Milo stover silage, prairie hay or forage sorghum silage was fed in
rations containing 10, 12 or 14% protein from soybean meal (SBM) or 12%
protein from urea; 100 heifers were fed in the 78-day growing trial (November
11, 1977 to February 2, 1978).
Heifers fed forage sorghum silage, prairie hay or forage sorghum silage
+ prairie hay had similar rate and efficiency of gains; those fed milo stover
silage made slowest and least efficient gains. Rations containing prairie
hay were consumed in the greatest amounts. Feeding rations with 12 or 14%
protein from SBM gave better performance than rations with 10% protein from
SBM. Heifers fed urea gained slower and less efficiently than those fed SBM.
Gain from a ration containing equal parts of milo stover silage and forage
sorghum silage exceeded predicted gain by 7.8%, and efficiency was 13.9%
better than predicted.
