Thumbs-up for Greater Maize Silage Use
12/12/05

photo courtesy of www.jennifermackenzie.co.uk

English beef producers wishing to improve steer and heifer performance can make greater use of maize silage in both growing and finishing rations without fear of compromising meat quality, according to English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) evaluations of the latest research.  However, they would be well-advised to continue including some grass in their feeding regimes.

Detailed University of Reading trials co-funded by EBLEX with Defra, HCC, QMS and other industry organisations show that incorporating maize silage in the growing and finishing rations of 14-18 month silage-fed Simmental x Holstein steers and heifers can boost both production efficiency and margins.

Irrespective of gender, animals receiving predominantly maize silage diets during both their growing and finishing periods showed improved dry matter intakes, higher rates of daily liveweight gain and better feed conversion efficiencies than those fed mainly grass silage. Diets based largely on maize silage also proved more cost-effective in terms of p/kg liveweight gain in both production phases, and generated higher margins.

Steer and Heifer Performance on Maize and Grass Silage Diets (University of Reading)

Associated studies at the University of Bristol revealed little or no discernable effect of higher maize silage inclusions on fat colour, flavour or any other aspect of heifer meat quality or acceptability. Fat colour was not affected by maize silage feeding in steers either.

Significantly higher taste panel toughness and lower overall liking scores in steaks from steers receiving no grass silage at all in their lives, however, suggest the inclusion of some grass in either rearing or finishing rations could be advisable to assure meat quality. All the more so given significantly higher contents and proportions of ‘desirable’ long-chain n-3 fatty acids in the grass silage-fed stock.

More details on the results of the study will shortly be available on the EBLEX website at www.eblex.org.uk