DHA
VIRGINIA ISHLER
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) The 1997 cropping season
lias left many producers with
either no to very little haycrop for
ages. Com silage will be the pre
dominant, if not the total forage,
fed on many farms. There ate
several issues to consider when
managing com silage rations for
the dairy herd.
Due to the scattered tain show
ers that fell throughout the North
cast, com growth was extremely
variable. This means that the nu
trient content and quality of com
silage will be far from consistent
Forage analyses will be essential
in determining how to manage
thw. high com silage diets. All
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silage samples should be tested for
dry matter, crude protein, soluble
and degradable protein, acid de
tergent fiber, neutral detergent fib
er (NDF), ash, and minerals. Be
cause of differences in ear and
stalk development, requesting lig
nin and starch to the analyses may
be warranted.
If com silage is going to domin
ate the milking ration with no or
minimal amounts of hay or hay
lage, then properly balancing ra
tions based on forage NDF, total
NDF, and particle size distribution
will be critical. Byproduct in
gredients that complement a
heavy com silage ration and that
help balance fiber are com gluten
feed, brewers grain (wet or dry).
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Particle size of com silage will
be important to help maintain
good digestibility and normal
rumen function. When com silage
makes up a greater proportion of
the ration, it is recommended to
have S-IO percent of the particles
greater than 0.75 inches, 40-50
percent of the particles between
0.75 and 0.31 inches, and 40-50
percent of the particles less than
0.31 inches (Penn State particle
size separator, 1996). Com silage
that is chopped and rolled should
' have between 10-15 percent of the
particles greater than 0.75 inches.
The rest of the particle size distri
bution would be similar to what
was stated previously.
Since com silage normally tests
around 8-9 percent crude protein,
more supplemental protein will be
needed compared to heavy hay or
haylage diets. Ideal protein in
gredients include both soy- and
animal-based sources. A nonpro
tein nitrogen source like Feed
grade urea can work well in com
silage diets. However, if appreci
able amounts of urea are fed in the
milk cow diet, then some urea
should be included in the close-up
dry cow diet. This allows the dry
cows to become acclimated to
having urea in the ration and mini
mize off-feed problems.
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Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, December 27, IM7-A2l
There will be mineral feeding
changes that occur with increasing
proportions of com silage. More
supplemental calcium will be in
cluded in the diet because of the
low calcium content in com sil
age. An added potassium source
may be necessary to meet the milk
cow’s minimum potassium re
quirement of 1.20 percent (dry
matter basis). If urea is included in
the diet at substantial levels, then
maintaining adequate sulfur levels
in the diet will be important In
cluding a buffer in the ration at 0.8
percent of the total ration dry mat
ter would be a sound recom
mendation.
There are other miscellaneous
issues to consider if com silage is
going to be the predominate for
age fed throughout the winter.
Monitoring body condition on all
animal groups beind fed high com
silage dietes will be critical. The
potential exists for cows and heif
ers to become too fat This can
lead to disastrous problems in the
future for ketosis, fatty livers,
poor diy matter intakes, and low
production to name a few.
PA
Average Farm Feed
Costs For Handy
Reference
To help farmers across the state
to have handy reference of com
modity input costs in their feeding
operations fra: DHIA record sheets
or to develop livestock feed cost
data, here’s last week’s average
costs of various ingredients as
compiled from regional reports
across the state of Pennsylvania.
Remember, these are averages,
so you will need to adjust your fig
ures up or down according to your
location and the quality of your
crop.
Com, No.2y 3.10 bu., 5.55
cwL
Wheat, No. 2 3.38 bu., 5.64
cwL
Barley, No. 3 2.33 bu., 4.99
cwt
Oats, No. 2 1.73 bu., 5.39
cwt
Soybeans, No. 1 6.71 bu.,
11.21 cwt
Ear Com —81.40 ton, 4.07 cwt.
Alfalfa Hay 162.25 ton, 8.11
cwt
Mixed Hay 151.25 ton, 7.56
cwt
Timothy Hay
7.63 cwt
ft
If#
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