Table: Dry Matter, Energy, Crude Protein, Fiber, and Nonfiber Carbohydrate Concentrations of Some Feedstuffs Commonly Fed to Dairy Cattle-MSD Veterinary Manual

Dry Matter, Energy, Crude Protein, Fiber, and Nonfiber Carbohydrate Concentrations of Some Feedstuffs Commonly Fed to Dairy Cattle

	Dry Matter (%)	Metabolizable Energy (Mcal/kg)	Net Energy for Lactation (Mcal/kg)	Net Energy for Maintenance (Mcal/kg)	Net Energy for Gain (Mcal/kg)	Neutral Detergent Fiber (%)	Nonfiber Carbohydrate (%)	Crude Protein (%)
Ground shell corn	88	3.12	2.01	2.16	1.48	9.5	75.47	9.4
Corn silage	35	2.33	1.45	1.57	0.97	45	40	8.8
Pasture	20	2.46	1.54	1.67	1.06	45.8	19.6	26
Hay (cool-season grasses)	84	2.02	1.23	1.33	0.75	58	21.6	13
Hay crop silage (cool-season grasses)	42	1.92	1.16	1.25	0.68	58	18.2	17
Grass-legume mix hay	85	2.07	1.25	1.35	0.77	50.8	23.8	18.4
Grass-legume mix hay crop silage	44	1.96	1.23	1.32	0.74	50.4	21.5	19
Legume hay	84	2.09	1.28	1.38	0.8	43	27.3	20.8
Legume hay crop silage	43	2.01	1.22	1.32	0.74	43	25.1	22
Oats (rolled)	90	2.78	1.77	1.9	1.26	30	50.2	13.2
Sorghum silage	29	1.85	1.11	1.18	0.62	61	21.9	9.1
Soybean meal (solvent extracted, 44% crude protein)	89	3.31	2.13	2.29	1.59	15	27.6	49.9
Cotton seeds	90	2.91	1.94	1.96	1.31	50.3	5.1	23.5
Dried distillers grains with solubles	90	3.03	1.97	2.07	1.41	39	24.4	30
Corn and cob meal	89.2	2.91	1.86	2	1.35	21.5	65.2	8.6
Adapted from National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National 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 maintenance. These are representative values intended primarily for relative comparison among feeds. Analyzed values of actual feed samples will vary substantially, especially among forages. Laboratory analyses of feeds and forages are always advisable for both comparative evaluation and ration balancing.

Dry Matter (%)

Metabolizable Energy (Mcal/kg)

Net Energy for Lactation (Mcal/kg)

Net Energy for Maintenance (Mcal/kg)

Net Energy for Gain (Mcal/kg)

Neutral Detergent Fiber (%)

Nonfiber Carbohydrate (%)

Crude Protein (%)

Ground shell corn

3.12

2.01

2.16

1.48

9.5

75.47

9.4

Corn silage

2.33

1.45

1.57

0.97

8.8

Pasture

2.46

1.54

1.67

1.06

45.8

19.6

Hay (cool-season grasses)

2.02

1.23

1.33

0.75

21.6

Hay crop silage (cool-season grasses)

1.92

1.16

1.25

0.68

18.2

Grass-legume mix hay

2.07

1.25

1.35

0.77

50.8

23.8

18.4

Grass-legume mix hay crop silage

1.96

1.23

1.32

0.74

50.4

21.5

Legume hay

2.09

1.28

1.38

0.8

27.3

20.8

Legume hay crop silage

2.01

1.22

1.32

0.74

25.1

Oats (rolled)

2.78

1.77

1.9

1.26

50.2

13.2

Sorghum silage

1.85

1.11

1.18

0.62

21.9

9.1

Soybean meal (solvent extracted, 44% crude protein)

3.31

2.13

2.29

1.59

27.6

49.9

Cotton seeds

2.91

1.94

1.96

1.31

50.3

5.1

23.5

Dried distillers grains with solubles

3.03

1.97

2.07

1.41

24.4

Corn and cob meal

89.2

2.91

1.86

1.35

21.5

65.2

8.6

Adapted from National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National 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 maintenance. These are representative values intended primarily for relative comparison among feeds. Analyzed values of actual feed samples will vary substantially, especially among forages. Laboratory analyses of feeds and forages are always advisable for both comparative evaluation and ration balancing.