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

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.