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Broomcorn Silage for Dairy Cattle

Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana, Illinois

ABSTRACT

A small-scale investigation of the possibilities of using broomcorn for silage was conducted. Two varieties of broomcorn, Black Jap and White Italian, produced large yields of dry matter per acre, the amounts in the stalk portion of the plant at the usual brush-harvest stage being as large as the amounts in hybrid corn and in Orange sorgo harvested for silage. The White Italian is a larger growing variety than the Black Jap and gave larger yields of dry matter.

Broomcorn was ensiled at different stages of development. Best results were obtained in the case of broomcorn stalks ensiled at the usual stage for brush harvest.

Silage very low in acidity and with poor keeping qualities was found in all silos except those in which the cut crop was treated with molasses at the rate of 100 pounds per ton.

Broomcorn silage was found to be high in fiber content and hard splintered pieces several inches in length were refused by dairy cows. After becoming accustomed to the new feed, the cows ate the silage readily though not as freely as when corn silage was fed, and produced only slightly smaller amounts of milk than during the corn silage periods.

The results obtained justify the conclusion that it is possible to make large amounts of silage having good keeping qualities and fair feeding value from the stalks of broomcorn, the portion of the plant now rarely utilized in any way except for plowing under.