The nutritive value of grass silage self-fed to fattening cattle

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Abstract
1. High and low dry-matter silages were fed to fattening bullocks on the self-feed system giving daily live-weight increases per head per day of 2·6 lb. and 1·7lb. respectively, over a feeding period of 10 weeks.2. Chemical data on the composition of a low dry-matter silage and high dry-matter silage are presented.3. Digestibility studies using sheep were carried out to obtain the starch equivalent values of the two types of silage. The starch equivalent of the high dry-matter silage was 12·4 while that of the low dry-matter silage was 9·9. This difference in starch equivalent explains the extra 0·9 lb. per head per day live-weight increase made by the bullocks on the high dry-matter silage.4. Mineral balances were carried out. The results show that the low dry-matter silage would supply an inadequate amount of calcium for satisfactory production.