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Whole Plant and Ground Ear Corn Silages, Their Acid Content, Feeding Value and Digestibility¹

Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster

Abstract

Samples of high-moisture shelled and ground ear corn stored in conventional silos were found to contain significant amounts of acetic and lactic acids. A feeding experiment with triplicate lots of seven steers each showed that 1 lb. of lactic acid, fed as 44% technical grade lactic acid, replaced 2.8 lb. of other feeds in a fattening ration for cattle.

Laboratory experiments with whole-plant and ground ear corn ensiled in glass jars showed that the acetic and lactic acid contents of the resultant silages were directly related to the moisture content of the material ensiled. Acid production during ensiling was increased approximately 100% by the addition of 1% calcium carbonate.

Addition of 1% dolomitic limestone to whole-plant corn ensiled in conventional silos increased acid production by 40%. Steers fed the treated silage tended to require slightly less silage dry matter per unit of gain than those fed the untreated.

Ear corn was picked when the whole ears contained 46% moisture. One-third was ground through a burr mill and ensiled, one-third was ground and ensiled with 1% dolomitic limestone and one-third was artificially dried. Steers fed the treated or untreated ear corn silage gained slightly faster and required, on the dry corn basis, 15% less corn per 100 lb. gain than those fed the dry corn.

Digestion experiments with wether lambs showed that addition of limestone did not decrease the digestibility of organic matter, cellulose, crude fiber, protein or ether extract of the whole-plant or ground ear corn silages.

¹ Published with the approval of the Associate Director as Journal Article No. 76-59.