Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station Lafayette, Indiana
Mimeo AH-79 April 25, 1952(5M)
SUPPLEMENTING HAY AND "GRASS SILAGE" FOR GROWING STEERS
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W, M. Beeson, T. W. Perry, C. H. Nickel and Donald Webb
Animal Husbandry Department (Conducted at Lynnwood Farm, Carmel, Indiana)
Grass silage has not been a popular feed in the midwest because until recently we have not had the know-how to balance the nutritional deficiencies that exist when livestock are fed on grass silage. Regardless of common opinion, it appears now that grass silage does not have the same nutritional characteristics and food value as pasture. Apparently, there are some biological and/or chemical changes that take place during fermentation and bacterial action in the silo, which gives grass silage a somewhat different balance of nutrients than pasture crops. Although the chemical analysis of grass silage shows a good balance of nutrients (Table I) it appears that the biological response of animals to silage is somewhat different than one would expect from looking at the gross chemical analysis.
Twenty-five pounds of grass silage per day will meet the protein and vitamin A requirements for growth in a 600 pound steer according to our best knowledge concerning the requirements for growth. Good grass silage is not lacking in palatability. Therefore, it seemed worthy <_f investigation to learn what "Purdue Cattle Supplement A" would add to an all-grass silage ration for growing steers. Two lots of steers were fed so that a comparison was made of the growth response of steers to a feed of grass silage and minerals with and without "Supplement A". A third lot received hay and minerals plus "Supplement A".
One hundred and five head of shorthorn steer calves were purchased at an average cost of 45 cents per pound for this experiment. Part of the steers (40 head) came from Montana and the remainder of the cattle were Nebraska calves which were bought at the Feeder Cattle Show and Sale in Chicago in October, 1951.
Source of Experimental Cattle