Milo Stover in Rations for Growing Heihers and Lambs

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Abstract
Three growth trials and one digestion trial were conducted to measure the feeding value of milo stover when fed with higher quality forages. Performance of heifers fed the 100% forage sorghum silage ration in growth trials I and II or the 33% milo stover silage plus 67% forage sorghum silage ration in growth trial II was significantly greater than that of heifers fed any other milo stover silage rations. When milo stover silage and forage sorghum silage were fed in combination, observed daily gain and feed efficiency exceeded predicted gains and efficiencies by 10.7 and 12.8%, respectively. In growing trial III, lambs fed forage sorghum silage or milo stover pellets gained faster and more efficiently than those fed milo stover silage. Lambs fed milo stover pellets consumed more dry matter than those fed forage sorghum or milo stover silages (1.60, 1.28 and .96 kg/lamb/day, respectively). Lambs fed dehydrated alfalfa pellets consumed more dry matter and were less efficient than lambs fed ground alfalfa hay. In growing trial III, lambs fed forage sorghum silage or milo stover pellets gained faster and more efficiently than those fed milo stover silage. Lambs fed milo stover pellets consumed more dry matter than those fed forage sorghum or milo stover silages (1.60, 1.28 and .96 kg/lamb/day, respectively). Lambs fed dehydrated alfalfa pellets consumed more dry matter and were less efficient than lambs fed ground alfalfa hay. In the digestion trial, lambs fed milo stover pellets consumed the most dry matter. Dry matter digestibility and total digestible nutrients were highest for the forage sorghum silage plus ground alfalfa hay ration. Digestion coefficients were higher for rations containing ground alfalfa hay than for those containing dehydrated alfalfa pellets. The milo stover pellet plus dehydrated alfalfa pellet ration produced the highest nitrogen retention and percent of absorbed nitrogen retained. Digestibilities of dry matter, crude fiber and crude protein and total digestible nutrients decreased but nitrogen retention increased as dry matter intake increased. Copyright © 1977. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1977 by American Society of Animal Science.