NEWARK, Del. - Potential
forage shortages this winter as a
result of last summer's drought
have many dairy farmers won
dering about economical feed
alternatives. University of
Delaware extension dairy
specialist George Haenlein says
there are several possible choices
including wet brewers’ grain, wet
com gluten, com stalks, drought
stressed com silage, alfalfa pellets
and cubes, urea, liquid whey or
even treated straw.
Following are some factors to
consider when deciding whether to
use one of these as dairy feed.
Wet Brewers’ Grain is a good
possibility. Cows can be fed 30 to 40
pounds per day, or 25 percent of
their total ration dry matter. If
com is worth $7 per 100 pounds and
49% soybean oil meal is worth $l4
per 100 pounds, wet brewers’ grain
at 80% moisture is worth $39 a ton.
“Be sure to use it up before mold
develops and palatability drops,
however. Usually it keeps well one
week,” Haenlein says.
Wet Corn Glnten can be fed at
the same rate as wet brewers’
grain. Watch prices to be sure wet
feeds are a good buy. Check dry
matter levels in wet feed.
Coin Stalks are an effective
forage stretcher, but only for low
producing cows, dry cows and
older heifers, the specialist says.
However, a sound mineral and
vitamin program is necessary. If
stalks are harvested immediately
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Examine alternative dairy cattle feed
after the combine or picker has
gone through the field, moisture
levels may be adequate for en
siling. Low calcium and energy
levels of this feed can be pluses in a
dry cow program. However, stalks
must be free of soil in order to be
palatable.
Drought-Stressed Com contains
75 to 95 percent of the energy of
normal com silage, while its
protein content may be propor
tionally higher. Test it for coi+ect
ration balancing of energy and
protein needs.
Alfalfa Pellets and Cubes can
replace half of the forage dry
matter if the remaining forage is
long enough, Haenlein says.
Secure a guaranteed protein and
fiber analysis to determine pellet
quality. Also compare the price of
pellets or cubes with current hay
prices. Some alfalfa pellets may
even substitute for grain. Usually
they are an excellent feed for high
producing cows.
Urea can be used to cut the
protein bill for older heifers, dry
cows and low producers. Feed a
maximum of 0.4 pound of urea per
adult animal per day. This can
replace one pound of 48% soybean
oil meal. Don’t feed urea to high
producing cows because of a
possible drop in feed intake and
milk production. Always adapt
animals to urea very gradually
over several days or possibly
weeks, the specialist advises.
Liquid Whey is another good
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alternative, he says. But it is low in
dry matter, which increases the
nutrient cost per pound if delivery
costs must be considered. Cows
may drink 100 to 200 pounds of
liquid whey a day, which contains 6
to 12 pounds of dry matter. Liquid
whey must be readily available,
fed fresh each day and gradually
introduced into the diet. It is
relatively high in protein, sugar
and minerals.
Straw is also a possibility, but it
is low in feed value and
digestibility unless treated with
anhydrous ammonia to break
down the lignin barriers to
cellulose. Otherwise it is mainly
used as a bulk and fiber source in
dairy rations. Treating big straw
bales with ammonia inside plastic
bags is a popular practice in
Norway, yielding palatable feed
with a nutritive value close to hay,
Haenleinsays.
Besides looking at alternative
feeds, he suggests dairy farmers
take care to use existing feed
supplies correctly.
Test forages routinely.
Balance and reevaluate cow and
heifer rations routinely.
Challenge-feed cows that are
producing the most milk.
Make sure good cows in early
lactation are not underfed.
Consider bulk purchases of grain
and commercial supplements.
Lock in prices on commercial
supplements, if possible and
economical.
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Shop around for good buys.
Calculate cost per unit of
nutrient when comparing feeds.
Conduct an inventory to
determine if you have enough feed
on hand to meet herd needs over
the winter.
Cull marginal cows and heifers,
using DHI records.
Dairy and other livestock
producers who wish to learn more
about feed management are en-
Barley is valuable feed
NEWARK, Del. - High com
prices have many dairy fanners
looking for alternative energy
sources for their herds. Barley is
often a good, cheap source, says
University of Delaware extension
dairy specialist George Haenlein.
Although its total daily nutrient
level is slightly lower than shelled
com (83 percent versus 88 percent
on a dry matter basis), barley’s
protein content is slightly higher
(13 percent versus 10 percent).
Both com and barley normally are
priced on a volume basis, which
makes them hard to compare since
a bushel of shelled com weighs 56
pounds and a bushel of barley
weighs 48 pounds.
Using the following equation,
Haenlein says producers can
estimate what barley is worth
relative to shelled com and 44%
Dairy bauxite exchange
KINGSTON, Jamaica
The United States and
Jamaica have signed a
barter agreement for
the exchange of $13.6
million worth of U.S.
dairy products for
Jamaican bauxite of an
equal value.
This marks the second
such agreement bet
ween the two countries
since February, 1982,
when $l3 million worth
of dairy products and
bauxite were ex
changed.
Under the new
agreement, the United
States will exchange
11,340 tons of nonfat dry
milk and 2,855 tons of
butteroil for 400,000 tons
of bauxite, according to
Melvin E. Sims, general
sales manager and
associate administrator
of the U.S. Department
PAUL B.
couraged to attend the winter
forage meeting of the newly
organized Maryland-Delaware
Forage Council, Friday, Dec. 9,
from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the
Hartly Fire Hall in Hartly,
Delaware. Advance reservations
can be made for $8 through county
extension offices in Delaware and
Maryland. Registration at the door
will cost $7. A buffet lunch will be
served at noon.
soybean meal:
Barley ($/T = ($/T) x .906]
[Soybean meal (|/T) x .093]
At $llO a ton for corn and $220 a
ton for soybean meal, barley would
be a good buy at $l2O a ton or
lower, the specialist says. In most
cases barley costs less than this. If
economical, it can be used to
replace corn partly or totally.
Some adjustment would have to be
made for barley’s slightly lower
energy value, however.
High moisture barley is similar
in feed value to high moisture com.
It should be about 28 percent
moisture when ensiled. Make sure
it is crushed or adequately rolled
before feeding. Ideally, whole
barley whould be stored wily in a
limited oxygen silo, the specialist
says.
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of Agriculture’s Foreign
Agricultural Service.
Sims said the
agreement will benefit
both countries. “It
provides an outlet for
U.S. government-owned
dairy products and
contributes to our
national defense posture
while contributing to
Jamaica’s strategy of
relying on production
and exports to fuel its
economic recovery,” he
said.
Bauxite is the basic
raw material used to
produce aluminum, a
significant component
in military weapons and
aerospace systems.
Delivery terms for the
dairy products are free
along side (f.a.s.) U.S.
Gulf ports; the delivery
period is through
September 1984.