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Effects of Storage System on the Chemical Character and Utilization of Sorghum Grain by Steers^{1 ,2,}

Iowa State University, Ames 50011^4,5,

Abstract

Six feeding trials with yearling steers, conducted during a 3-year period, compared high-moisture whole sorghum grain ensiled in either a concrete stave silo (CS) or an oxygen-limiting silo (OL) with dried grain (D). Dry matter (DM) losses were measured, and the effects of storage system on the carbohydrate and nitrogen fractions were determined. Four methods of determining DM were compared on grain prior to storage and on grain from each of the three storage systems.

Cattle fed dried grain consumed more post-storage grain DM (GDMC) (P<01) and gained faster (P<01) but less efficiently (P<10) than cattle fed ensiled grain. Comparisons on the basis of pre-storage grain DM or system efficiency (SE) indicated that grain stored in the OL system was converted to live weight more efficiently (P<.01) than grain from the D and CS systems. Grain DM losses during storage were greater (P<.01) in the CS storage system than in the OL system. Grain DM was higher in both pre- and post-storage samples when an 85 C oven or lyophilization was used to determine grain moisture content than when a 103 C forced-draft oven or a 105 C conventional oven was used, but DM determination methods did not interact with system of storage. Grain ensiled in the OL system had a higher level of nonstructural carbohydrates than grain ensiled in a CS system (P<.05), and ensiled grain had lower total nonstructural carbohydrates (P<.05) than either fresh harvested high-moisture grain or artificially dried grain. Ensiled grain and fresh harvested grain did not differ in soluble carbohydrate levels, but both had a higher level of soluble carbohydrates than did dried grain (P<.05). Grain ensiled in a CS silo had higher levels of lactate and VFA than grain ensiled in an OL system (P<.05). Water-soluble nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen as percentage of total nitrogen were increased by ensiling (P<.05). Water-soluble nitrogen was higher in grain removed from storage during the last trimester of storage than in the first two trimesters (P<.05).

¹ Journal Paper No. J-8717 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station Project No. 0031.

² Partial financial support provided by Iowa Silo and Silage Association and A. O. Smith Harvestore Products, Inc.

³ Present address: Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI.

⁴ Animal Science Department.

⁵ The assistance of Dr. D. F. Cox in the statistical analysis of these data is acknowledged.