Can you feed corn silage to calves?

Cattle will commonly consume corn silage at a rate of 5 to 7 pounds per 100 pounds of body weight. A 500-pound feeder calf may consume 25 to 35 pounds of corn silage as-fed daily. Corn silage is higher in energy than other stored forages as a result of the grain content.

When can you start feeding calves silage?

Weaners and feeder cattle Silage can be fed to calves as young as three months, but some supplementary concentrates are required. The quantity of silage fed will depend on the quantity and quality of pasture available, and the target growth rate. Silage quality must be high to ensure a good animal response.

Is silage good for calves?

A corn silage diet can be an economical way to background calves. However, silage is low in RUP — the first limiting nutrient of growing calves. Feeding growing calves a diet based on corn silage can be an economical way to background calves.

Can you finish cattle on corn silage?

Feeding corn silage is not a new concept for finishing beef cattle. Most feedyards process corn silage to be fed as acroughage at low inclusions. In general, corn silage contains 50% forage and 50% grain and is commonly added at 5 to 15% of diet DM in finishing diets.

How much protein does corn silage have?

7 to 8% protein
Untreated corn silage has from 7 to 8% protein on a dry matter basis, and the protein requirements of beef cattle and sheep range from 10 to 14%, depending on the stage of production and desired rate of gain. High production dairy cows have even higher requirements.

Is silage bad for cows?

Poor silage management practices can result in reduced feed quality, low milk production, and increased risk of health problems. Proper management practices help to limit these risks.

Which is better hay or silage?

Hay tends to loose leaves in the drying and bailing process, so silage tends to be 5/10% better in DMD.

Can cows survive on silage alone?

It’s essential to provide the energy necessary to maintain body condition and the energy necessary for each cow to reach its milk production potential. Silage is an important nutritional tool for achieving those targets. But silage alone is not nutritious enough for your dairy cows to reach their potential.

Can you fatten cattle on silage?

Since past studies had shown that cattle fed 45 percent silage were less fat than cattle fed 15 percent silage, cattle on the elevated silage treatments (45 percent and 75/15 percent) were fed 28 days longer to achieve equal fatness.

How much silage does it take to finish a steer?

Corn silage in finishing rations A similar system is to feed one-half to one pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight with a full feed of silage until the cattle weigh around 800 pounds and then increase grain to one to two pounds per 100 pounds of body weight.

Is silage better than hay?

Hay vs silage Hay is usually a more efficient purchased feed because it has around 10% water while silage has up to 60%. Silage must be remain sealed, to exclude air. Once the seal is broken, eg a hole in the plastic or the silage is opened, then it will start to heat and spoil.

What can you mix corn silage with?

Feed grade urea may be added to corn silage at a rate of 8-10 lb per wet ton (35% DM). Adding 8-10 lb per wet ton of corn silage will increase the protein content of corn silage from 8% to 11-12%.