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Evaluation of Corn and Sorghum Silages on the Basis of Milk Production and Digestibility¹

Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison

ABSTRACT

Double-reversal designed feeding trials comparing corn silage and hybrid forage sorghum silage for lactating dairy cows were conducted for two successive years. Silage was fed free choice, hay limited to 5–6 lb per cow daily, and grain was fed to fulfill requirements.

Cows fed corn silage produced more milk and consumed more silage dry matter in both trials than those fed the sorghum silage. These differences were statistically significant. Sorghum silage was 92 and 85% as efficient as corn silage for milk production in Experiments I and II, respectively.

Cows in Experiment I fed sorghum silage gained significantly more body weight than those fed corn silage. Differences in body weight gains in Experiment II were not statistically significant.

There were no major differences in digestibility of the corn and sorghum silages fed in Experiment I. The digestion coefficients for dry matter, energy, and the digestible energy values were significantly greater for corn than for sorghum silage in Experiment II.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experimental Station.