Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station Lafayette, Indiana
CORN SILAGE FOR SOWS - A COMPARISON OF DEHYDRATED PELLETED CORN SILAGE WITH REGULAR CORN SILAGE
W. M. Beeson, D. M. Nelson and J. H. Conrad Department of Animal Science
Six years of research at Purdue University (four years with sows and two with gilts) has proven that corn silage, properly supplemented, is an excellent and economical feed for sows and gilts during the gestation period. Storing, handling and feeding fresh or regular corn silage presents certain problems that are not common to feeds that can be stored, handled and fed in pellet form.
Therefore, an experiment was conducted to compare the feeding value of dehydrated pelleted corn silage with that of regular corn silage for sows during gestation.
Experimental Procedure
Twenty-six Duroc sows were divided equally Into two groups on the basis of age, weight, litter and date bred. All sows had been fed the same pregestation and gestation rations prior to being placed on the experiment. From November 1 and until the sows farrowed in March, they were confined to concrete-gravel lots and were provided with Pur-Dual type houses.
The experimental treatments during gestation were:
Lot 1--(Control) Regular corn silage, 12 lbs., plus 1.5 pounds of protein supplement daily.
Lot 2—Dehydrated and pelleted corn silage self-fed, 7*1 lbs., plus 1.5 pounds of protein supplement daily.
Regular corn silage had been harvested at the Livestock Experimental Farm, Purdue University, from September 5-10 and yielded 11.5 tons of silage per acre, or approximately 3^5 pounds of corn in each ton of silage. The moisture content of the corn silage averaged 68$. The protein content was 2$ on the wet basis.
Dehydrated and pelleted corn silage was obtained by hauling regular corn silage, as it was needed, to a dehydrating and pelleting plant. About 3*5 tons of regular corn silage was needed to produce one ton of pellets. Moisture content of the dehydrated and pelleted corn silage averaged 11$. The protein content was 7$*
The protein supplement, which was hand-fed twice daily at the rate of 1.5 pounds per head per day, was composed of the following in percents: soybean meal, 52.9; meat and bone scraps, 25; alfalfa meal, 15; bonemeal, 4; iodized salt, 2; vitamin B-12 supplement (10 mg./lb.), 0.5; vitamin A and D supplement (5000 A and 625 D/gram),
0 25; B vitamin supplement (2, U, 9 and 10 grams of riboflavin, pantothenic acid, r acin and choline chloride/lb.), 0.35. A mineral mixture of ^0 parts bonemeal, ho parts limestone and 20 parts iodized salt was fed free choice in addition to loose iodized salt.
The sows remained on their respective gestation rations from December 31 until they were taken to the central farrowing barn. The sows were hand fed a bulky ration
Mimeo A.S. 255 August, 1959