Dry Matter, Energy, Crude Protein, Fiber, and Nonfiber Carbo

Some Feedstuffs Commonly Fed to Dairy Cattle

Net
Net Energy Net
Dry Metabolizable Energy N
for Energy
Matter Energy for D
Maintenance for Gain
(%) (Mcal/kg) Lactation F
(Mcal/kg) (Mcal/kg)
(Mcal/kg)

Ground
88 3.12 2.01 2.16 1.48 9
shell corn

Corn
35 2.33 1.45 1.57 0.97 4
silage

Pasture 20 2.46 1.54 1.67 1.06 4

Hay (cool-
season 84 2.02 1.23 1.33 0.75 5
grasses)

Hay crop
silage
(cool- 42 1.92 1.16 1.25 0.68 5
season
grasses)

Grass-
legume 85 2.07 1.25 1.35 0.77 5
mix hay

Grass-
legume
mix hay 44 1.96 1.23 1.32 0.74 5
crop
silage

Adapted from National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised E
Academies Press, 2001. https://doi.org/10.17226/9825. Reprinted with permission.
Energy values are estimated based on a consumption rate 3 times the rate of consumption at m
values intended primarily for relative comparison among feeds. Analyzed values of actual feed
among forages. Laboratory analyses of feeds and forages are always advisable for both compa
 Net
Net Energy Net
Dry Metabolizable Energy N
for Energy
Matter Energy for D
Maintenance for Gain
(%) (Mcal/kg) Lactation F
(Mcal/kg) (Mcal/kg)
(Mcal/kg)

Legume 84 2.09 1.28 1.38 0.8 4

hay

Legume
hay crop 43 2.01 1.22 1.32 0.74 4
silage

Oats
90 2.78 1.77 1.9 1.26 3
(rolled)

Sorghum
29 1.85 1.11 1.18 0.62 6
silage

Soybean
meal
(solvent
extracted, 89 3.31 2.13 2.29 1.59 1
44%
crude
protein)

Cotton
90 2.91 1.94 1.96 1.31 5
seeds

Dried
distillers
grains 90 3.03 1.97 2.07 1.41 3
with
solubles

Corn and
89.2 2.91 1.86 2 1.35 2
cob meal

Adapted from National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised E
Academies Press, 2001. https://doi.org/10.17226/9825. Reprinted with permission.
Energy values are estimated based on a consumption rate 3 times the rate of consumption at m
values intended primarily for relative comparison among feeds. Analyzed values of actual feed
among forages. Laboratory analyses of feeds and forages are always advisable for both compa
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