Two trials were conducted to determine the feeding value of whole-plant forage
sorghum, grain sorghum, and corn silages, with and without 25% rolled grain sorghum
added to the ration. In general, growing cattle fed corn or grain sorghum silages
out-performed those fed forage sorghum silages. Only forage sorghums with moderate
grain yields supported gains approaching those from grain sorghum silages. With the
addition of 25% rolled grain sorghum, cattle performance from the low and medium
grain-yielding forage sorghum silages was improved greatly (gains by 20 to 44%, dry
matter intake by 12 to 17%, feed conversion by 4 to 25%). Adding 25%grain to the
moderate grain-yielding forage sorghum hybrid rations increased cattle gains to a level
comparable to those from grain sorghum silages. These studies indicate that the grain
content of a corn or sorghum silage ration is the major determinant of cattle
performance, and that Whole-plant corn and grain sorghums should produce the fastest
and most efficient gains in growing programs.
