Hay v silage

[Arbour]

I’m feeding silage dry matter 30%, cows and calves doing great but straw costing a fortune due wet slurry. If I fed hay would they dry up and produce dung as use how much less straw ?

 

[Werzle]

Slurry would dry up along with the cows milk

 

[DrDunc]

I’m feeding silage dry matter 30%, cows and calves doing great but straw costing a fortune due wet slurry. If I fed hay would they dry up and produce dung as use how much less straw ?

I've haylage 62% DM 10.8ME and 14% protein and Hay 9.2ME 13% protein for the dry suckler cows.

Silage 21% DM 11.8ME and 18.2%protein for 10 month calves.

Comparing the cows dung to previous years when they've been on similar quality silage but 30%DM, they're needing at least a third less to near half the straw to keep them clean. Dung being solid is making a big difference.

The wet rocket fuel silage should make the calves skitter, but I'm mixing the tonne bales with about 200kg hay. This is keeping the dung nice and ploppy, though no where near as dry as the cows shyte.

Be wary of suddenly altering the diet as it can upset the rumen. However if your silage is too acidic, some hay in the diet would definitely help firm up the dung.

 

[Cowcalf]

that where mixer wagons help, put straw in with silage to the level of firm dung but little drop in performance, you are in control

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I’m feeding silage dry matter 30%, cows and calves doing great but straw costing a fortune due wet slurry. If I fed hay would they dry up and produce dung as use how much less straw ?

are you on loose housing and whats your feed set up .would do no harm to offer some hay

 

[dannewhouse]

try getting silage a touch drier in future years? we bale ours so dryness isn't a concern and for dry sucklers over winter its a case of as cheap to keep as possible. I get it as dry as the weather allows at the time to save on straw.

 

[Arbour]

Normally aim for 50% but no luck last summer and had to bale a day early, just as well it’s rained ever since !