January 16, 2025

Interpretive Summary: Evaluation of kernel processing and processor type in whole-plant sorghum silage: effects on nutrient digestibility and animal performance in backgrounding beef heifers

Interpretive Summary: Evaluation of kernel processing and processor type in whole-plant sorghum silage: effects on nutrient digestibility and animal performance in backgrounding beef heifers

By: Federico Podversich, Leandro Abdelhadi, Sergio Roskopf, Gleise M Silva, Emmanuel Angeli, Gustavo J Hein, Hugo H Ortega, Martin Ruiz-Moreno, Jose C B Dubeux, Jr, Nicolas DiLorenzo

These 2 experiments evaluated the effects of feeding whole-plant sorghum silage (WPSS) with different kernel processing strategies on beef heifers’ nutrient digestibility and growth performance. In experiment 1, using 24 individually housed heifers, we contrasted 3 treatments: A) unprocessed (UNP), B) conventionally processed (CONV), and C) shredlage processed (SHRD) silage. Using a kernel processor increased starch digestibility by 4.5% and reduced fecal starch by 27.5%. Furthermore, SHRD-fed heifers showed 6.6% greater digestibility of neutral detergent fiber than CONV-fed heifers. For experiment 2, we evaluated the effects of feeding either SHRD or CONV-processed WPSS, at 90.5% of the diet (DM basis), on growth performance of 96 Angus heifers housed in 12 pens. Heifers fed CONV-processed WPSS had a 9.6% greater gain-to-feed ratio and a 7.4% greater Kleiber ratio than SHRD-fed heifers. Performance calculated net energy for gain tended to be 7.1% greater in CONV-fed heifers. In conclusion, kernel processing WPSS improved nutrient utilization, particularly starch. Feeding WPSS obtained with the SHRD leads to greater NDF digestibility, but overall reduced feed efficiency compared to CONV-processed WPSS.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.