corn silage for beef cows

[vfigg]

how much corn silage does it take to feed a 1200lb. cow to keep her in good body condition?

 

[Dee]

Are you planning on feeding this alone or with hay, or in a mixed ration?

 

[vfigg]

Are you planning on feeding this alone or with hay, or in a mixed ration?

with all the good hay they can eat.

 

[Muratic]

Don't feed silage to your herd bull. He'll be shootin' blanks by next breeding season!!

 

[Dee]

The ration I use for my older bred cows is #14 silage, #10hay, and #8 corn stover. You may also be able to use straw instead of the stover. (I also have protein tubs out, or if the price is right I give 'em #2 of distillers, especially if it gets below 30* or so.)
My silage tested out at 2.4 as recieved for protein (7.8 dry matter) it was at 69% moisture, and my hay was 10 as recieved for protein (10.5 dry matter basis. So if you have hay that tests out okay for protein you should be okay with out the tubs. Never heard anyone say not to feed it to bulls? Just don't feed any moldy silage to bulls or breds.

 

[El_Putzo]

Don't feed silage to your herd bull. He'll be shootin' blanks by next breeding season!!

Just curious why this is? I ask because my in-laws feed corn silage to everything they have and I can't say they've had any problems with their bull or bred cows.

 

[ChrisB]

Anyone else ever hear this? We've been doing it for a few years without any problems.

 

[Beefcowdoc]

Feeding silage would not cause a bull to be sterile.

 

[haybalin fool]

I haven't heard of silage causing bulls to become sterile. Matter of fact, I was at the feedlot where Lee Leachman feeds his bulls 2 weeks ago and they receive a silage ration (Leachman Cattle of Colorado). What will cause bulls to become sterile is whole cottonseed, more specifically it's caused by the gossypol they contain. Fed at 1/2% of body weight or less shouldn't be too destructive, but be sure to check the research at levels above that.

 

[mhill]

I feed silage o my bulls and they perform quite well every year.

 

[Scotty]

Don't feed silage to your herd bull. He'll be shootin' blanks by next breeding season!!

Got to bethe biggest load I have heard in a while.


Scotty