Total Ration Solutions

Total Ration Solutions
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Total Ration Solutions
Total Ration Solutions is the PRIDE Seeds product, testing and
information program that features top performing Effective
Digestible Fibre (EDF) and Effective Dual Purpose (EDP) silage
hybrids together with alfalfa varieties and forage mixtures
designed to meet the energy, digestibility and protein needs of
dairy and beef operations today.
This module primarily focuses on the Corn Silage segment of T.R.S.
Our Commitment to Your Needs - Corn Silage Product
Evaluation
To not only understand but to ensure we are meeting producer’s
needs through Total Ration Solutions, PRIDE Seeds established one
of the largest on-farm silage testing programs in Canada to
evaluate the whole plant yield and feed quality of PRIDE silage
hybrids.
At each location, hybrids are harvested from field scale trials
measuring a minimum 1/3 of an acre. Representative samples are
then sent immediately to an accredited independent lab to measure
quality factors such as energy(starch), crude protein, acid
detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), total
digestible nutrients (TDN) and milk (lbs/acre). The analysis
provides a complete picture of the silage quality produced.
While evaluation and testing of our products is critical for
performance on the producer’s farm, it is equally imperative that
we understand and have the ability to relate with both the farmer
and industry feed nutritionists when discussing silage production
and practices. The following module addresses some of the technical
items that are important in any nutrition discussion.
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Familiarization of common dairy, feed/silage terms:
Balanced Ration - The complete mix of ingredients formulated to
provide a specific animal species and class with appropriate
amounts of all nutrients required for maintenance and a given level
of performance.
Concentrates - Animal feeds that are rich in energy and/or protein
but low in fibre, such as corn, soybean meal, oats, wheat,
molasses, etc.
Crude Protein – (CP) Proteins are organic compounds composed of
building blocks called amino acids. They are a major component of
vital organs, tissue, muscle, hair, skin, milk and enzymes. Protein
is required on a daily basis for maintenance, lactation, growth and
reproduction.
Digestibility - The extent to which a feedstuff is absorbed in the
animal body as it passes through an animal’s digestive tract. It
varies greatly with the type of feedstuff and type of animal
concerned.
DM – Dry Matter. All plants are composed entirely of dry matter
(DM) and water. This means that if forage has a DM content of 45%,
then it contains 55% water (or moisture).
DMI – Dry Matter Intake – How much the animal will consume.
ME - Metabolizable Energy - The energy available in the ration to
support lactation.
MP - Metabolizable Protein - The protein available in the ration to
support lactation.
Palatability - The appeal and acceptability of feedstuffs to an
animal. Palatability is affected by the feed’s odor, texture,
moisture, physical form and temperature. For forage to be
considered “high-quality,” it generally must be highly palatable
because quality is also measured by intake. Palatability is
required for high levels of intake (see Dry Matter Intake).
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Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) - RFQ is a forage quality term that
is similar to RFV in that it is used to rank forages according to
their relative nutritive value.
Rumen - The rumen is the forestomach and is a large, muscular organ
that is the site of most of the fibre digestion that occurs in
ruminant animals such as cattle. It serves as the primary site for
microbial fermentation of ingested feed.
Silage additives- The substances added during the ensiling process
to enhance production of lactic acid and/or a rapid decrease in pH
of the feed.
Sorting – This is where cows ‘pick’ out smaller grains from the
corn silage. Sorting can result in the consumed ration being higher
in fermentable carbohydrates than intended and lower in effective
fibre, thereby elevating the risk of Subacute Ruminal Acidosis
(SARA) which is a digestive disorder that causes disease issues in
cattle.
Supplement - A supplement feed or feed mixture is used to improve
the nutritional value of the ration, complementing the nutrients in
the base feed. A supplement is rich in one or more of protein,
energy, vitamins or minerals, and, in combination with the base
feeds, produces a more complete feed.
TMR – Total Mixed Ration - A total mixed ration is a mixture of
mechanically mixed ration ingredients that typically combine
roughages (forages) and concentrates such as grains to optimize
animal performance. TMRs are commonly used in large dairy or beef
feedlot operations.
NEL - Net Energy for Lactation
TLC – Theoretical Length of Cut which is the chop length of the
corn silage
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The Lab Results – Understanding a Silage Analysis & what
it means...
What do nutritionists look for in lab results?
Moisture
Dry-Matter (DM): Dry-matter is the moisture-free content of the
sample. Because moisture dilutes the concentration of nutrients but
does not have a major influence on intake, it is important to
always evaluate rations on a dry-matter basis.
Protein
Crude Protein (CP): Crude protein measures the nitrogen content of
corn silage, including both true protein and non-protein nitrogen.
Insoluble Crude Protein (ICP): This is nitrogen that has become
chemically linked to carbohydrates. This linkage is mainly due to
overheating when hay is baled or stacked with greater than 20%
moisture, or when silage is harvested at less than 65% moisture.
Forage or silage with high ICP are often discoloured and often have
distinctly sweet odors. When the ratio of ICP to CP is more than
10% of the unavailable CP, the crude protein value is adjusted.
Adjusted crude protein (ACP) values should be used for ration
formulation.
Adjusted Crude Protein (ACP): This is the crude protein value
corrected for ICP content. In most nutrient analysis reports, when
ACP is greater than 10% of CP, the adjusted value in formulating
rations is reported.
Fibre
Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) – This is a chemical analysis that
determines the amount of residue or the least digestible plant
components (primarily cellulose & lignin) remaining after boiling a
feed sample in an acid detergent solution. The ADF value is used to
predict the energy content - Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) or
Net Energy (NE) of forages. Forages with low ADF concentrations are
usually higher in energy.
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Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) – This is the insoluble fraction
containing all plant cell wall components left after boiling a feed
sample in a neutral detergent solution. NDF has low digestibility
but can be broken down to some extent by the digestive tract
microorganisms in the cow. The NDF value is the total cell wall
which is comprised of the ADF fraction plus hemicellulose. NDF
values are important because they reflect the amount of forage the
animal can consume. As NDF percent increases, the dry matter intake
(DMI) generally decreases.
Neutral Detergent Fibre Digestibility (NDFD) – This is a measure of
the digestibility of neutral detergent fibre. Understanding this
measure allows nutritionists to formulate better rations given more
accurate energy prediction that leads to achieving the desired dry
matter intake achieved.
Other Facts on Fibre...
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Effectiveness of fibre in corn silage is dependent upon the
theoretical length of cut (TLC) set on the chopper, and
further particle reduction if processed, ensiled in bags and
during mixing.
Long fibre particles are needed in the diet to stimulate and
maximize rumen function in cows. A healthy rumen activity is
critical for the health of the animal.
Variation in particle size of total mixed rations (TMRs)
allows selection by cows during eating, particularly for dry
rations.
Finely chopped corn silage (e.g. 3/8” TLC) is less likely to
be ‘sorted’ but requires other forage with longer particles to
provide adequate effective NDF in the diet.
Coarsely chopped corn silage (e.g. greater than 3/4” TLC) will
increase the effectiveness of NDF from corn silage. Greater
than 3/4” TLC could also allow more ‘sorting’ by cows, but
this depends on many factors including the DM content of the
ration.
Note that 3/4” TLC is a very common chop length for most
producers.
Optimum particle size of corn silage is dependent upon many
factors including the fermentability of the diet, and the
effectiveness of other forages in the diet.
Both wet In-vitro and NIRS tests are available.
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Fibre Digestibility & Starch
Lower fibre (NDF) and increased fibre digestibility (NDFD)
significantly improve dry matter intake as well as digestible
energy. Improved starch digestibility minimizes kernels passed in
the manure for improved use efficiency. Kernel processing may also
help with this. However, as the corn silage ferments, digestibility
changes over time.
"Milk 2000" was developed to predict forage impact on animal
performance by determining "Milk per Ton" and "Milk per Acre".
It uses in-vitro NDF digestibility (NDFD) to predict both
digestible energy and intake. In-vitro digestibility uses incubated
live rumen fluid to measure the amount and rate of digestion under
simulated rumen conditions. NDFD in corn silage can range from 48%
to 71%.
NIR (Near Infrared) technology is being improved to make this
analysis cheaper, faster and easier. Research is also being done to
develop a lab technique that more accurately estimates starch
digestibility while accounting for kernel texture, particle size
and moisture. Hard, dry kernels resist starch digestibility, so
this test also measures starch and adjusts starch digestibility to
reflect percent moisture and kernel processing.
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Energy
Corn silage in cattle rations is one of the primary sources of
energy in the diet.
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The starch in corn grain accounts for approximately 45% of the
energy value of corn silage.
Microbial digestion of cellulose and hemicellulose (NDF
fraction) in the rumen contributes a further 25% to the energy
value of corn silage.
The remaining 30% of energy in corn silage comes from sugars,
pectin, organic acids, crude protein and crude fat.
Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN): The energy content of silage has
been expressed in terms of TDN (total digestible nutrients) or NE
(net energy of lactation or gain) which equals the sum of the
digestible fibre, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate components of
the diet. TDN is directly related to digestible energy and can be
calculated based on ADF.
TDN is a useful measure for beef cow rations that are primarily
forage.
Net Energy (NE): Mainly referred to as net energy for maintenance
(NEm), net energy for gain (NEg), and net energy for lactation
(NEl). When moderate to high concentrations of concentrate are fed,
net energy (NE) should be used to formulate diets and predict
animal performance. TDN values tend to under predict the feeding
value of concentrate relative to forage. The net energy system
separates the energy requirements into their fractional components
used for tissue maintenance, tissue gain, and lactation. Accurate
use of the NE system relies on careful prediction of feed intake.
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Corn Silage Management
SO... How can
management?
I
influence
my
silage
quality
through
crop
Planting Dates
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Staggering planting dates can help spread the silage harvest
window.
Full-season hybrids should usually be planted first to take
advantage of their higher yield potential.
Some producers like to plant “ultra” short-season hybrids
early to provide fermented feed during the early fall.
Manage corn silage as one would grain hybrids.
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Population
Generally speaking, the population that allows for optimal grain
yield also equates to the optimal population for silage yield and
quality.
The ‘general’ effect of population for corn silage:
Increasing population
Increased
Increased
Increased
Decreased
yield (tonnage)
energy in silage (more grain)
starch yield (more grain)
fibre digestibility
Decreasing population
Decreased
Increased
Decreased
Decreased
yield (tonnage)
fibre digestibility (more fibre, larger stalks)
starch yield (less grain)
energy (less starch yield, due to less grain)
Predicting a Harvest Date
The silking date can be used as an ‘approximate indicator’ of
harvest date. The dent stage occurs about 35 to 42 days after
silking, which is when fields should first be checked for kernel
milk stage development.
Kernels reach their final size within two weeks after silking and
then begin to fill. During the filling period, as dry matter
accumulates and moisture drops, a white line appears near the top
of the kernels (100% milk-line)
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50% milk-line in dual-purpose corn hybrids generally indicates that
65% whole-plant moisture and over 85% of maximum yield has been
reached.
NOTE - The heat unit system cannot predict moisture content of the
crop because of the influence of genetics, population/density and
the weather - particularly rainfall or lack thereof.
Spreading Out The Harvest Window...
When planning silage harvest, keep in mind the length of time
required to harvest the field. Harvesting may need to start on the
early side to ensure the field does not get overly dry by the time
harvesting is complete. It is often better to err a little on the
early (wet) side rather than to be too late - unless kernel
processors are used. Hybrid selection and planting date can be used
to influence the timing and length of the harvest window.
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Managing For Corn Silage Quality
A customer that is producing feed for cattle with high nutritional
requirements (such as for production dairy cows), and using dualpurpose hybrids, should select their best corn fields for silage.
Grain corn can more easily be replaced than high quality silage. It
is difficult to balance rations and achieve desired milk production
out of cows when using poor quality corn silage.
There is a definite advantage to Dual Purpose hybrids when compared
to the various Silage-Specific hybrid types when discussing harvest
timing. If something happens to a silage-specific field of corn
there is no option to leave it for grain - it has to be used for
silage.
Best Practices at Harvest:
Determining the proper time to harvest corn for silage is critical
because it influences the overall quality of the product that is
ensiled and stored.
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The most important maturity factor for silage quality is
moisture content. Silage harvest timing should be based as
a result on the whole-plant silage moisture.
The moisture content critically affects silage fermentation
and preservation.
Generally, the best time to harvest is when whole-plant
moisture content is between 62% and 72% (28%-38% DM) **this
is discussed further as harvest timing does depend in part
on the storage system used.
Corn silage preserved between 30% and 38% DM (62% to 70%
moisture) generally provides good silage fermentation and
animal performance.
Once the target milk stage is approaching and whole-plant
%DM is determined, an average drydown rate of 0.5% per day
can be used to estimate the number of days until harvest.
For example, if a given field measures 30% DM at the early
sampling date, and the target harvest DM content is 35%,
then the field must gain an additional 5% units of DM
requiring an estimated 10 days (5% units divided by 0.5
unit change per day).
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While kernel milk stage cannot be relied upon to gauge
optimal harvest timing, it can be a useful indicator of
when to begin measuring whole-plant DM content.
The relationship between kernel milkline and plant moisture
content varies by hybrid type (i.e. silage specific
hybrids) and weather conditions.
Harvesting corn too wet (low DM content) results in
souring, seepage of the silage and reduction in animal
intake. (Cows don’t like the smell or taste of this!)
Harvesting too DRY (high DM content) promotes mould
development because the silage cannot be adequately packed
to exclude oxygen.
Harvesting too dry also results in lower digestibility &
protein content.
Predicting when to harvest corn to achieve the proper % DM
for ensiling is difficult because there is no easily
identifiable plant trait that can be used to reliably and
accurately estimate the whole-plant % DM. As such sampling
is critical to feed quality.
Sampling fields to measure whole-plant dry matter content
should be done well before the anticipated harvest date in
case corn is drying down faster than expected.
Harvesting corn at the proper dry matter content will
result in better animal performance and lower feed costs.
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Differences in chop length
– 3/8 inches vs. 3/4 inches
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Penn State Shaker Box
Set theoretical cut (TLC) or ‘chop’ length to 3/8"-3/4” for
processed corn silage.
Set theoretical cut (TLC) length to 3/8"-5/8” for unprocessed
silage.
Desired fibre digestibility can be obtained through chop
height.
For each 4” of increased cutting height, yield is reduced by 1
wet silage ton/acre - BUT – what is left in the field are
stalks, not high-starch corn silage.
Check cut length using a particle separator [ie. Penn State
Shaker Box]
Microbial inoculants (dry or liquid application) can improve
silage fermentation and nutrient retention.
Harvest at optimum maturity as cutting at the right stage of
maturity has a large effect on both the quality and quantity
of corn silage.
Fill and pack silos quickly - more rapid filling and good
packing results in more dry matter and nutrient preservation.
Obtain a representative sample of forage for nutrient
analysis.
Allow silage to ferment for 2-3 weeks before feeding.
Avoid abrupt changes in feeding new forages (consistency is
important).
Feeding large amounts of uncured silage can result in
production losses.
Adapt cows to new silage by gradual changeover.
Remove 4 to 6 inches of silage from cement stave, bag and
bunker silos each day to prevent spoilage and prevent aerobic
deterioration of silage.
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The optimal DM content varies with type of storage structure:
Corn Silage (Processed)
Bunker
Stave
Sealed
62-72%
60-68%
60-70%
Bagged
60-70%
Corn Silage (Unprocessed)
Bunker
Stave
Sealed
62-72%
62-70%
60-70%
Bagged
62-70%
Kernel Processing
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Today’s cows produce higher volumes of milk and therefore
consume more Dry Matter (DM).
Cows can consume a dry matter intake (DMI) of >60 lbs/cow/day
This means feed passes through the rumen much faster
Kernel processing allows faster microbial access – allowing
the cows to get the most out of their feed.
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Hybrid Selection
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Select hybrids that vary in maturity to spread the risk of
plant stress during pollination and to spread your harvest
window.
The greatest silage yields are usually achieved with full
season hybrids. Hybrids can be 5 to 10 days later in relative
maturity (RM) rating when used for silage than when used for
grain.
PRIDE Effective Digestible Fibre (EDF) hybrids offer the
advantage of high digestibility and palatability for improved
feeding efficiency.
PRIDE Effective Dual Purpose (EDP) hybrids offer (1) superior
energy and silage quality on a consistent basis and (2) the
flexibility to use as a grain hybrid depending on your
operational needs.
Choose appropriate hybrids and plant based on growing
conditions, number of silos to fill and overall feed
requirements. Remember to plant when the soil is fit.
Planting when the soil is too wet can result in decreased
yields and feed quality.
Hybrids differ in their rate of whole-plant drydown.
Silage specific hybrids typically have the following
characteristics: mature more slowly, have soft starch kernels,
slow drydown of stalks and low concentration of neutral
detergent fibre (NDF) with high NDF digestibility.
Kernel hardness has been found to be an indicator of silage
digestibility.
Kernels make up 40-50% of total plant dry matter.
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Note that compared to dual-purpose (EDP)hybrids, effective
digestible fibre (EDF) and/or silage-specific hybrids may be
slower to decline in whole-plant moisture content so they can
provide producers with a wider window for harvest.
Differences between Dairy & Beef
In order to understand the differences between Dairy and Beef
nutritional needs, it is important to realize the relationship
between energy requirements and energy expenditure.
Energy balance refers to the relationship between energy in (feed
consumption) and energy out (production).
Negative energy balance NEB is defined as being where energy
expenditure from physical activity i.e. milk production exceeds
feed intake (resulting in weight loss).
Positive energy balance PEB refers to a situation where energy
intake from feed exceeds energy expenditure from activity
(resulting in weight gain).
Dairy Cows
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Are on a negative energy balance (resulting in weight loss) in
early lactation.
The ration needs to be balanced for energy with minimum
effective fibre requirements in order to maintain optimal
rumen function and animal health.
Fibre digestibility is extremely important because it allows
higher forage intake and more digestible energy.
One way to increase energy and fibre requirements, is to
increase DMI(Dry Matter Intake).
It is important to maintain energy and minimize NEB for 3
weeks prior to calving.
Optimize DMI 3 weeks into lactation in order to minimize the
negative energy balance.
High producing dairy cows receiving inadequate digestible
energy are subject to many problems:
Produce less milk
Lose body condition
Have metabolic issues
Problems getting in calf
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Feedlot Cattle
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Are on a positive energy balance, which means that the energy
from the feed is correlated to weight gain.
Are fed to achieve high daily gains and therefore require a
balance ration that results in a favourable feed conversion.
Corn silage with a high grain content and digestibility is
desired to reduce the grain component required in the ration.
With feedlot rations, often grain is added to further increase
the energy component.
Dry Matter Intake is used to measure performance and help
maximize average daily gain of feedlot cattle.
GRAZING CORN
Feed costs have been identified as the largest single cost in
livestock production, making up 55 to 70% of the total cost of
production. To reduce feed costs, producers are exploring
options to extend the grazing season.
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Select hybrids for high forage yields, high digestibility,
low fibre levels, and high fibre digestibility.
Select hybrids that are adapted to the area in terms of
days to maturity, disease and insect resistance, drought
tolerance and tonnage.
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Q&A
The following are some questions asked of industry
Nutritionists and Feed Specialists and a summary of
answers:
Q. How much of your business is dairy and how much is beef? What
are the main differences and how do we best target these markets
from a silage / high moisture grain / or forage perspective?
A. Most of the nutritionists we questioned were dealing primarily
with the dairy sector. They are looking at sugar, dry matter,
lignin, NDFD and starch level NEL - going outside of the ADF-NDF
relationship that we previously focused on. Even NEL is becoming
antiquated for individual feeds. These producers or nutritionists
are looking at ME (metabolizable energy) and MP (metabolizable
protein).
Q. What is trending up or down in terms of corn silage and/or
forage use in rations?
A. The trend is to increase Corn silage in the ration compared to
forage components. 60% corn silage and 40% forage. Corn silage is
more consistent so it has a better impact on productivity and
calving. The importance is to have a grain that goes with the plant
in terms of maturity.
Q. What are growers putting in a typical ration - i.e. HM corn,
corn silage, corn cob meal, forage and why?
A. Corn silage, forage and high moisture
used in most rations. High moisture corn
dry corn. Rations may include 17-18Kg of
forage silage, 5-6Kg of humid or dry corn
an example.
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or dry corn is typically
is more digestible than
corn silage, 17-18Kg of
and 2Kg of dry forage as
Q. What impact does corn silage and forage have on the overall
ration?
A. Corn silage is easier to manage within a ration and with better
performance. It’s easier to make good corn silage vs. forage silage
because of harvest consistency. Therefore, the ration is more
consistent throughout the year with corn silage as haylage is more
variable in the silo – especially with respect to Dry Matter.
Q. What role do the components of a silage analysis play? i.e.
protein, energy, starch, digestible fibre, ADF, NDF...what should a
good analysis look like? And how do they take that information to
build a recommendation for their customer?
A.
Protein and Energy: impact on everything including milk production,
milk components (i.e. butterfat) and calving. Cow: Development of
milk production. Heifer: Growth and bone development.
Starch: energy for bacteria in the rumen as glucose and propionate.
Fibres: increase dry matter consumption and provide some energy
through volatile fatty acid production.
ADFD and NDFD are more important than ADF and NDF
Q. How important is silage hybrid consistency and what do producers
look to access from a corn silage company. i.e. information
provided on the hybrids etc.
A. Hybrid consistency is somewhat important from the standpoint
that it is predictable in how they will perform in the field and in
the ration. However, it’s important to have yield and performance.
As hybrids are introduced and show superior agronomic and feed
characteristics, it is important that farmers use these in their
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operation.
At the end of the day, they will work with the lab
analysis to formulate their preferred ration. The information
provided by seed companies on a hybrid is important - especially
with respect to agronomic characteristics in the field.
Q. What are some of the industry recommendations with respect to
harvest? i.e. - When to harvest – optimal window – moistures, etc?
Testing/analysis – where / when / what type and how?
A. This really depends on the storage system.
Bunker: Harvesting between 30% to 35% dry matter.
Silo: 38% dry matter.
Generally speaking, chop length should be at 1/2" to 3/4", with the
majority of industry experts agreeing that 3/4” is most common.
Generally, kernel milkline is between 50% and 70% at harvest. Most
nutritionists surveyed recommend an analysis of the silage be done
at least four times per year (silo) and once a month in a bunk
scenario to monitor quality and analysis.
Q. What percentage of customers are running processors on their
harvesters? What advantage do processors have? Are there certain
types of hybrids that these are more effective with?
A. 80% to 90% of the growers are using processors. The advantage is
digestibility. With a processor, it does not matter if you are
growing a dent or flint corn. Without a processor it is better to
have a dent grain.
Q. What effect does chop length have on the sample and overall
performance of the silage? Does this recommendation vary with the
type of hybrid used?
A. Chop length has a bearing on the daily diet. It influences the
amount the cow chews and thus the microbial activity of the rumen.
Chop length is also an important harvest management consideration
in ensuring a tight pack so that air is excluded from the silage
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mass. Most agree that 3/8”-3/4” theoretical length of cut is near
ideal for minimizing storage losses.
Extremely fine chopped corn silage (1/8" or less), such as that
produced by using a recutter screen, is undesirable. Finely chopped
material is known to reduce milk fat test with dairy cows due to a
decrease in "effective" fibre in the ration. A practical rule of
thumb is that most of the silage particles should be about 1/2"
long, with 15% to 20% of the particles being 1" in length. If the
silage is too dry, i.e., below 60% moisture, the chop length should
be reduced to near 1/4" so that the silage can be adequately
packed.
Q. What is the experts’ opinion of BMR hybrids? Leafy Hybrids? Dual
purpose hybrids?
A. BMR is seen as a high management feed crop that requires more
specific analytical information to successfully build it into a
ration. Some nutritionists or growers prefer to work with leafy or
silage specific hybrids i.e. PRIDE Seeds EDF hybrids. Attention
should be given to starch content and fibre digestibility of leafy
hybrids. It is important that dual purpose hybrids i.e. PRIDE Seeds
EDP hybrids possess excellent plant health characteristics and have
a grain drydown window that allows for silage harvest.
Q. Where do they see rations going or where would they like to see
them go?
A. The trend is toward higher concentration of corn silage in
diets. This is possible due to improved fibre and starch
digestibility. It is easier to work with corn silage than forages
because of feed quality consistency throughout the year with corn
silage.
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Q. What do the experts look for in hay or forage for their
producers i.e. mixes, pure alfalfas? What role does forage play
in the ration vs. corn silage or high moisture corn? (Considering
that dairy may be using up to 50% of the ration as forage.)
Many presently look for an approximate 75% alfalfa and 25% grass
mix in the forage component. Hay is a very important source of
fibre that activates the rumen. If pure alfalfa is selected for
the ration, fibre is generally increased through the use of straw.
Low lignin alfalfa in the future will have better fibre
digestibility than conventional alfalfa.
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PRIDE Seeds would like to recognize and thank the following
individuals for their input and review of this document:
Darryl Smith – Dairy Nutritionist, Agribrands Purina Canada Inc.
Donna Benschop, M.Sc. - Ontario Ruminant Technical Coordinator, Agribrands
Purina Canada Inc.
Ron Piett B.Sc. - Feeds and Forage Specialist, A&L Canada Laboratories
Daniel Dorion - Feed Specialist, Meunerie Plessis
Isabelle Bernard & Rejean Comtois - Feed Specialist, SCA Princeville
Joel Bagg
- Forage Specialist OMAF
Dave Bates - Dairy Sales Manager & Certified Dairy Nutrition Advisor, Shur-Gain
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