly calculated. Let’s say we
calculated the price of 44% SBOM
in Step 2 to be $15.00 per cwt. In
column 3 of the table, we find its
CP content to be 45%. The ap
proximate value of a lb. of CP
(7)
(6)
.073
- .015
.000
.079
.098
.104
.711
.056
.393
.082
- .002
- .001
- .004
.045
.100
152
. 223
. 310
062
021
374
836
. 303
776
. 306
013
,698
.171
1.000
.00+
1.139
.191
198
would be $0.33 ($15.00 - 45 =
$0.33).
Next calculate the difference in
lbs. of TDN and CP per ton, per
cwt., or per bu. of the feed in
question compared to its com
position as listed in the table.
Multiply these differences by the
values calculated in the
preceedmg paragraphs, and adjust
the price accordingly.
How much is a crop worth per
acre, or per cutting? Estimate the
yield, the moisture and the quality
of the crop, and multiply it by the
adjusted values, above. This will
serve as a guide. .
Also, remember, high producing
cows need high quality feeds. They
won’t produce as well as mediocre
feeds, which may be quite ac
ceptable for heifers and lower
producers. Thus, mediocre feeds,
which may appear to be a good
buy, could turn out to be very
expensive feeds if they restrict
production of good cows.
Remember too, your feedman is
also making those good buys, and
its going to be hard to beat a pro at
his own game. In other words,
don’t separate yourself from good
feeds and from the services of good
feedmen which you may need.
Ration Adjustments
Column 13 is a guide as to the
maximum amount of some feeds
that can safely be fed under good
management, expressed either as
a percent of the gram mix or total
pounds per cow per day. The lower
levels would be less risky.
Ration changes should be done
gradually and with great care.
Give cows several weeks to adjust
to changes in the ration, and work
closely with your feedman to keep
the ration properly balanced.
What changes do you need to
make m the ration when you
substitute one ingredient for
another? The factors in columns 5
and 6 of the table can be a useful
guide if you do the opposite of what
the sign in front of the factors
indicates. For example, you may
want to add some barley to your
gram mix. How much corn and
soybean oil meal (SBOM) would
(9)
(8)
.00 =
(ID
(10)
2.1
1.8 =
3.1 =
3.1
1.8 =
1.7
1.7 =
you take out? About 0.938 lbs. of
shelled corn and 0.073 lbs. of 44%
SBOM,” for each'ib. of barley
added. “But, I don't use shelled
com and 44% SBOM,” you say; “I
use 48% SBOM and ear com.’’ In
that case, still make the above
calculations, and then multiply the
shelled com answer by 1.2 to
convert it to ear com. Divide the
44% SBOM answer, above, by 1.1 to
convert it to 48% SBOM. You’ll be
fairly close. That would make it
1.13 lbs. of ear com (.938 X 1.2 =
1.128) and .066 lbs. of 48% SBOM
(.073 + 1.1 = .0664).
Your Feed Situation
Examine your fields closely, not
just the outside rows, but the inner
sections, too. Estimate your
yields; they may be less than you
anticipated. You might need to
purchase additional feeds. Or,
perhaps some of those well eared
fields that were going to go into the
silo, should be combined. This
year, in many areas, com silage
might be a better buy than com
gram. You might be able to
“swap” your gram com for other
grains which are a better buy, and
end up with more feed nutrients
plus some fodder for bedding. If
you are running short on forages,
small grains such us rye, seeded
this fall may give you some ad
ditional fecu yet this fall and gram,
next spring.
Test your forages for the routine
nutrient analysis, plus minerals,
and possibly nitrates, NPN and
pH. It’ll give you a good idea of the
quality of feeds you have to work
with and adjustments that may be
needed in your feed program.
This year, poorly eared, im
mature, drouthy corn may test
higher in nitrates, higher in protem
and lower in energy. Moisture
levels of silages may be different
than expected; they may not be in
the optimum range for best fer
mentation—and preservation. A
pH test can be a clue. Properly
fermented silages should have a
pH of about 4.2 or less.
Hay crop forages usually contain
appreciable amounts of non
(Turnto Page Dl6)
Purchase per day or
Price % of Mix
(12)
/Bu.
/T.
/Bu.
/Bu.
/Bu.
/Bu.
/Bu.
/Bu.
/T.
/T.
A.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
/T.
Max Ibs.
(13)
20-50%
0-25%
25-60%
10-20%
4-5 lbs.
20-50%
10-30%
20-40 lbs.
25-40%
25-40%
15-25%
15-25%
0-20%
15-50%
40-50%
1-10%
25-30%
10-30%