Free choicing Silage

Right now for our two March heifers we are mixing our fines (Calf grain, corn glutem feed pellets, corn screenings) In right with our silage making a TMR.  Should we be free choicing the silage or should we keep mixing everything together?  We also obviously free choice hay.

Not an expert on this but I would fear them eating too much silage and having rumen issues like acidosis and maybe bloat.

Success may also depend on the maturity, moisture, and quality of the silage.

What is the estimated protein% of the ration?

Good luck-

LLBUX said:

Not an expert on this but I would fear them eating too much silage and having rumen issues like acidosis and maybe bloat.

Success may also depend on the maturity, moisture, and quality of the silage.

What is the estimated protein% of the ration?

Good luck-

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Agreed, and if I could add one more thing it would be I would be more worried about them eating to much concentrate that is mixed in with the silage. Due to the typical water content in silage along with the ADF values typically seen, I wouldn't be too worried about free choicing it alone, but with the concentrate being added in this case, you could see some issues as LLBUX stated.

Is this corn siage? Or oat silage, hay silage?  Irregardless you should probably do the TMR deal.  Silage is great for putting on the proverbial big belly.The more the merrier, generally speaking. Silage, if made properly, will not create acidosis. It will help create a stable rumen environment. As with any feed for cattle, consistent intakes, consistent feed quality always wins the race. When increasing feed, do it gradually.

TJR said:

Is this corn siage? Or oat silage, hay silage?  Irregardless you should probably do the TMR deal.  Silage is great for putting on the proverbial big belly.The more the merrier, generally speaking. Silage, if made properly, will not create acidosis. It will help create a stable rumen environment. As with any feed for cattle, consistent intakes, consistent feed quality always wins the race. When increasing feed, do it gradually.

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We feed one five gallon pail kernel processed corn silage.  (20 lbs.)  20 lbs. haylage, both are extremely good silages with high starch content in the CS.  We also feed about 10 lbs. grain a day and we mix all this together.  Keep in mind we feed 7 A.M.  6 P.M.  between two march heifers so there getting roughly 13 lbs. of feed per feeding, only 2.5 being grains.

Even with kernal processed C.S., it is a "roughage"- plenty of fiber. So, with the CS and the haylage, you have a very high amount of fiber in the diet. (plus the fact that both are, I assume, 60%+- H2O) You are feeding only about 5# grain/hd/day.  Give them all the silage they can eat. They are not going to gain 4#/day, but I assume (hfrs) you want to gain around 2-2.5#/day.  You will not founder them.  If they are getting fleshier than you like, cut back on the CS, more haylage or dry hay.  But I doubt that is going to happen.

When you say free choicing, does that mean that there is always feed in front of them? I would want the calves to clean up the bunk in say approx 30 minutes. Silages are better when consumed fresh and warm. They have a tendency to freeze dry if fed in a cold climate. I assume that you are grabbing these calves feed off of a truck going to a larger group of cattle, but possibly not. It is hard to feed silage to smaller groups of calves and keep it fresh IMO.

CAB said:

When you say free choicing, does that mean that there is always feed in front of them? I would want the calves to clean up the bunk in say approx 30 minutes. Silages are better when consumed fresh and warm. They have a tendency to freeze dry if fed in a cold climate. I assume that you are grabbing these calves feed off of a truck going to a larger group of cattle, but possibly not. It is hard to feed silage to smaller groups of calves and keep it fresh IMO.

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We get the silage from a dairy farm so the CS is straight from the silo and the haylage is straight from a bag.  Both are between 55 and 60% moisture.  We mix all  three ingrediants together- CS haylage ad grain.  They clean it up in 25 minutes or so.  We don't want either gaining like a steer but one is a market heifer.  Both are exceptionally fleshed.

RankeCattleCo said:

CAB said:

When you say free choicing, does that mean that there is always feed in front of them? I would want the calves to clean up the bunk in say approx 30 minutes. Silages are better when consumed fresh and warm. They have a tendency to freeze dry if fed in a cold climate. I assume that you are grabbing these calves feed off of a truck going to a larger group of cattle, but possibly not. It is hard to feed silage to smaller groups of calves and keep it fresh IMO.

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We get the silage from a dairy farm so the CS is straight from the silo and the haylage is straight from a bag.  Both are between 55 and 60% moisture.  We mix all  three ingrediants together- CS haylage ad grain.  They clean it up in 25 minutes or so.  We don't want either gaining like a steer but one is a market heifer.  Both are exceptionally fleshed.

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I think that should work well for what you are wanting. The silage/haylage is more than likely top quality if it is coming from a dairy. They usually try extremely hard to put up silage at the peak times. If they are cleaning up the feed in that amount of time it will be fresh enough for sure. Good Luck.