Rations rich in corn silage in dairy cattle feeding during drought
Drought in summer is increasingly leading to crop failures in grassland. Such reduced yields can be compensated for by silage maize, as it is less susceptible to drought damage. This leads to higher proportions of maize silage in rations for cattle. Due to the high starch content and the usually low structure of the corn silage, there are a few things that need to be taken into account when feeding in order to avoid metabolic problems in the animals.
Priv talks about how you can ensure the right structural supply despite the energy-rich feed and which concentrated feed and mineral supplements are necessary. Doc. Dr. Andreas Steinwidder with Dr. Georg Terler (HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein). Special topics such as feed urea and what you should pay attention to when it comes to the grain content in concentrated energy feed depending on the storage period of corn silage are also explained in more detail. At the end of the podcast, the suitability of millet silage and winter cover crops as fodder alternatives in dry conditions is also discussed.
Here you can watch the complete conversation on the topic of “Dairy cattle feeding in drought conditions – rations rich in corn silage”:
The Austrian Working Group for Grassland and Livestock Industry has also published a brochure on this topic. You can find this summary on the ÖAG homepage .
Further documents:
- specialist brochure on climate change adaptation based on the podcast series with short and meaningful specialist articles for reading and
- Supplementary slide sets for teaching and advice in all agricultural areas.
