A comparison of wheat and barley as supplements to grass silage for beef cattle

Extract

Two randomised-block experiments have been carried out to examine the relative feeding value of wheat and barley as supplements to grass silage for finishing beef cattle. In each experiment unwilted, formic acid-treated silage was offered ad libitum and supplemented with 500 g soyabean meal and 50 g minerals and vitamins to 44 twelve month old bulls for 157 and 172 days in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. In addition 12 animals received 2.5 kg rolled spring barley (LB), 12 received 4.0 kg barley (HB) and 20 received 3.25 kg rolled wheat (W). Silage was offered once daily and concentrates twice daily in two equal meals.

Eleven British Friesian bulls and thirty-three bulls which were Friesian x Continental beef breed were used in each experiment. They were initially 402 and 385 kg live weight in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. In both experiments the animals were housed and fed in groups of four in slatted pens. All animals were slaughtered at the end of the experiments to obtain carcass data.