Change Diet Slowly: Begin feeding corn gradually. Follow feeding instructions on the bag. Crop Residue. Free choice hay, salt, mineral, and water, while they are running on pasture. You’ll need stout fences and at least 36 inches of bunk space per animal in the pen. If you’ve done the math, that’s a “conventional” diet fed at 31 lbs (dry matter basis) vs. the “limit-fed high-energy” diet fed at 20 lbs. FULL DISCLOSURE: the limit-fed cows are going to be hungry every morning. The more grain or other concentrate feeds we provide, the more likely the rumen pH is to decline below 6.0. Comments Feeding corn to cows replaces hay Care needed when adding starch to diet. Feeding these grains as 100% of the diet will give the animal an upset stomach. Cows don't go off feed as often with HMEC. And if a cow is lactating, she needs a much higher level of protein and energy than during pregnancy. For whole shelled corn diets, the supplement should be made in a 1/4 or 5/16-inch pellet. Supplements can be hand-fed daily. Efficiency of limit-feeding a whole shelled corn-based diet as an alternative to a conventional forage-based diet for nonlactating dairy cattle was determined. Cover the stalk bales with a tarp, then inject the gas to permeate the bales. 2 lb Bags. Dairy cows however can digest relatively large amounts of starch particularly if the sole source is not just dried shelled corn. In addition, shelled corn has a longer starch release time, and will help cut back on problems with acidosis in the herd, Loerch said." The other extreme would be finishing feedlot cattle consuming a high-grain diet have a rumen pH in the low 5’s to even the high 4’s — very acidic. University of Illinois research shows cows limit-fed with whole corn performed similarly to cows fed cracked corn. To maintain maximal forage utilization, corn should not be supplemented at more than 0.25% of body weight. Monitor Cow Condition or Weight: Cows will lose fill as you begin limit feeding. A 1998 U.S. survey reported 44 percent of responding dairy farms were feeding high moisture corn; 77 percent as shelled corn and 23 percent as ear corn. It is commonly believed by some high plains cattle feeders that cattle which are fed on whole corn will eat more, gain faster and reach market weight earlier. This same 17.3 Mcal NEM per animal per day could be supplied from 8 lb cracked corn (1.02 Mcal/lb), 7 lb dried distiller’s grains, and 5 lb of prairie hay. Studies at MU and other stations show that feeding 3 to 6 pounds of soybean hulls or corn gluten feed per head daily to cattle on forage gives equal or greater performance than using a similar amount of corn grain. Crude protein can be bumped up to 9%, and TDN to 55%. The flour screenings I can get for 3-5 cents per pound so that helps with the cost of feed. Diets consisted of increasing levels of refined cornstarch (0, 5.9, 11.9, and 17.9% of diet dry matter) replacing dry cracked, shelled corn so that increasing amounts of dietary starch originated from refined cornstarch. Grain is already bagged and ready. FEEDING GRAIN SCREENINGS Mold and associated my-cotoxins are often separated from the corn grain during the handling process. When deciding whether to feed shelled corn or cracked, Loerch recommends shelled, whole-kernel corn. In November and December, feed 2 pounds of first-cutting hay, 2 pounds of protein and mineral supplement and 12 pounds of whole shelled corn, Loerch says. Cattle are versatile. They will eat what they need. 1 suggested cow’s digestion of corn starch in the rumen ranges from a low of roughly 45 percent for dry cracked shelled corn, to a high of approximately 87% for high moisture rolled corn (HMC). It has spurred on the interest of many beef producers to consider other effective alternative feed ingredients to replace at least some of the corn in beef rations. Both TMR treatments contained 10% alfalfa silage and 40% (DM basis) of the same concentrate mix comprised of dry ground shelled corn, corn gluten feed, solvent and expeller soybean meal, rumen-inert fat, minerals, vitamins and Rumensin®. Cows exposed to a greater number of pathogens tend to produce colostrum with more immunoglobulins than cows exposed to fewer pathogens. Virtual Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle WorkshopNov. Shelled corn $10-70lbs. * Feed 4 lbs first cutting hay, supplement, and 12 lbs whole shelled corn (per cow basis). There are certainly challenges to limit-feeding cows, most of them pertaining to logistics, facilities, and equipment. Feed intake of lactating cows is 30 to 50 percent higher than pregnant cows. Long-stemmed hay should be fed at a minimum dry matter (DM) level of 0.25% to 0.50% of body weight for cattle receiving whole shelled corn. Cows were either fed around 11 pounds of whole shelled corn, 2.5 pounds of a pelleted supplement, and 2 pounds of hay (dry matter basis) or offered hay and a salt and mineral mix free choice from November to April. PUBLISHED ON December 6, 2018. * Feed corn whole. utilization,Wright advises feeding corn in amounts no greater than 0.25% of cow body weight.This equates to 2.5 lb.of corn per day for a 1,000-lb.cow,3 lb.for a 1,200-lb.cow,and 3.5 lb.for a 1,400-lb.cow.These recommendations are based on whole-shelled corn.Ear corn can be supplemented at slightly higher levels: 2.75,3.25 and 3.75 A schematic of the results of feeding concentrates in addition to a basal diet of forage looks something like this: With that out of the way, one way to capture the value of low-cost grains and concentrate feeds this fall and winter, without placing cows, heifers, and weaned calves on a “finishing” diet, is to consider limit-feeding a high-grain diet. The cow has a mouth to feed the rumen — more specifically, the rumen microbes, and the job of the rumen microbes is to feed the cow. Wheat $10-65lbs. Processing appears to have some value for dry-shelled corn in rations with 20 percent or more roughage content, or when corn is very dry, less than 12 percent moisture. Work of Firkins et al. Each of the two forms of corn accounted for 74.7% of the concentrate supplement, which was fed at 9 kg/d (DM). Despite the mindset that feeding corn to expecting cows can create calving problems, research says otherwise. We feed soaked feed comprised of flour screenings (corn and/or flour), COB w/molasses, and soybean meal to jack up the protein. Feeding method. By “limit-feeding”, we typically mean providing a level of intake of the high-energy diet which supplies a similar total daily amount of energy and protein, in a smaller intake package, as we would normally expect when full-feeding a forage-based diet. Feeding management can drastically affect their development. As mentioned above this can be also highly variable depending on how fast the feed transits through the rumen (particle size and level of intake). For long fed calves (greater than 170 days) feeding whole corn may result in better gains and efficiencies than feeding dry processed corn." The cow has a mouth to feed the rumen — more specifically, the rumen microbes, and the job of the rumen microbes is to feed the cow. Whole corn feeding is popular because of its simplicity and the lack of need for an elaborate processing facility. =žÂ\A®0W+ôxŠÜß/˜{JޓÎgy!¿€_ɯ`¾óü]„u êÖ%¨KîßuÖPW g€g g€g g€g g€g [€[ h {§ •´ãígŸvה´Eóo‘{]9Œñóϙ§ÙjnóW€ Lâ׈ — Wintering cows … Later feeding If the cows weigh an average of 1,320 lbs, that’s 2.4% of body weight vs. 1.5% of body weight. Most of a cow’s life she has fed these microbes a diet primarily of cellulose, from grass, hay, corn stalks, wheat straw, etc. If grain must be processed, coarsely roll or crack it. Corn is what most wildlife lovers offer deer, and even if it’s labeled “deer corn,” feeding corn to deer is about the worst thing you can do. A mixture of 10 percent animal fat and 90 percent ground shelled corn or milo produced this level of grain intake on fescue-ladino, orchard grass-ladino and other pasture combinations. It sits on the stalk longer to let the kernels dry out. But that takes management. With more animals, a cart or wheelbarrow would be handy for transporting larger amounts or several days worth at a time. A study conducted at The Ohio State University evaluated limit-feeding corn as an alternative to hay for mature cows in gestation and early lactation. They can It is high in energy but, whole corn is tough for some farm animals to digest. Most of a cow’s life she has fed these microbes a diet primarily of cellulose, from grass, hay, corn stalks, wheat straw, etc. Unless you’re trying to kill the deer. Drewnoski says ammoniated corn stalks are about equal to good quality grass hay with this method. Increase incrementally over a two-week period. Grinding my own feed. Manhattan, KS 66506-8028. What little concentrate (grain, by-product feeds, protein supplements) she’s received has been in the form of a bit of supplement on top of the forages which have been her main diet. From the study: "Dry processing (cracking, rolling) has only small effects on starch digestion. per head. Im currently buying a complete feed ration from the local feed mill. Generally, cows should be supplemented with corn in small amounts (0.25% of body weight or less). It has been ground up with all the other stuff so they cannot pick and choose which grains they want but are kind of forced to have a balanced diet whe they eat it. Your email address will not be published. With the availability and improvement of shorter-season corn varieties, corn plantings in North Dakota increased nearly 40 percent from 2008 to 2017. Moisture Levels of the Grain. However, corn is relatively low in protein and high in starch, which can affect forage utilization negatively, especially in diets based on lower-quality forages. Corn makes a good energy supplement to improve (or maintain) cow body condition. Corn commonly is used as a feed grain in beef cattle diets throughout the U.S. Hay per cow can be cut from 30 or 40 pounds to 10 pounds. Even though they’re receiving the exact same amount of daily energy supply, the fact that they’re not physically full, they will be more than ready come breakfast time. This is field corn. Con-sequently, grain screenings from mold-affected grains are likely very high in mycotoxins. Whole shelled corn is safer to feed than finely processed grain. $5.00 Wild Bird Feed Cracked Corn London 20/11/2020. Whole vs. ground dry-shelled corn Dry, whole shelled corn has been equal or slightly superior to ground or rolled corn in high-concentrate beef cattle rations in many recent trials. feeding of whole corn vs processing the corn in some manner. Twelve nonlactating, multiparous Holstein cows (initial BW 642+/-50 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design. (10-15 currently). Once calves were consuming in excess of 20 lbs., the mix was changed to 96% corn and 4% supplement. Your email address will not be published. This supplement, or a similar one, can be mixed with the corn or top dressed over the grain. Minimal roughage can … Its worked for us for about 20+ years. Wet and dry distiller’s grains have about 110 and 95 percent the energy value of corn grain, respectively; Make sure the diet calcium to phosphorus ratio doesn’t fall below 2 to 1. Work of Firkins et al. I just googled feeding shelled corn and the top response was a study done by Ohio State comparing feeding shelled corn and processed corn. Get your chicken, horse, cattle and other animal feed. `æë`êõ*³Ê¹¯Ékð3ùYÙ1Þ!Þ1Þ!Þ1Þ!Þ9²ÓÇÁÇ YÀÜÓå=éæàæÞÈo`z:xzÖèQ£çYgyžåq–ä ,ôx Like any other treat, if you give them too much corn, it will upset that balanced diet they get from the feed. Distillers grains supply rises with ethanol production in the Midwest. Pônž#h5ùçzÃlÝTäöU¿Êˆ»lŸÛ®ow]ß-/¹.Hù¹êNOÓøìN°C˜P ¡4 ±¹6»v‡PÙs;ÆV|Ýtxê[@rxœ¹ MÚj„¨öD„¦® â«@’’'7aÈÃ4ž§Ô^{-#üwDr““º¾ï êÝy>º~Æ}ބ¶úê&G. 232 Weber Hall Our beef cows eat mainly fresh grass and grass hay. Several points concerning high moisture corn should be considered. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On the other hand, most of the corn-growing regions of the Midwest and High Plains had excellent growing conditions which have contributed to abundant grain supplies, resulting in relatively low corn prices this fall. Corn gluten feed was used to balance diets for similar NDF content. Field corn, also called cow corn (because it’s used to make cow feed), is taller than sweet corn and has thicker leaves. Each of the two forms of corn accounted for 74.7% of the concentrate supplement, which was fed at 9 kg/d (DM). It can also be used as the basis for the whole winter feeding program. All diets included corn silage at 22% of DM and alfalfa silage at 33% of DM. We conducted a feeding trial with corn shredlage fed to lactating dairy cows at the UW Blaine Arlington Dairy during Oct. – Dec., 2011 following a September, 2011 harvest at UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station (AARS), and will rely heavily upon that harvest experience and feeding trial results for our response to these questions. The rule of thumb here is to feed corn at 1% of cow body weight in mid-gestation. This acidic pH makes for an environment unfavorable for forage digestion. Cracked corn typically costs more because of extra processing, and bigger kernels are easier for cattle to pick up with their tongue, he says. Processing appears to have some value for dry-shelled corn in rations with 20 percent or more roughage content, or when corn is very dry, less than 12 percent moisture. 1 suggested cow’s digestion of corn starch in the rumen ranges from a low of roughly 45 percent for dry cracked shelled corn, to a high of approximately 87% for high moisture rolled corn (HMC). Eight cows (53 DIM) were assigned to four treatments in a double 4 x 4 Latin square. In our work, limit-feeding corn throughout the winter resulted in the same cow performance as feeding hay (Table 1). Today, we fed them a little bit of cracked corn and two new bales of hay. Storing distillers grains in a covered pile or in silage bags can help prevent spoilage. A cow’s nutrient requirements in early gestation aren’t much different from her maintenance requirements, but her needs increase as the fetus inside her grows. In addition, depending on local spot market prices in your area, you may consider inserting other by-product feeds into the high-energy, limit-fed diet, such as: soy hulls, wheat midds, and corn gluten feed, since these all have energy values close to (although not equal to) that of corn. Photographs can be useful tools when monitoring body condition. For example, you may feed a “conventional”, forage-based winter cow diet of 25 lbs of prairie hay (0.45 Mcal NEM/lb, dry matter basis) with 6 lbs of dried distiller’s grains (0.99 Mcal NEM/lb, dry matter basis), providing a total of 17.3 Mcal NEM per day. - posted in Cattle Discussion: I have a small but growing feedlot that I finish some cattle for freezer beef. There is usually a lot of corn in the chicken feed. Kansas State University They had extensive research that showed how and why shelled corn was better for feedlot cattle on a high energy diet. Feeding cattle corn or other cereal grains, or their by-products does not kill the animal. My dad sold … Feeding shelled corn as the primary supplement in cracked dry form or ground high moisture form to grazing cows was studied in an experiment using 32 cows in late lactation. Less hay can be fed by feeding grain supplements. So when we begin to consider feeding more than a small amount of concentrate to cows, we need to consider that the pH will likely fall below the pH which is optimum for forage digestion. However, until recently in many parts of North Dakota and other northern-tier states, feeding corn was less common. For the extra protein, why not? Do not be alarmed, this is expected! Barley $12-55lbs. Jim Young / Reuters. Weights are approximate Favourite. shelled corn.Ear corn can be supplemented at slightly higher levels: 2.75,3.25 and 3.75 lb.per day for 1,000-,1,200- and 1,400-lb. The experiment … Corn is only to be used as a supplement to your livestock feed. Given the strong market prices for corn experienced in the past few months, adding value to corn by feeding it to beef cattle has become a challenge. The pigs also get our kitchen and garden scraps depending on the … Required fields are marked *. Cows were fed one of three diets with either 1) RHMC at 21.5% of DM, 2) snaplage at 29% of diet DM (SNAP), or 3) snaplage at 20% of diet DM plus dry ground shelled corn at 9% of diet DM (SPDC). To use the EZ Beef Finishing Supplements you simply need to mix it with whole, dry shelled corn. Corn cob and husk have the added benefit of containing effective fiber. Farmers and ranchers might feed a lot of corn to cows in order to have them gain weight quickly, or because corn happens to be cheaper than hay at a particular time. Although some areas received abundant rain this summer and have ample hay supplies, other regions received only marginal rains, resulting in a marginal hay crop. ֐íiU}§ìÇÓiúÒÍäYoÿA7¬ÖڐíÇUÕΤ%=Nm7øÙ9÷pí¸o—¥wäйe&ËqϏÇñ¼\9~®–£#¯?ÕäÇñ«{vÓº5«îÈyXºž¬ÿµýËjûͪšÜÞ Ö6S;¼§v‚ÐW‰Çò×qZŽäcûe\ZÒ7¶1B҉èç¦a³tð 0Ѽ´‹›ïü.»á@d®Ëþ Similar to you sitting down and eating an entire box of corn flakes. Although nutrient analyses in Table 1 do not indicate a calcium-phosphorous imbalance, cases of milk fever in brood cows consuming poultry litter are common enough to cause concern. Feeding these grains as 100% of the diet will give the animal an upset stomach. A study conducted at The Ohio State University evaluated limit-feeding corn as an alternative to hay for mature cows in gestation and early lactation. Corn around here has a plant population average of about 20-25,000 per acre in 30” rows. This equates to 2.5 lb for a 1000-lb cow, 3 lb for a 1200- lb cow, and 3.5 lb for a 1400-lb cow. that of corn silage, and over five times that of shelled corn. The protein level will decrease some as cattle get heavier and increase their daily feed of shelled corn. The goal was to maintain daily supplement intake at near 1 lb. Feed corn shelled to prevent larger animals from choking on cobs, but realize shelling is a time-consuming process, if you have a large quantity to shell by hand. The rumen microbes digest the cellulose in forages best when the rumen pH remains in the range of 6.0 to 6.5; this is one (although not the only) reason cows chew their cud: the saliva produced and injected into the cud during rumination contains buffers to keep the pH above 6.0. For this reason it is advised that we consider feeding a diet which is either less than 25-30% concentrate (on a dry matter basis), or greater than 70-75% concentrate — avoid feeding in between these levels. In the 70's and 80's we fed a lot of cattle a high moisture shelled corn/protein/limited roughage ration. Full feed would be roughly 2.5 gallons of that feed mix per head per day (we feed with buckets). Cows have different nutritional needs at different stages of gestation. Iowa researchers report lower field losses (5 to 12 bushels of corn) when grain was harvested as high moisture corn compared to dry corn. The RHMC diet included soyhulls at 9% of DM to have similar NDF content to SNAP and SPDC. Cracked corn $12-55lbs. Nutritionists look at a cow as essentially a rumen with legs, a mouth, and an udder. (United Soybean Board via Flickr) KIRKSVILLE, Mo. Why? Salt mixes work well. However, hay should not be eliminated. H‰”WÛrãÆ}çWÌ#è±sŸAùÉ»ëØIÙI•—IV©HŽDdA@@mô÷éž+%2e»V+ŠžîžÓ}ÎÞ}øDÉ~&´¶šûßFȼVï~€ÇóJ*˜!LÙZ+"!“[=|³z¿]Q‚ÿ’7Cïw[öoJÙ>¬÷áC³š)¢àƒ Beef producers should not be afraid to feed shelled corn to cows. Digestible and effective fiber - all the components of high moisture corn, high moisture ear corn and snaplage are highly digestible. There are several benefits of using self feeders to feed cattle: Convenient for producer; Feed is available 24 hours a day to the animal ; Low labor cost; With proper management and nutrition self fed cattle can perform as well as cattle on more intensive feeding programs. Feeding cattle corn or other cereal grains, or their by-products does not kill the animal. Grain screen-ings should be thoroughly blended and analyzed for mycotoxin concentrations prior to feeding. We have around 40 head of cows, and raise the calves from birth to fat. So when we begin to consider feeding more than a small amount of concentrate to cows, we need to consider that the pH will likely fall below the pH which is optimum for forage digestion. Once they are on full feed, we have them up to nearly a 1 to 1 ratio. We feed ground ear corn, supplemented with an increasing ratio of shell corn as our calves get closer to finish. Today, we fed them a little bit of cracked corn and two new bales of hay. Typical nutrient analyses on a DM basis for cull potatoes is 10% crude protein, 3% ADF, 0.83 Mcal Nel/lb, 0.02% calcium, 0.24% phosphorous, and 0.4% EE. Cows can lose weight in winter (early to mid-gestation), regain weight with green grass in the spring and give birth to healthy calves. We feed twice a day and soak the feed mix in between each feeding. It stays in the fields until the kernels are dry, mostly because it’s easier to process that way. Eight cows (53 DIM) were assigned to four treatments in a double 4 x 4 Latin square. Pictures of each product are shown in respective order. Statistical analysis of the data was done using pen rather than cow as the experimental unit. After cows lose fill, monitor condition carefully. For this reason it is advised that we consider feeding a diet which is either less than 25-30% concentrate (on a dry matter basis), or greater than 70-75% concentrate — avoid feeding in between these levels. Field corn is taller than sweet corn, reaching 8-10 feet in a normal year, so they are very heavy. Generally, this system is best used when forages are readily available, but the quality of the forage is insufficient to meet the nutritional demands of the cowherd. By “high-grain”, we typically mean 70-75% concentrate with sufficient forage to prevent acidosis in aggressive eaters. endstream endobj 45 0 obj <>stream Similar to you sitting down and eating an entire box of corn flakes. Feed cows to gain weight when they are not heavy in pregnancy and in the fall when it is cheapest. Feeding shelled corn as the primary supplement in cracked dry form or ground high moisture form to grazing cows was studied in an experiment using 32 cows in late lactation. Feeding rolled corn increases digestibility by 5 to 10 percent and equates to faster growth in cattle due to the higher energy concentration of the diet. Feeding and handling methods: Potatoes are most often fed in a total mixed ration. Protein supplement for limit feeding corn to beef cows. That's how their digestive systems are designed to operate. The objective of supplementation is to improve the energy intake of the cattle. In general, performance of cattle fed whole or rolled corn is a wash. Its in an old 3 sided hog barn that Ive converted to work for cattle. There were some feedlot operators that included a plastic pellet in the ration to serve as the lone roughage source. A complete ration is to feed 1.5 pounds of a 40 percent protein supplement and 5 to 10 pounds of corn silage or 2 to 4 pounds of hay per head daily with all the shelled corn the cattle will clean up. Research from Illinois (Tjardes et al., 1998) found that limit-fed cows given whole shelled corn performed similar to cows fed cracked corn. Table 6. Because as we exceed 30% of the diet as concentrate, the rumen pH will decline and the feeding value of the forages in the diet decline. Going into my third year of this endevour Im considering saving myself some money and grinding my own feed. Feeding Corn to Beef Cows Cody Wright, Extension beef specialist In many western cattle operations, forages have tradi-tionally been considered the most practical feedstuffs for wintering beef cows. If you bale corn stalks after harvest for cow feed, you can add significantly to its protein and TDN by ammoniating it with anhydrous ammonia. If hay = $80/ton, corn = $3.00/bu, and supplement = … They are on pasture until the last 2 months or so, then free choice hay to finish. This combination of coinciding circumstances has raised the question, “Can I feed corn to cows instead of hay?” Well, the answer is an emphatic, “Yes”, but with caveats. They subsist on grasses and similar forage. GRAZING CORN STALKS Ruminants have a remarkable ability to manage under less-than-perfect feed conditions, Olson points out. Whole vs. ground dry-shelled corn Dry, whole shelled corn has been equal or slightly superior to ground or rolled corn in high-concentrate beef cattle rations in many recent trials. cows,respectively. In nature, cows don't eat corn. If the grain must be processed, it should be coarsely rolled or cracked. Feeding poultry litter before calving may predispose cows to milk fever, also known as parturient paresis or hypocalcemia. Soaking corn is a way to make it more digestible and enjoyable for your farm animals. For more information, contact Chris Reinhardt at cdr3@ksu.edu. Pickup Monday-Saturday 8am-5pm. Once calves were on a full-feed of corn, self-feeders were used. For fastest growth I would work the calves up to full corn, all they want, no need to figure amount by body weight and let them have free choice good hay. NOTE: this effect becomes more pronounced with increasingly lower-quality forages than with high-quality forages. Diets consisted of increasing levels of refined cornstarch (0, 5.9, 11.9, and 17.9% of diet dry matter) replacing dry cracked, shelled corn so that increasing amounts of dietary starch originated from refined cornstarch. Oats $12-55lbs. Feeding shelled corn is a good idea, most of the time it's the cheapest way to go. But two reasons to consider the limit-fed program are: (1) potential per-head feed cost savings; and (2) the chance to reduce the drain on your hay stores. cows; pigs; January 29, 2012 Soaking Corn for Livestock Feed Corn is a useful livestock feed ingredient. Whole shelled corn is safer to feed compared to finely processed grain. In some trials, cattle fed whole shelled corn diets had similar ADG and FE (gain/feed) to cattle fed processed corn diets (Vance et al., 1972; Ørskov et al., 1974; Owens et al., 1997). Effective fiber helps protect the rumen from acidosis. The protein and mineral supplement should be similar to that used for feedlot cattle fed a high-grain diet. Alfalfa-fed calves received only shelled corn, whereas, calves fed grass hay received a mixture of 95% corn and 5% supplement pellets. If fed at 0.5 percent of body weight or less, every other day is satisfactory. In the stomach compartment of cattle called the rumen, there are microbes that digest foods into essential nutrients. A 1998 U.S. survey reported 44 percent of responding dairy farms were feeding high moisture corn; 77 percent as shelled corn and 23 percent as ear corn. Corn can be used in many different types of backgrounding and finishing diets, and it can serve as a supplement in forage-based diets for beef cows. Feeding 0.8 pounds to one pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight gave the greatest profit in finishing cattle on grass in a seven-year study at North Carolina. General guidelines for poultry litter rations are to supply 10 to 20 percent, 30 to 35 percent, and 50 percent, of the dry diet as corn for dry cows, lactating cows, and stocker calves, respectively. Hay was predominantly first-cutting orchardgrass testing around 72% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 9.5% crude protein (CP). Iowa researchers report lower field losses (5 to 12 bushels of corn) when grain was harvested as high moisture corn compared to dry corn. Our beef cows eat mainly fresh grass and grass hay. Cows produce antibodies in response to pathogens to which they have been exposed. The addition of corn will increase the palatability and acceptance of the poultry litter ration. Studies evaluate feeder cattle basis and factors impacting calf prices in a video auction, Virtual Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle Workshop. 4 and 5. It should not be the only thing your livestock eats. After a couple of months, we start to feather in shell corn in the mix, starting with about 2 to 1 ear corn to shell corn (by volume). Whole-shelled – not ground – corn is recommended for the mixed diet feeding method. Allowing animals to graze the stalks and chaff left after corn harvest is the most economical use of these residues, particularly for beef cows, according to Colorado State University Cooperative Extension.