Grains for milking cows

[ozark_jewels]

Those of you who do not feed a "commercial" cow feed, but feed whole grains to your milk cows, what do you use?? Thanks,

[Rick Allen]

We mix 1 part ground soy beans (45% protein) to:
3 parts ground corn (9% protein).

This makes a 17% protein mix for our dairy cows. It is also lower in fiber then
rolled corn. I think the lower fiber makes it easier for cows to extract protein and energy. Our cows eat plenty of grass and get enough fiber from it.

One of my goals is to make the feed last the whole time we're milking. That is another reason I like fine groung feeds. They can't eat it as fast. I also chop 3 or 4 chunks off the mineral bloc with an axe and put the chunks in the bucket with the feed. This slows them down more and they end up licking the mineral chunks as an added benefit.

[JulieLou42]

COB=corn, oats, barley, with molasses in it, 50# bags cost $7.50 in our area; haven't gone up in price in the 5 years I've been buying it. She also gets small pelleted alfalfa.

[DaleK]

We put rolled high moisture corn in the silo, about 300 tons. Should start this week if it ever stops raining. Then a custom supplement with soymeal and dried corn distillers.

[arcticow]

Ground barley, whole oats,linseed meal or sunflower pieces- for protein,alfalfa or brome & barley pellets.

[Tom McLaughlin]

Almost the same as arcticow.. We mix barley, oats, wheat bran, linseed oil meal, and some molassas.

[JeffNY]

I have a cornmeal, soy meal, bakery biproducts with some wheat middlings, and molasses. Get a 18.5% mix, .70MCAL. Had Cargill mix it up, very very impressive mix. Finely ground and they go nuts over it.


Jeff

[Up North]

Originally Posted by DaleK

We put rolled high moisture corn in the silo, about 300 tons. Should start this week if it ever stops raining. Then a custom supplement with soymeal and dried corn distillers.

Dale I realize Mother Nature don't always cooperate, LOL...but what range of moisture content is optimum for putting HMC in the Silo?...and how much moisture can you get away with?

[DaleK]

23-28% works good, we can go up to about 32

[ozark_jewels]

Thanks to all who answered!!