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Rolled corn for feeding cattle

Maria Yaroshko, MA MBA, Associate NimATs

The effectiveness of dairy farms is significantly affected by the quality and cost of feed. The key element in balancing rations for cattle in energy and nutrients are concentrates — feed grains, the use of which depends on its quality, the method of harvesting and storage and therefore cost.

That is why cheaper ways to store feed grains are growing, one of which is preserving rolled grain harvested in the early stages of ripeness. Rolling is a very promising way to prepare fodder for a good grain eaten by animals, better absorbed and thus relatively well preserved without loss. Besides rolling improves the overall nutritional value of the diet.

Features of digestion and assimilation of rolled corn

One of the most important forage crop for cattle is corn. Keeping rolled corn allows to begin harvesting 10-15 days before normal service under ripeness when humidity is 35-40%. At this time, it contains the maximum amount of nutrients. This dry matter yield of grain is higher by 10-15%. As part of carbohydrates, sugar is to 15% of dry matter of grain and 60% starch. Crude fiber is represented mainly by well-digest form, and in the stern still many structural elements that are essential for good digestion in cattle. In addition, during the rolling cell walls of corn grains are destroyed, which facilitates the absorption of nutrients. The starch of rolled grain, unlike starch of dry fodder, fermented in the rumen more slowly and thus has a higher coefficient of digestibility. Therefore rolled grain can be fed twice without the risk of getting acidosis. Digestibility of nutrients of rolled grain ripeness higher than in the full ripeness of grain, so it is absorbed better. With rolling enhanced nutritional value of carbohydrate and protein complexes.

More you can read in «Milk and Farm» magazine #4 (11), August 2012.

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