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The Nutritive Value of Corn Silage for Milking Cows¹

Departments of Dairy and Agricultural Chemistry Michigan State College, East Lansing

ABSTRACT

Sixteen cows were depleted of their milk-producing factors on an all-hay ration to determine the effect on milk production when part of the hay was replaced with corn silage. An increase occurred in 22 of 23 trials in the amount of FCM produced per pound of TDN consumed when the cows were fed corn silage. In 11 trials, FCM increased even when the TDN intake was less during the silage-feeding periods than when on the all-hay ration.

Corn fields were randomized just prior to ensiling in four different years, and the data indicate that each 100 lb. of corn silage was equivalent to 22 to 27 lb. of hay and contained from 13 to 17.4 lb. of corn grain, excluding the Eureka corn.

No significant differences occurred in the per cent of butterfat in the milk or in the body weight of the cows when part of the hay was replaced with corn silage.

The data show conclusively that the grain in corn silage contributes the unidentified grain factor(s) which is needed to balance the TDN in roughage; therefore, corn silage should not be considered a true roughage, but a mixture of roughage and grain.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal article No. 1606.