Optimum Amount of Silage in the Dairy Ration for Most Economical Production

• Published in: Journal of dairy science Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 291 - 307
• Main Authors: Pratt, Avery D., White, George C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Champaign Elsevier Inc 01.07.1930; Am Dairy Sci Assoc; American Dairy Science Association
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(30)93527-8

Two groups of milk cows were placed on experiment for a preliminary period of 20 days and an experimental period of 100 days. One group received 36 pounds of corn silage daily while the other received but 18 pounds. Both were fed approximately 1 pound of grain for each 3 pounds of 4 per cent milk producd and mixed hay, largely timothy, ad libitum. Heavy silage feeding resulted in slightly greater dry matter consumption and in slightly greater milk production. The Light Silage group produced slightly more milk per unit of dry matter, but on the other hand lost more weight. However the amount of weight lost in either case is no more than would be expected for cows in the first half of their lactation when producing efficiently. With hay at $16.00, silage at $9.00, and grain at $52.35 per ton the feed cost of 100 pounds of milk was $1.95 for the Heavy Silage group and $1.70 for the Light Silage group. In this trial the income over feed cost was 14 per cent greater for the Light Silage group. With silage at $5.00, hay at $25.00 per ton, and grain the same ($52.35) the feed cost per 100 pounds of milk for the Heavy Silage group becomes $1.82 and that for the Light Silage group $1.80. A shift in the price of grain does not materially alter the spread in the cost between the total rations. It is realized that these results will be received with much surprise and doubt by many advocates of heavy silage feeding. They should serve to stimulate the study of the adaptation of silage production to the conditions existing on a given farm and area. In so far as certain commercial interests are concerned, which in recent months have brought unscientific charges against silage in comparison with certain feed treatment processes, it is hoped that they will receive no impetus from these results in furtherance of their pernicious propaganda. This experiment is being repeated this year under the same conditions, essentially, so this paper may be regarded as a progress report.